The Church Fathers on this verse

Ezekiel 38:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And it shall come to pass in that day, in the day of the coming of Gog upon the land of Israel, saith the Lord God, that my indignation shall come up in my wrath.

Douay-Rheims

וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא בְּי֨וֹם בּ֥וֹא גוֹג֙ עַל־אַדְמַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה תַּעֲלֶ֥ה חֲמָתִ֖י בְּאַפִּֽי׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Theodoret of Cyrus

5th centuryChurch Father

On that day, it will occur that Gog will approach the land of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord; My anger shall surge in My wrath. Ezekiel 38:19. My fury shall burn like fire; I tell you, on that day, fear shall be prominent in the land of Israel. The Lord names the magnitude of this moment a coward because fear causes us to accept all things, including the tremors of an earthquake and the accounts of remarkable miracles. Yet, it is no surprise that earthquakes have occurred as judgment upon the wicked and ruthless. The terms such as rage, wrath, and zeal should be understood in a divine context, as they are often employed in a human sense to denote punishment.

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The Lord declares that not only humanity, but also fish, birds, creatures that move upon the earth, and beasts shall tremble in fear of these occurrences; that the mountains will be moved, and walls will crumble. Thus, it is clear that God refers to the very earthquake as a coward; for this cowardice, whether voiced or unvoiced, instills terror and causes mountains to crumble, filling valleys with rubble, demolishing walls, and reducing cities to desolation; indeed, experience teaches this reality.

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Passages read together with this verse.