Contents:
Summary
Chapters with Brit-Am Commentary

Summary:
Chapter 36: The Enemies of Israel and Judah will be punished. This especially applies to Edom who persecuted Judah. The Land of Israel will again be fertile when Judah and Israel return to it. The Israelites will receive a new heart and repent when they return to their Land.

Chapter 37: The dry bones will be brought to life. The Staff of Judah and the Staff of Joseph will join together and they shall be one nation. With unity comes Purification. The Temple will be rebuilt.

Chapter 38: Gog and Magog and all their hosts, Messheck, Tubal, Gomer, etc, come to attack the Israelites who have returned to their land Brief discussion of possible present-day identifications; Russia, Germany, Mongolian Peoples, etc. All the Hosts of the North and elsewhere shall gather together to attack the ingathered Tribes of Israel. The Almighty will cause them to fight against each other when they reach the Land of Israel and to destroy each other.

Chapter 39: The Israelites will take booty from the forces of Gog and Magog. They who oppressed, robbed, and shamed the Holy People will have the same done to them. The exact sequence of events is not clear.

Chapter 40: Ezekiel in a Vision is shown the dimensions of the Future Temple in Jerusalem.

Chapters:
Ezekiel 36
[Ezekiel 36:1] ALSO, THOU SON OF MAN, PROPHESY UNTO THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL, AND SAY, YE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL, HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD:                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:2] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THE ENEMY HATH SAID AGAINST YOU, AHA, EVEN THE ANCIENT HIGH PLACES ARE OURS IN POSSESSION:                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:3] THEREFORE PROPHESY AND SAY, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THEY HAVE MADE YOU DESOLATE, AND SWALLOWED YOU UP ON EVERY SIDE, THAT YE MIGHT BE A POSSESSION UNTO THE RESIDUE OF THE HEATHEN, AND YE ARE TAKEN UP IN THE LIPS OF TALKERS, AND ARE AN INFAMY OF THE PEOPLE: 
<<BECAUSE THEY HAVE MADE YOU DESOLATE: Ezekiel is speaking  "UNTO THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL" (36:1) that were made desolate by the heathen Arab Palestinians and their forebears.
 <<AND SWALLOWED YOU UP ON EVERY SIDE: They took it all. The Arabs do not want so much to help the Palestinians but rather they do not want the Jews to have their own land. As far as they are considered the more the Palestinians suffer the better. It makes god propaganda. The Europeans mostly have the same attitude.
 <<THAT YE MIGHT BE A POSSESSION UNTO THE RESIDUE OF THE HEATHEN: This is the whole thing. They do not want the Land of Israel to be settled by the Jews. They are against the people of God because they hate the God of Israel.                  
 
[Ezekiel 36:4] THEREFORE, YE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL, HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD GOD; THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD TO THE MOUNTAINS, AND TO THE HILLS, TO THE RIVERS, AND TO THE VALLEYS, TO THE DESOLATE WASTES, AND TO THE CITIES THAT ARE FORSAKEN, WHICH BECAME A PREY AND DERISION TO THE RESIDUE OF THE HEATHEN THAT ARE ROUND ABOUT;                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:5] THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; SURELY IN THE FIRE OF MY JEALOUSY HAVE I SPOKEN AGAINST THE RESIDUE OF THE HEATHEN, AND AGAINST ALL IDUMEA, WHICH HAVE APPOINTED MY LAND INTO THEIR POSSESSION WITH THE JOY OF ALL THEIR HEART, WITH DESPITEFUL MINDS, TO CAST IT OUT FOR A PREY.
 <<AGAINST THE RESIDUE OF THE HEATHEN, AND AGAINST ALL IDUMEA: The Romans were descended in part from Edomites. They destroyed Judah and exiled its people. Other Edomites from the region of Idumea took possession of part of the land in Byzantine times.  Some of the Palestinians are descended from these people.  Red hair was a characteristic of both Judah and Edom. A few of the most notorious Palestinian leaders (such as the mufti in WWII and the mufti today) have had red hair. Hitler and many of the Nazis were also descended from Edom. They tried to exterminate Judah. They had plans to effectually exterminate the British people as we explained in "The Tribes" (especially the 2nd edition).               
 
[Ezekiel 36:6] PROPHESY THEREFORE CONCERNING THE LAND OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THE MOUNTAINS,  AND TO THE HILLS, TO THE RIVERS, AND TO THE VALLEYS, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I HAVE SPOKEN IN MY JEALOUSY AND IN MY FURY, BECAUSE YE HAVE BORNE THE SHAME OF THE HEATHEN:                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:7] THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; I HAVE LIFTED UP MINE HAND, SURELY THE HEATHEN THAT ARE ABOUT YOU, THEY SHALL BEAR THEIR SHAME.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:8] BUT YE, O MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL, YE SHALL SHOOT FORTH YOUR BRANCHES, AND YIELD YOUR FRUIT TO MY PEOPLE OF ISRAEL; FOR THEY ARE AT HAND TO COME.                     
The Sages (Sanhedrin 98a), quoting this verse, said that there is no more certain indication of the approaching Redemption than that the Land of Israel will return and once more give forth its fruits in good measure. This is happening in our day.
 
[Ezekiel 36:9] FOR, BEHOLD, I AM FOR YOU, AND I WILL TURN UNTO YOU, AND YE SHALL BE TILLED AND SOWN:                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:10] AND I WILL MULTIPLY MEN UPON YOU, ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, EVEN ALL OF IT: AND THE CITIES SHALL BE INHABITED, AND THE WASTES SHALL BE BUILDED:                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:11] AND I WILL MULTIPLY UPON YOU MAN AND BEAST; AND THEY SHALL INCREASE AND BRING FRUIT: AND I WILL SETTLE YOU AFTER YOUR OLD ESTATES, AND WILL DO BETTER UNTO YOU THAN AT YOUR BEGINNINGS: AND YE SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:12] YEA, I WILL CAUSE MEN TO WALK UPON YOU, EVEN MY PEOPLE ISRAEL; AND THEY SHALL POSSESS THEE, AND THOU SHALT BE THEIR INHERITANCE, AND THOU SHALT NO MORE HENCEFORTH BEREAVE THEM OF MEN.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:13] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BECAUSE THEY SAY UNTO YOU, THOU LAND DEVOUREST UP MEN, AND HAST BEREAVED THY NATIONS:  
<<THOU LAND DEVOUREST UP MEN: Over the centuries the Land of Israel was pretty much desolate, disease and famine stricken and had a reputation for being inhospitable and bad for settlement. This was because people of Israelite stock were not dwelling there.                 
 
[Ezekiel 36:14] THEREFORE THOU SHALT DEVOUR MEN NO MORE, NEITHER BEREAVE THY NATIONS ANY MORE, SAITH THE LORD GOD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:15] NEITHER WILL I CAUSE MEN TO HEAR IN THEE THE SHAME OF THE HEATHEN ANY MORE, NEITHER SHALT THOU BEAR THE REPROACH OF THE PEOPLE ANY MORE, NEITHER SHALT THOU CAUSE THY NATIONS TO FALL ANY MORE, SAITH THE LORD GOD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:16] MOREOVER THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO ME, SAYING,                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:17] SON OF MAN, WHEN THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL DWELT IN THEIR OWN LAND, THEY DEFILED IT BY THEIR OWN WAY AND BY THEIR DOINGS: THEIR WAY WAS BEFORE ME AS THE UNCLEANNESS OF A REMOVED WOMAN.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:18] WHEREFORE I POURED MY FURY UPON THEM FOR THE BLOOD THAT THEY HAD SHED UPON THE LAND, AND FOR THEIR IDOLS WHEREWITH THEY HAD POLLUTED IT:                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:19] AND I SCATTERED THEM AMONG THE HEATHEN, AND THEY WERE DISPERSED THROUGH THE COUNTRIES: ACCORDING TO THEIR WAY AND ACCORDING TO THEIR DOINGS I JUDGED THEM.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:20] AND WHEN THEY ENTERED UNTO THE HEATHEN, WHITHER THEY WENT, THEY PROFANED MY HOLY NAME, WHEN THEY SAID TO THEM, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD, AND ARE GONE FORTH OUT OF HIS LAND. 
Again, Ezekiel appears to be referring to Judah. In the Bible "Israel" very often refers to the Lost Ten Tribes and "Judah", "Zion", or "Jerusalem" pertain more to Judah though they too in some contexts can apply to all Israel. Ezekiel is an exception. Technically "Judah" and the Lost Ten Tribes together make up all Israel and either part could be referred to alone as "Israel". Frequently in Ezekiel the term "Israel" appears to apply more to "Judah" (i.e. the Jews) than to the Lost Israelites. Ezekiel is exceptional in this.                   
 
[Ezekiel 36:21] BUT I HAD PITY FOR MINE HOLY NAME, WHICH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL HAD PROFANED AMONG THE HEATHEN, WHITHER THEY WENT.
There is an aspect perhaps relevant to the Lost Ten Tribes here.   The Lost Ten Tribes received Christianity and so became the same as all other Christians. Amongst Christians however it so happens that most do not really believe in the Bible per se. Their attitude is more that the Bible has been superceded by their own ongoing revelation or tradition. I am referring to the de facto level not necessarily to the official doctrine. The "Anglo" peoples to a degree do however uphold the literal truth of the Bible and represent it
Yet by their actions and misbehavior they desecrate it in the eyes of others.
Nevertheless the verse at its simple level refers to Judah. Whatever Judah does in the eyes of others Judah is known as the "People of the Book" and it is a desecration of the name of God that Judah be in a bad state even if it can be claimed that maybe on some level Judah may deserve it. God does not want His name desecrated and God does not want Judah to be downtrodden and persecuted.                 
 
[Ezekiel 36:22] THEREFORE SAY UNTO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; I DO NOT   THIS FOR YOUR SAKES, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL, BUT FOR MINE HOLY NAME'S SAKE, WHICH YE HAVE PROFANED AMONG THE HEATHEN, WHITHER YE WENT.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:23] AND I WILL SANCTIFY MY GREAT NAME, WHICH WAS PROFANED AMONG THE HEATHEN,   WHICH YE HAVE PROFANED IN THE MIDST OF THEM; AND THE HEATHEN SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD, SAITH THE LORD GOD, WHEN I SHALL BE SANCTIFIED IN YOU BEFORE THEIR EYES.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:24] FOR I WILL TAKE YOU FROM AMONG THE HEATHEN, AND GATHER YOU OUT OF ALL COUNTRIES, AND WILL BRING YOU INTO YOUR OWN LAND. 
This message is pertinent also to the Lost Tribes and ties in with other verses elsewhere. At first there will be a return to the Land and recognition of belonging then reconciliation will take place. How this will happen concerning the Lost Ten Tribes we do not know but it is prophesied to take place and so will do so.                    
 
[Ezekiel 36:25] THEN WILL I SPRINKLE CLEAN WATER UPON YOU, AND YE SHALL BE CLEAN: FROM ALL YOUR FILTHINESS, AND FROM ALL YOUR IDOLS, WILL I CLEANSE YOU.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:26] A NEW HEART ALSO WILL I GIVE YOU, AND A NEW SPIRIT WILL I PUT WITHIN YOU: AND I WILL TAKE AWAY THE STONY HEART OUT OF YOUR FLESH, AND I WILL GIVE YOU AN HEART OF FLESH.
This is the "New Covenant" spoken of in Jeremiah chapter 31 and there he is definitiely speaking of both "Judah" and "Ephraim" together:
 
Remember the verses and what we wrote there:
 
 [Jeremiah 31:31] BEHOLD, THE DAYS COME, SAITH THE LORD, THAT I WILL MAKE A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH:                     
"A NEW COVENANT": This new covenant entails a change of human nature as explained and will take place in the future. The New Covenant is to be made with the united Tribes of Judah and Israel (the Ten Tribes) together.
 
[Jeremiah 31:32] NOT ACCORDING TO THE COVENANT THAT I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS IN THE DAY THAT I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO BRING THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; WHICH MY COVENANT THEY BRAKE, ALTHOUGH I WAS AN HUSBAND UNTO THEM, SAITH THE LORD:                     
 
[Jeremiah 31:33] BUT THIS SHALL BE THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL; AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAITH THE LORD, I WILL PUT MY LAW IN THEIR INWARD PARTS, AND WRITE IT IN THEIR HEARTS; AND WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
 
Three times a day a blessing is recited by religious Jews in the main prayer for the return of the exiles including the Lost Ten Tribes. The blessing refers to the blowing of a "great shofar" (translated as "trumpet") and the Commentator "Etz Chaim" affirms that this is referring to the future return of the Lost Ten Tribes. Cf. our commentary on Isaiah:  
Isaiah  (27:13)  "AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY, THAT THE GREAT TRUMPET [shofar] SHALL BE BLOWN, AND THEY SHALL COME WHICH WERE READY TO PERISH [Hebrew: "Ovdim" also translatable as they who were lost"]  IN THE LAND OF ASSYRIA (i.e. Lost Ten Tribes), AND THE OUTCASTS (i.e. Jewish Captives) IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, AND SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD IN THE HOLY MOUNT AT JERUSALEM" [Isaiah 27:13].
               
 Ezekiel is speaking about the same phenomenon concerning a fundamental change in our own inner nature.
[Ezekiel 36:27] AND I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU, AND CAUSE YOU TO WALK IN MY STATUTES, AND YE SHALL KEEP MY JUDGMENTS, AND DO THEM. 
Note that keeping the judgments and statutes is spoken of as a duty in the Last Days.                   
 
[Ezekiel 36:28] AND YE SHALL DWELL IN THE LAND THAT I GAVE TO YOUR FATHERS; AND YE SHALL BE MY   PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE YOUR GOD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:29] I WILL ALSO SAVE YOU FROM ALL YOUR UNCLEANNESSES: AND I WILL CALL FOR THE CORN, AND WILL INCREASE IT, AND LAY NO FAMINE UPON YOU.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:30] AND I WILL MULTIPLY THE FRUIT OF THE TREE, AND THE INCREASE OF THE FIELD, THAT YE   SHALL RECEIVE NO MORE REPROACH OF FAMINE AMONG THE HEATHEN.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:31] THEN SHALL YE REMEMBER YOUR OWN EVIL WAYS, AND YOUR DOINGS THAT WERE NOT GOOD, AND SHALL LOTHE YOURSELVES IN YOUR OWN SIGHT FOR YOUR INIQUITIES AND FOR YOUR ABOMINATIONS.  
 <<SHALL LOTHE YOURSELVES IN YOUR OWN SIGHT FOR YOUR INIQUITIES: We will all be ashamed of ourselves for the evil we have done and the good deeds we could have done and decided not to. We all need the help of God to do what we should,                 
 
[Ezekiel 36:32] NOT FOR YOUR SAKES DO I THIS, SAITH THE LORD GOD, BE IT KNOWN UNTO YOU: BE ASHAMED AND CONFOUNDED FOR YOUR OWN WAYS, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:33] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; IN THE DAY THAT I SHALL HAVE CLEANSED YOU FROM ALL YOUR INIQUITIES I WILL ALSO CAUSE YOU TO DWELL IN THE CITIES, AND THE WASTES SHALL BE BUILDED.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:34] AND THE DESOLATE LAND SHALL BE TILLED, WHEREAS IT LAY DESOLATE IN THE SIGHT OF ALL THAT PASSED BY.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:35] AND THEY SHALL SAY, THIS LAND THAT WAS DESOLATE IS BECOME LIKE THE GARDEN OF EDEN; AND THE WASTE AND DESOLATE AND RUINED CITIES ARE BECOME FENCED, AND ARE INHABITED.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:36] THEN THE HEATHEN THAT ARE LEFT ROUND ABOUT YOU SHALL KNOW THAT I THE LORD BUILD THE RUINED PLACES, AND PLANT THAT THAT WAS DESOLATE: I THE LORD HAVE SPOKEN IT, AND I WILL DO IT.    
The rebuilding of the Land of Israel is a sign of God being involved in the world and watching over mankind. It is a demonstration of Divine Providence.       
 
 [Ezekiel 36:37] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; I WILL YET FOR THIS BE ENQUIRED OF BY THE HOUSE OF   ISRAEL, TO DO IT FOR THEM; I WILL INCREASE THEM WITH MEN LIKE A FLOCK.                     
 
[Ezekiel 36:38] AS THE HOLY FLOCK, AS THE FLOCK OF JERUSALEM IN HER SOLEMN FEASTS; SO SHALL THE   WASTE CITIES BE FILLED WITH FLOCKS OF MEN: AND THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD
 
Ezekiel 37
Ezekiel 37 speaks of dead bodies being resurrected. He than goes on to say that God told him to take the stick (in Hebrew "etz" which can also mean "wood", or "tree") and to write upon it, "For Judah and for the Children of Israel who are joined to him", i.e. "For The Jews". He was told to take another stick and write upon it, "For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for all the House of Israel who are joined unto him" (37:16). He was then told to join them together and they were to one (37:17). Bystanders saw Ezekiel fulfill these symbolic actions and asked him what their meaning was" The reply was that "Judah" and "Israel" (the Lost Ten Tribes) are destined to be (37:19-21) gathered together into the land of Israel and there re-united. They are to become one kingdom and one king shall rule over them (37:22). This King is referred to as David. He will be either a descendant of David or King David resurrected. The united Israelites shall keep the Law (37:24). God will dwell amongst them and the Tabernacle-Temple will be rebuilt (37:27-28).
We learn from this the two entities "Judah" and "Joseph" will remain separate from each other until the end times. Commentators saw the niceties of the Hebrew original in the above passage as indicating that: (a) The re-unification must take place initially through our own initiative. Ezekiel is told to take the sticks and write upon them and join them together in his own hands but then God makes them one in HIS hand (37:19). In the Last Days most of the nations of the world represented by Gog and Magog will rage war on the United Kingdom of Israel and be defeated (Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39).
 
Ezekiel 37
[Ezekiel 37:1] THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS UPON ME, AND CARRIED ME OUT IN THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD, AND SET ME DOWN IN THE MIDST OF THE VALLEY WHICH WAS FULL OF BONES,                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:2] AND CAUSED ME TO PASS BY THEM ROUND ABOUT: AND, BEHOLD, THERE WERE VERY MANY IN THE OPEN VALLEY; AND, LO, THEY WERE VERY DRY.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:3] AND HE SAID UNTO ME, SON OF MAN, CAN THESE BONES LIVE" AND I ANSWERED, O LORD GOD, THOU KNOWEST.  
God can do anything. At the end of time there will be a resurrection of the dead. Nevertheless the main point of our chapter on one level is not to teach us about resurrection about rather about the possibility of reviving both Judah and Joseph and their companions from the other tribes so that they re-unite. On another level the chapter can even be seen as talking about two separate events not necessarily connected in time or place. On one hand we have the principle that in the End of days at some point there will be a resurrection of the dead. In addition we have another (not necessarily connected) principle that Judah and Joseph will re-unite. Scripture is deliberately built in such a way as to be pertinent at several levels at one and the same time.                 
 
[Ezekiel 37:4] AGAIN HE SAID UNTO ME, PROPHESY UPON THESE BONES, AND SAY UNTO THEM, O YE DRY BONES, HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:5] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD UNTO THESE BONES; BEHOLD, I WILL CAUSE BREATH TO ENTER INTO YOU, AND YE SHALL LIVE:                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:6] AND I WILL LAY SINEWS UPON YOU, AND WILL BRING UP FLESH UPON YOU, AND COVER YOU WITH SKIN, AND PUT BREATH IN YOU, AND YE SHALL LIVE; AND YE SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:7] SO I PROPHESIED AS I WAS COMMANDED: AND AS I PROPHESIED, THERE WAS A NOISE, AND BEHOLD A SHAKING, AND THE BONES CAME TOGETHER, BONE TO HIS BONE.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:8] AND WHEN I BEHELD, LO, THE SINEWS AND THE FLESH CAME UP UPON THEM, AND THE SKIN COVERED THEM ABOVE: BUT THERE WAS NO BREATH IN THEM.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:9] THEN SAID HE UNTO ME, PROPHESY UNTO THE WIND, PROPHESY, SON OF MAN, AND  SAY TO THE WIND, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; COME FROM THE FOUR WINDS, O BREATH, AND BREATHE UPON THESE SLAIN, THAT THEY MAY LIVE.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:10] SO I PROPHESIED AS HE COMMANDED ME, AND THE BREATH CAME INTO THEM, AND THEY LIVED, AND STOOD UP UPON THEIR FEET, AN EXCEEDING GREAT ARMY.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:11] THEN HE SAID UNTO ME, SON OF MAN, THESE BONES ARE THE WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL: BEHOLD, THEY SAY, OUR BONES ARE DRIED, AND OUR HOPE IS LOST: WE ARE CUT OFF FOR OUR PARTS.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:12] THEREFORE PROPHESY AND SAY UNTO THEM, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, O MY PEOPLE, I WILL OPEN YOUR GRAVES, AND CAUSE YOU TO COME UP OUT OF YOUR GRAVES, AND BRING YOU INTO THE LAND OF ISRAEL.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:13] AND YE SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD, WHEN I HAVE OPENED YOUR GRAVES, O MY PEOPLE, AND BROUGHT YOU UP OUT OF YOUR GRAVES,                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:14] AND SHALL PUT MY SPIRIT IN YOU, AND YE SHALL LIVE, AND I SHALL PLACE YOU IN YOUR OWN LAND: THEN SHALL YE KNOW THAT I THE LORD HAVE SPOKEN IT, AND PERFORMED IT, SAITH THE LORD.   
I personally consider this vision of the dead bones being revived and returning to Israel as representing the Lost Ten Tribes and this is how the vision is interpreted by Scripture itself in the following verses. Nevertheless there was a tradition that saw this vision as ALSO representing a real event that will take place. The legend (Rashi, Sanhedrin 92b) that when the Children of Israel were oppressed by the Egyptians a group of 200,000 from the Tribe of Ephraim attempted to go out of Egypt and conquer the land of Canaan. The Times had not yet come and they were all killed by the Philistines. Thirty years later Moses did succeed in bringing the whole of the Israelite nation out of Egypt. Those from Ephraim who had tried to go out too early and been slain are they whom Ezekiel foresaw being resurrected.  I would suggest an insight in light of this legend: Ephraim (Joseph and companions in general) has to be made aware of his identity before re-unification can take place. The pertinence of a revival to life in this regard may apply more to the Lost Ten Tribes.
At all events the vision of the dead bones being brought back to life is taken to show how the Children of Israel who were thought to be lost altogether will be revived and will re-unite with Judah. What will be and how it will be is not a field that we over duly occupy ourselves with. What interests us is anything that affirms the knowledge of where the Lost Ten tribes are today. This chapter of Ezekiel affirms the fact that the Lost Ten Tribes will be divided from Judah until the end times and then they will re-unite.             
 
[Ezekiel 37:15] THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME AGAIN UNTO ME, SAYING,                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:16] MOREOVER, THOU SON OF MAN, TAKE THEE ONE STICK, AND WRITE UPON IT, FOR JUDAH, AND FOR THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HIS COMPANIONS: THEN TAKE ANOTHER STICK, AND WRITE UPON IT, FOR JOSEPH, THE STICK OF EPHRAIM AND FOR ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL HIS COMPANIONS:                     

MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH was to be a descendant of Joseph from the Tribe of Ephraim. According to the Biblical Commentary known as the Malbim (1809-1879). MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH was to head the Lost Ten Tribes in the latter days in the period leading up to the return of the Lost Ten Tribes and their eventual re-unification with Judah. The MALBIM (Meir Leib ben Yechiel Michael [Weiser] 1809 1879) explained the 37th chapter of Ezekiel in a manner worth noting: [Ezekiel 37;15] "He was commanded to take one stick and to write upon it, these words,  ~FOR JUDAH AND FOR THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, HIS COMPANIONS~, which represented Judah and those [others] joined unto him from the Children of Israel, such as the Tribe of Benjamin, and the Sons of Levi, and the rest of the people who attached themselves to Judah.
            "~And he took another stick, and he wrote upon it, these words: ~FOR JOSEPH, THE STICK OF EPHRAIM, AND FOR ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, HIS COMPANIONS~, representing Joseph who was the source of the tribe. From Joseph developed the Kingdom of Ephraim which began with Jeroboam, and therefore is termed , ~THE STICK OF EPHRAIM.
            ~AND ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL~, for unto him were joined all of Israel which belong to the Ten Tribes... Our Sacred Sages had a tradition that in the beginning (of the End Times) would arise a Messiah [i.e. Anointed Saviour] from the house of Joseph who will reign over the Ten Tribes. He will wage wars and all of Israel will be gathered together under his banner. [This will continue] until later on, a descendant of David will appear and he will reign over them....
            "A transformation will take place. The Ten Tribes and the stick of Joseph will draw themselves closer unto the stick of Judah, and this too, will be through the agency of a Prophet and by miracles".
 
[Ezekiel 37:17] AND JOIN THEM ONE TO ANOTHER INTO ONE STICK; AND THEY SHALL BECOME ONE IN THINE HAND.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:18] AND WHEN THE CHILDREN OF THY PEOPLE SHALL SPEAK UNTO THEE, SAYING, WILT THOU NOT SHEW US WHAT THOU MEANEST BY THESE"                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:19] SAY UNTO THEM, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I WILL TAKE THE STICK OF  JOSEPH, WHICH IS IN THE HAND OF EPHRAIM, AND THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL HIS FELLOWS, AND WILL PUT THEM WITH HIM, EVEN WITH THE STICK OF JUDAH, AND MAKE THEM ONE STICK, AND THEY SHALL BE ONE IN MINE HAND.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:20] AND THE STICKS WHEREON THOU WRITEST SHALL BE IN THINE HAND BEFORE THEIR EYES.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:21] AND SAY UNTO THEM, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I WILL TAKE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FROM AMONG THE HEATHEN, WHITHER THEY BE GONE, AND WILL GATHER THEM ON EVERY SIDE, AND BRING THEM INTO THEIR OWN LAND:                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:22] AND I WILL MAKE THEM ONE NATION IN THE LAND UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL; AND ONE KING SHALL BE KING TO THEM ALL: AND THEY SHALL BE NO MORE TWO NATIONS, NEITHER SHALL THEY BE DIVIDED INTO TWO KINGDOMS ANY MORE AT ALL.
<<NEITHER SHALL THEY BE DIVIDED INTO TWO KINGDOMS ANY MORE AT ALL: but until the end times they will have been so divided.   
We explained "Brit-Am Now"-483 item 3. Ezekiel 37: Tree or Stick"):
Strictly speaking  "etz" means tree and there are other words that mean stick or branches but "etz" can also mean "wood" or "piece of wood" in general
and thus be used for a stick or branch. The Hebrew language can be very precise but in this case it is open to a wide variety of interpretations.
The Prophet however was told to take an "etz" in each hand and this logically most likely means a piece of wood or stick.
 
Adapted from "Lev Chadash" by Yigal Ariel (2004):
<<The deed was simple and clear. The Prophet took two pieces of wood, wrote upon them the names of the Tribes, joined them together and they became one in his hand. However the details of the action, the nature of the pieces of wood and how the two united, have been explained by the Commentators in different ways:
a. It may be that the prophet took two wooden boards and joined them together with glue and nails (Targum Yehonatan).
b. The language of Scripture says, "AND THEY SHALL BECOME ONE IN THINE HAND" [Ezekiel 37:17]. The Prophet only draws them close to each other and they joined together inn his hand on their own in a miraculous manner.                    
c. Simple boards of wood do not come into consideration but rather two living trees (Rashi, Radak). The joining of the wood does not mean laying two pieces beside each other but actual engrafting so that the two trees intermerge with each other as one living blossoming tree with a combination of characteristics. 
d. A combination of the two explanations would present the case thus: The Prophet took two dry sticks, joined them together and they intermingled by miracle to become one blossoming flowering tree.
e. It is possible to go one step ahead and say that simple sticks are not being spoken of  but rather staffs that represent the two tribes [Judah and Joseph] and express their strength and rulership"At present the People of Israel need"the separate staffs to be joined together into one blossoming tree.            
 
[Ezekiel 37:23] NEITHER SHALL THEY DEFILE THEMSELVES ANY MORE WITH THEIR IDOLS, NOR WITH THEIR DETESTABLE THINGS, NOR WITH ANY OF THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS: BUT I WILL SAVE THEM OUT OF ALL THEIR DWELLINGPLACES, WHEREIN THEY HAVE SINNED, AND WILL CLEANSE THEM: SO SHALL THEY BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:24] AND DAVID MY SERVANT SHALL BE KING OVER THEM; AND THEY ALL SHALL HAVE ONE SHEPHERD: THEY SHALL ALSO WALK IN MY JUDGMENTS, AND OBSERVE MY STATUTES, AND DO THEM.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:25] AND THEY SHALL DWELL IN THE LAND THAT I HAVE GIVEN UNTO JACOB MY SERVANT, WHEREIN YOUR FATHERS HAVE DWELT; AND THEY SHALL DWELL THEREIN, EVEN THEY, AND THEIR CHILDREN, AND THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN FOR EVER: AND MY SERVANT DAVID SHALL BE THEIR PRINCE FOR EVER.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:26] MOREOVER I WILL MAKE A COVENANT OF PEACE WITH THEM; IT SHALL BE AN EVERLASTING COVENANT WITH THEM: AND I WILL PLACE THEM, AND MULTIPLY THEM, AND WILL SET MY SANCTUARY IN THE MIDST OF THEM FOR EVERMORE.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:27] MY TABERNACLE ALSO SHALL BE WITH THEM: YEA, I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.                     
 
[Ezekiel 37:28] AND THE HEATHEN SHALL KNOW THAT I THE LORD DO SANCTIFY ISRAEL, WHEN MY SANCTUARY SHALL BE IN THE MIDST OF THEM FOR EVERMORE.  
The rebuilding of the Temple and the re-unification of Judah and Joseph will cause many amongst the non-Israelite nations to believe in the God of Israel.  This to my mind is an important point. The non-Israelite nations will be brought to worship the One God through the Bible and through Israel. This does not necessarily mean that Israelites are better than other people. It is how God wants it. 
 

Ezekiel 38 
The following notes concern the identities of non-Israelite peoples and future events. We specialize in the identification of the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel and take responsibility for the veracity of whatever we say concerning them. Regarding other matters our opinions are not necessarily better than anybody elses. We can however look at the sources and make suggestions that students of the Bible and our subscribers in general may find useful. Remember, the great philosopher, Maimonides, emphasized (as did others before and after him) that in order to get to the truth one has to be prepared to make mistakes from time to time.  
 
 
Ezekiel 38
[Ezekiel 38:1] AND THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO ME, SAYING,   
 
[Ezekiel 38:2] SON OF MAN, SET THY FACE AGAINST GOG, THE LAND OF MAGOG, THE CHIEF PRINCE OF MESHECH AND TUBAL, AND PROPHESY AGAINST HIM,  : GOG: Maybe the name of a leader and that is how the verses incline but it may also be the name of a nation. There was a country named Gog mentioned in Tibetan records. It appears to have been somewhere in the region of Mongolia. There was also a province named Gogarene in Iberia (Georgia) in the Caucasus Mountains. Maybe the future leader of the heathen hordes will come from the Land of Gog?
Gog was also an ancestral figure in the Tribe of Reuben (1-Chronicles 5:4).
In some early Christian sources (usually Germanic but also others, re John Mandeville) Gog and Magog were identified with the Lost Ten Tribes. Both were considered the ultimate arch-enemies.
See "Red Jews - or 'The Lost Ten Tribes?'"
Some say that Gog and Magog refers to Mongolian peoples in general. Such nations would include Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Northern China.
THE CHIEF PRINCE OF MESHECH: In Hebrew the word translated as "THE CHIEF PRINCE" is "Rosh" (literally meaning here "the head of") Meshech, i.e. the Leader of Mesheck but the word "Rosh" was also understood as a word in its own right. Some Christian(?) Commentators understood the word "Rosh" to hint at Russia.
Leon Poliakov, "The Aryan Myth" (1971, 1974), p.113: <<In Greek the translation of the Hebrew word rosh (= head, principal, chief) became a name, that of an eighth son of Japheth, in whom the Byzantines were anxious to discern the ancestor of the Russians. The Russians for their part were able to make use of another paronym because russyi means blond in Russian.  The Russians believed that the future Emperor of the Universe would come from a blond nation which [in their opinion] could only be Russia.
Ivan the Terrible (1540s) considered himself and the Russian nobility to be not Russian but German.  19th century genealogists considered 90% of the Russian nobility to be of non-Slav origin, mostly western and the rest from the East.
There is a Struggle in the Russian soul between East and West.
The "Moschi" in ancient times dwelt in northern Syria and present day Turkey. The Moschi are identified with the Phrygians of old. They later moved to Russia and gave name to such places as Moscow, Moskva River and the Mescheryak people in Eastern Russia.
In Classical (Jewish and related) sources Tubal is sometimes identified with Spain. Maybe the Basques are from Tubal? The Basques, linguistically, are linked to peoples from the Caucasus Mountains. Tubal was also to be found in Tabali. The Tibareni people were associated with the Moschi in North Eastern Turkey in Ancient times. Tbilisi, and the Tobo River are found in the Russian area. 
In general it is possible to identify the above mentioned nations with the forces of Russia and Asia. 
Poliakov ("The Aryan Myth" chapter six) repots that originally the Russians considered themselves descendants of a certain "Dajdbog" which vaguely sounds similar to Gog and Magog. The "Caucasian" Russians and the Mongolian Peoples had much in common. Genghis Khan in 1240 became the first real Tsar of All the Russias and is so designated in the earliest writings. He supported the Russian Church which in turn became a foundation of Mongol domination over Russia (1240-1480). The Totalitarian and collectivist tendencies of Russian peoples existed long before Communism.  From the structure of the expression, "GOG THE LAND OF MAGOG, ROSH [THE HEAD OF] MESHECH AND TUBAL" it sounds as if one entity of united bodies is being spoken of.  
 
[Ezekiel 38:3] AND SAY, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I AM AGAINST THEE, O GOG, THE CHIEF PRINCE OF MESHECH AND TUBAL:   
 
[Ezekiel 38:4] AND I WILL TURN THEE BACK, AND PUT HOOKS INTO THY JAWS, AND I WILL BRING THEE FORTH, AND ALL THINE ARMY, HORSES AND HORSEMEN, ALL OF THEM CLOTHED WITH ALL SORTS OF ARMOUR, EVEN A GREAT COMPANY WITH BUCKLERS AND SHIELDS, ALL OF THEM HANDLING SWORDS:
The Prophets prophesied in terms of their own times. The intention can be vehicles in general. Ambiguity of Hebrew terms was divinely inspired and can deliberately lend itself to varying interpretations of equal possible validity.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:5] PERSIA, ETHIOPIA, AND LIBYA WITH THEM; ALL OF THEM WITH SHIELD AND HELMET:
   In Hebrew Cushwhich term could also be applied to several lands including Central Asia, Pakistan-Afghanistan, and India.   In Hebrew it says Put. Why this is translated as LibyaI do not know.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:6] GOMER, AND ALL HIS BANDS; THE HOUSE OF TOGARMAH OF THE NORTH QUARTERS, AND ALL HIS BANDS: AND MANY PEOPLE WITH THEE. 
"GOMER": Germany, Europe. Germany is also identified elsewhere with Canaan, with Assyria, and with Edom. These identifications are not necessarily contradictory since most peoples are a mixture with different elements dominating according to changes of circumstance. 
"THE HOUSE OF TOGARMAH": Usually taken to mean Turkey or Turkish peoples.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:7] BE THOU PREPARED, AND PREPARE FOR THYSELF, THOU, AND ALL THY COMPANY THAT ARE ASSEMBLED UNTO THEE, AND BE THOU A GUARD UNTO THEM.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:8] AFTER MANY DAYS THOU SHALT BE VISITED: IN THE LATTER YEARS THOU SHALT COME INTO THE LAND THAT IS BROUGHT BACK FROM THE SWORD, AND IS GATHERED OUT OF MANY PEOPLE, AGAINST THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL, WHICH HAVE BEEN ALWAYS WASTE: BUT IT IS BROUGHT FORTH OUT OF THE NATIONS, AND THEY SHALL DWELL SAFELY ALL OF THEM. 
According to the simple meaning all this is happening AFTER Judah and the Lost Ten Tribes have re-united and have divided the Land of Greater Israel between the tribes and are dwelling safely.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:9] THOU SHALT ASCEND AND COME LIKE A STORM, THOU SHALT BE LIKE A CLOUD TO COVER THE LAND, THOU, AND ALL THY BANDS, AND MANY PEOPLE WITH THEE.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:10] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; IT SHALL ALSO COME TO PASS, THAT AT THE SAME TIME SHALL THINGS COME INTO THY MIND, AND THOU SHALT THINK AN EVIL THOUGHT:   
 
[Ezekiel 38:11] AND THOU SHALT SAY, I WILL GO UP TO THE LAND OF UNWALLED VILLAGES; I WILL GO TO THEM THAT ARE AT REST, THAT DWELL SAFELY, ALL OF THEM DWELLING WITHOUT WALLS, AND HAVING NEITHER BARS NOR GATES,   
 
[Ezekiel 38:12] TO TAKE A SPOIL, AND TO TAKE A PREY; TO TURN THINE HAND UPON THE DESOLATE PLACES THAT ARE NOW INHABITED, AND UPON THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GATHERED OUT OF THE NATIONS, WHICH HAVE GOTTEN CATTLE AND GOODS, THAT DWELL IN THE MIDST OF THE LAND.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:13] SHEBA, AND DEDAN, AND THE MERCHANTS OF TARSHISH, WITH ALL THE YOUNG LIONS THEREOF, SHALL SAY UNTO THEE, ART THOU COME TO TAKE A SPOIL? HAST THOU GATHERED THY COMPANY TO TAKE A PREY? TO CARRY AWAY SILVER AND GOLD, TO TAKE AWAY CATTLE AND GOODS, TO TAKE A GREAT SPOIL?
Spain, South America, Italy. Japan" Closing in for the kill to carry away whatever will be left of the spoils.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:14] THEREFORE, SON OF MAN, PROPHESY AND SAY UNTO GOG, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; IN THAT DAY WHEN MY PEOPLE OF ISRAEL DWELLETH SAFELY, SHALT THOU NOT KNOW IT"   
 
[Ezekiel 38:15] AND THOU SHALT COME FROM THY PLACE OUT OF THE NORTH PARTS, THOU, AND MANY PEOPLE WITH THEE, ALL OF THEM RIDING UPON HORSES, A GREAT COMPANY, AND A MIGHTY ARMY: 
Hordes of German, Slavic, and Asiatic peoples will come pouring down out of the north in an attempt to conquer the Land of restored Israel in which the Twelve Tribes are dwelling. The Ishmaelites (Arabs) and Edomites (parts of Europe) will already have been defeated and placated.  What will cause this fantastic movement of peoples of Gog and Magog" It is impossible to know. Does the Land of restored Israel include only the geographical regions between the Nile and the Euphrates or may it not also entail the present regions occupied by these people that will be revitalized, cured of their sicknesses and restored to their original blessed potential?
Could it be that there will occur climatic changes, ecological disasters, and/or manmade calamities of nuclear or chemical origin? The possibilities are endless.
For some reason predatory hordes of heathens will come up against Israel to disinherit her and attempt to destroy her and take what is hers.  Do not seek logic everywhere.  The USA, Britain, and the Jews are hated everywhere for no apparent reason. On the contrary they have done more good to others than anyone else ever has. Nevertheless many foreigners hate and despise them fanatically and spitefully. Maybe their very goodness and susceptibility to the rights and feelings of others is taken as weakness? Who knows if not in the darkest regions of our psychology we seek a victim or a culprit to blame for our own failings? Sometimes this task is fulfilled by our parents, or our spouse, or a friend and mentor, or somebody else who indeed may not be entirely innocent. On a national level the Israelite nations may be resented precisely because they are innately better and blessed. Man for man, foreigners often feel immensely superior to us and cannot understand why we appear on a national level to have more than they and to tell them what to do. [And what makes it worse is that they really often do need telling.]    The message of Brit-Am is that by Israelite nations supporting each other and the State of Israel (and vice-versa) they are not doing anybody any favors, rather they are helping themselves. In a sense this is an unending war of light against darkness and those who have been called to partake of the task of goodness are warriors. 
 
[Ezekiel 38:16] AND THOU SHALT COME UP AGAINST MY PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, AS A CLOUD TO COVER THE LAND; IT SHALL BE IN THE LATTER DAYS, AND I WILL BRING THEE AGAINST MY LAND, THAT THE HEATHEN MAY KNOW ME, WHEN I SHALL BE SANCTIFIED IN THEE, O GOG, BEFORE THEIR EYES.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:17] THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; ART THOU HE OF WHOM I HAVE SPOKEN IN OLD TIME BY MY SERVANTS THE PROPHETS OF ISRAEL, WHICH PROPHESIED IN THOSE DAYS MANY YEARS THAT I WOULD BRING THEE AGAINST THEM"   
 
[Ezekiel 38:18] AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS AT THE SAME TIME WHEN GOG SHALL COME AGAINST THE LAND OF ISRAEL, SAITH THE LORD GOD, THAT MY FURY SHALL COME UP IN MY FACE.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:19] FOR IN MY JEALOUSY AND IN THE FIRE OF MY WRATH HAVE I SPOKEN, SURELY IN THAT DAY THERE SHALL BE A GREAT SHAKING IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL;   
 
[Ezekiel 38:20] SO THAT THE FISHES OF THE SEA, AND THE FOWLS OF THE HEAVEN, AND THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND ALL CREEPING THINGS THAT CREEP UPON THE EARTH, AND ALL THE MEN THAT ARE UPON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, SHALL SHAKE AT MY PRESENCE, AND THE MOUNTAINS SHALL BE THROWN DOWN, AND THE STEEP PLACES SHALL FALL, AND EVERY WALL SHALL FALL TO THE GROUND.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:21] AND I WILL CALL FOR A SWORD AGAINST HIM THROUGHOUT ALL MY MOUNTAINS, SAITH THE LORD GOD: EVERY MAN'S SWORD SHALL BE AGAINST HIS BROTHER.
  The heathen hordes will fall out with each other and begin to exterminate one another. This is to be expected.   
 
[Ezekiel 38:22] AND I WILL PLEAD AGAINST HIM WITH PESTILENCE AND WITH BLOOD; AND I WILL RAIN UPON HIM, AND UPON HIS BANDS, AND UPON THE MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE WITH HIM, AN OVERFLOWING RAIN, AND GREAT HAILSTONES, FIRE, AND BRIMSTONE.  
 
[Ezekiel 38:23] THUS WILL I MAGNIFY MYSELF, AND SANCTIFY MYSELF; AND I WILL BE KNOWN IN THE EYES OF MANY NATIONS, AND THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.  :
The heathen will know and we should not forget. Forgetfulness happens to all of us sometimes. Sickness, depression, disappointment sometimes can cause us to distance ourselves from the Almighty. Nevertheless He is always with us and we can return to Him.

Ezekiel 39

[Ezekiel 39:1] THEREFORE, THOU SON OF MAN, PROPHESY AGAINST GOG, AND SAY, THUS SAITH THE  LORD GOD; BEHOLD, I AM AGAINST THEE, O GOG, THE CHIEF PRINCE OF MESHECH AND TUBAL:  
For the identifications of these peoples see our commentary to the previous chapter.                  

 [Ezekiel 39:2] AND I WILL TURN THEE BACK, AND LEAVE BUT THE SIXTH PART OF THEE, AND WILL CAUSE  THEE TO COME UP FROM THE NORTH PARTS, AND WILL BRING THEE UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL:  
<<AND LEAVE BUT THE SIXTH PART OF THEE: Only 1/6 (14-15%) of these peoples will remain.  The Hebrew however says, "veSheshaytecha" which is an unusual form and some commentators say has another meaning such as, gather in.                

  [Ezekiel 39:3] AND I WILL SMITE THY BOW OUT OF THY LEFT HAND, AND WILL CAUSE THINE ARROWS TO FALL OUT OF THY RIGHT HAND.
The prophets spoke in terms that were actualities in their own time and transposed them to the future.                    

  [Ezekiel 39:4] THOU SHALT FALL UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL, THOU, AND ALL THY BANDS, AND THE PEOPLE THAT IS WITH THEE: I WILL GIVE THEE UNTO THE RAVENOUS BIRDS OF EVERY SORT, AND TO THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD TO BE DEVOURED.
 <<ALL THY BANDS: In Hebrew, Agapechah, all your flanks, all those come up alongside of you, who are with you protecting your sides.
 <<AND THE PEOPLE THAT IS WITH THEE: in Hebrew it says, amim, i.e. peoples in the plural. All the nations that join up with Gog will suffer the same fate of destruction.                   

[Ezekiel 39:5] THOU SHALT FALL UPON THE OPEN FIELD: FOR I HAVE SPOKEN IT, SAITH THE LORD GOD.                     

 [Ezekiel 39:6] AND I WILL SEND A FIRE ON MAGOG, AND AMONG THEM THAT DWELL CARELESSLY IN THE ISLES: AND THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.                     
<<IN THE ISLES: Japanese"

  [Ezekiel 39:7] SO WILL I MAKE MY HOLY NAME KNOWN IN THE MIDST OF MY PEOPLE ISRAEL; AND I WILL NOT LET THEM POLLUTE MY HOLY NAME ANY MORE: AND THE HEATHEN SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE  LORD, THE HOLY ONE IN ISRAEL.
<<I WILL NOT LET THEM POLLUTE MY HOLY NAME ANY MORE: The name of the God of Israel is on the Jewish people. When Jews suffer or the State of Israel suffers a calamity it is as if the name of the God of Israel is being defiled. Similarly nowadays even though in our public lives and values the USA, Britain, Australia, etc deny the values of the Bible in a paradoxical way in the eyes of the world these nations and their kin still represent Biblical values. When these nations are less successful than they should be or suffer disaster then it is as if Biblical values and the cause of goodness are dishonored. For all our many faults in the eyes of other peoples we represent the values and honor of the God of the Bible. When through our sins we do not succeed not only are we punished but through this punishment we incur extra guilt because we did not sanctify the name of the God of Israel that is called upon us. 

<<AND THE HEATHEN SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE  LORD, THE HOLY ONE IN ISRAEL: The non-Israelite nations will recognize that the God of Israel who spoke to mankind through the Bible is the One God, Creator of all, who is actively involved in the affairs of men, rewards the good and punishes the evil yet always concerns Himself with the fate of HIS people and through HIS peoples HE makes HIMSELF known. This is what the Bible says. It may not be consistent with modern notions of international equality but it is the reality of existence as the Bible tells us.                  

[Ezekiel 39:8] BEHOLD, IT IS COME, AND IT IS DONE, SAITH THE LORD GOD; THIS IS THE DAY WHEREOF I HAVE SPOKEN.                     

 [Ezekiel 39:9] AND THEY THAT DWELL IN THE CITIES OF ISRAEL SHALL GO FORTH, AND SHALL SET ON FIRE AND BURN THE WEAPONS, BOTH THE SHIELDS AND THE BUCKLERS, THE BOWS AND THE ARROWS, AND THE HANDSTAVES, AND THE SPEARS, AND THEY SHALL BURN THEM WITH FIRE SEVEN YEARS:                     

[Ezekiel 39:10] SO THAT THEY SHALL TAKE NO WOOD OUT OF THE FIELD, NEITHER CUT DOWN ANY OUT OF THE FORESTS; FOR THEY SHALL BURN THE WEAPONS WITH FIRE: AND THEY SHALL SPOIL THOSE THAT SPOILED THEM, AND ROB THOSE THAT ROBBED THEM, SAITH THE LORD GOD.
They will not need to use the weaponry for their own defence needs since there will be no more war in the world. Industries, products, and service that were once dedicated to warfare will know be converted to productive causes,
<<AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, THAT THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOUSE SHALL BE ESTABLISHED IN THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS, AND SHALL BE EXALTED ABOVE THE HILLS; AND ALL  NATIONS SHALL FLOW UNTO IT.
<< AND MANY PEOPLES SHALL GO AND SAY, COME YE, AND LET US GO UP TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD, TO THE HOUSE OF THE GOD OF JACOB; AND HE WILL TEACH US OF HIS WAYS, AND WE WILL WALK IN HIS PATHS: FOR OUT OF ZION SHALL GO FORTH THE LAW, AND THE WORD OF THE LORD FROM JERUSALEM.                 
<< AND HE SHALL JUDGE AMONG THE NATIONS, AND SHALL REBUKE MANY PEOPLE: AND THEY SHALL BEAT THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES, AND THEIR SPEARS INTO PRUNINGHOOKS: NATION SHALL NOT LIFT UP SWORD AGAINST NATION, NEITHER SHALL THEY LEARN WAR ANY MORE [Isaiah 2:2-4].

<<AND MANY NATIONS SHALL COME, AND SAY, COME, AND LET US GO UP TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD, AND TO THE HOUSE OF THE GOD OF JACOB; AND HE WILL TEACH US OF HIS WAYS, AND WE WILL WALK IN HIS PATHS: FOR THE LAW SHALL GO FORTH OF ZION, AND THE WORD OF THE LORD FROM JERUSALEM.                     
<<AND HE SHALL JUDGE AMONG MANY PEOPLE, AND REBUKE STRONG NATIONS AFAR OFF; AND THEY SHALL BEAT THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES, AND THEIR SPEARS INTO PRUNINGHOOKS: NATION SHALL NOT LIFT  UP A SWORD AGAINST NATION, NEITHER SHALL THEY LEARN WAR ANY MORE [Micah 4:2-3].                     

  [Ezekiel 39:11] AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY, THAT I WILL GIVE UNTO GOG A PLACE THERE OF GRAVES IN ISRAEL, THE VALLEY OF THE PASSENGERS ON THE EAST OF THE SEA: AND IT SHALL STOP THE NOSES OF THE PASSENGERS: AND THERE SHALL THEY BURY GOG AND ALL HIS MULTITUDE: AND THEY SHALL CALL IT THE VALLEY OF HAMONGOG. 
<<ON THE EAST OF THE SEA: The place of the burial of the hosts of Gog is unknown. Some say it will be on the eastern shores of the Sea of Galilee, others say east of the Dead Sea.
<<HAMONGOG: i.e. The multitude [HAMON] of GOG.                   

  [Ezekiel 39:12] AND SEVEN MONTHS SHALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL BE BURYING OF THEM, THAT THEY MAY CLEANSE THE LAND.
The people of Israel will engage in a national mission to bury all the dead bodies of the host of Gog. This will take seven months. Even when the seven months are over there will still remain unburied bodies scattered around and so full-time workers will be appointed to patrol the land and bring to burial any bodies they find.                     

  [Ezekiel 39:13] YEA, ALL THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND SHALL BURY THEM; AND IT SHALL BE TO THEM A RENOWN THE DAY THAT I SHALL BE GLORIFIED, SAITH THE LORD GOD.                     

[Ezekiel 39:14] AND THEY SHALL SEVER OUT MEN OF CONTINUAL EMPLOYMENT, PASSING THROUGH THE LAND TO BURY WITH THE PASSENGERS THOSE THAT REMAIN UPON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, TO CLEANSE IT:  AFTER THE END OF SEVEN MONTHS SHALL THEY SEARCH.                     
<<OF CONTINUAL EMPLOYMENT: This will be their profession, to seek out corpses left over from the hosts of Gog and bury them.

 [Ezekiel 39:15] AND THE PASSENGERS THAT PASS THROUGH THE LAND, WHEN ANY SEETH A MAN'S BONE, THEN SHALL HE SET UP A SIGN BY IT, TILL THE BURIERS HAVE BURIED IT IN THE VALLEY OF HAMONGOG.                     

 [Ezekiel 39:16] AND ALSO THE NAME OF THE CITY SHALL BE HAMONAH. THUS SHALL THEY CLEANSE THE LAND.
Unburied bodies or human corpses that are treated with disrespect pollute the country. Likewise bad behavior does not affect only the people practicing it but also everybody else.                    

 [Ezekiel 39:17] AND, THOU SON OF MAN, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; SPEAK UNTO EVERY FEATHERED FOWL, AND TO EVERY BEAST OF THE FIELD, ASSEMBLE YOURSELVES, AND COME; GATHER YOURSELVES ON EVERY SIDE TO MY SACRIFICE THAT I DO SACRIFICE FOR YOU, EVEN A GREAT SACRIFICE UPON THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL, THAT YE MAY EAT FLESH, AND DRINK BLOOD.                     

  [Ezekiel 39:18] YE SHALL EAT THE FLESH OF THE MIGHTY, AND DRINK THE BLOOD OF THE PRINCES OF THE EARTH, OF RAMS, OF LAMBS, AND OF GOATS, OF BULLOCKS, ALL OF THEM FATLINGS OF BASHAN.                     

 [Ezekiel 39:19] AND YE SHALL EAT FAT TILL YE BE FULL, AND DRINK BLOOD TILL YE BE DRUNKEN, OF MY SACRIFICE WHICH I HAVE SACRIFICED FOR YOU.                     

 [Ezekiel 39:20] THUS YE SHALL BE FILLED AT MY TABLE WITH HORSES AND CHARIOTS, WITH MIGHTY MEN, AND WITH ALL MEN OF WAR, SAITH THE LORD GOD.                     

  [Ezekiel 39:21] AND I WILL SET MY GLORY AMONG THE HEATHEN, AND ALL THE HEATHEN SHALL SEE MY JUDGMENT THAT I HAVE EXECUTED, AND MY HAND THAT I HAVE LAID UPON THEM.                     

[Ezekiel 39:22] SO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD THEIR GOD FROM THAT DAY AND FORWARD.
From then on the House of Israel will know that God is their ruler and will aknowledge Him.                     

 [Ezekiel 39:23] AND THE HEATHEN SHALL KNOW THAT THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL WENT INTO CAPTIVITY FOR THEIR INIQUITY: BECAUSE THEY TRESPASSED AGAINST ME, THEREFORE HID I MY FACE FROM THEM, AND GAVE THEM INTO THE HAND OF THEIR ENEMIES: SO FELL THEY ALL BY THE SWORD.   
 <<WENT INTO CAPTIVITY FOR THEIR INIQUITY: Is this referring to the captivity of the past? Or will there be a new captivity? The disgrace and defeat of Israelite peoples is interpreted by non-Israelite nations as a justification for their not acknowledging the god of the Bible. The Moslems have some kind of belief in One God but not really in the God of the Bible.                  

  [Ezekiel 39:24] ACCORDING TO THEIR UNCLEANNESS AND ACCORDING TO THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS HAVE I DONE UNTO THEM, AND HID MY FACE FROM THEM.                     

 [Ezekiel 39:25] THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; NOW WILL I BRING AGAIN THE CAPTIVITY OF JACOB, AND HAVE MERCY UPON THE WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, AND WILL BE JEALOUS FOR MY HOLY NAME; 
These verses appear to support the opinion of those who believe that the wars of Gog and Magog and all the final wars of the End Times described in the Bible are all referring to the same events. We understood them until now to be referring to separate events that unfold in stages.  There is an opinion that Ezekiel 38 and Ezekiel 39 are speaking of separate events and that the prophecies concerning Gog and Magog deal with three separate events. Our aim in this commentary is mainly just to obtain an overall concept of the simple meaning with some emphasis on matters that facilitate our understanding of how the Lost Ten Tribes may be identified. Maimonides says that we must believe that events predicted in Prophecy will take place since we must believe in the Bible but exactly how the matters occur will not be known until after they actually happen. The Rabbis were very critical of people making predictions and estimating dates of future events connected to the End Times. We should act according to the still quiet voice inside us.                  

 [Ezekiel 39:26] AFTER THAT THEY HAVE BORNE THEIR SHAME, AND ALL THEIR TRESPASSES WHEREBY THEY HAVE TRESPASSED AGAINST ME, WHEN THEY DWELT SAFELY IN THEIR LAND, AND NONE MADE THEM AFRAID.                     

  [Ezekiel 39:27] WHEN I HAVE BROUGHT THEM AGAIN FROM THE PEOPLE, AND GATHERED THEM OUT OF THEIR ENEMIES' LANDS, AND AM SANCTIFIED IN THEM IN THE SIGHT OF MANY NATIONS;
 
[Ezekiel 39:28] THEN SHALL THEY KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD THEIR GOD, WHICH CAUSED THEM TO BE LED INTO CAPTIVITY AMONG THE HEATHEN: BUT I HAVE GATHERED THEM UNTO THEIR OWN LAND, AND HAVE LEFT NONE OF THEM ANY MORE THERE. 
                  
[Ezekiel 39:29] NEITHER WILL I HIDE MY FACE ANY MORE FROM THEM: FOR I HAVE POURED OUT MY SPIRIT UPON THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, SAITH THE LORD GOD.
God will return and give HIS spirit unto us. HE will no longer hide HIS presence from us.    
               

  Ezekiel 40
 
The Third Temple
            The Brit-Am Commentary on the Tanach (Bible) is intended to go through Scripture and give a general overview while emphasizing points connected somehow or other to the Lost Ten Tribes especially regarding their present-day identity. We have reached the 40th chapter of Ezekiel which deals with the future Third Temple. This is an interesting subject deserving a complete study in its own right. If, however, we wait until we gain a better appreciation of the subject matter we may end up waiting for a long time.
            Various sources say that rebuilding the third temple requires the participation of the Lost Ten Tribes headed by Joseph and that this participation will indeed become a reality. The sources concerned however are Midrashim or commentaries of great Rabbis and while probably correct they do not have the authority of Scripture. They may (at least at a superficial level) also be contradicted by other equally valid sources. Alternately they could be fulfilled in ways we do not understand at present and may never do so. At all events let us go ahead as well as we can.
            Ezekiel chapter 40 uses some terms and descriptions that most commentators do not really understand. In the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem there exist two large scale models of the Third Temple according to Ezekiel 40. They are located not far from each other. One model is found on Chabad St, and the other on the bottom floor of Yeshivat HaKotel where you go down the stairs to the Western Wall. The two models are quite different from each other and demonstrate the difficulty there is in understanding this chapter. Ezekiel gives the basic floor plan with the width and length. He appears to leave the question of height open though at one point he hints (40:14) that this future temple will be extremely tall by any standards.
 
Maimonides (Hilchot Bayit HaBachirah 1:4): The Temple that Solomon built was described in the Book of Kings. The Temple that is destined to be built even though it is described in the Book of Ezekiel is not clearly explained. The people of the Second Temple Period when they rebuilt the Temple in the time of Ezra built it like the Temple of Solomon with aspects of what was clear from Ezekiel". 
 
[Ezekiel 40:1] IN THE FIVE AND TWENTIETH YEAR OF OUR CAPTIVITY, IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, IN THE TENTH DAY OF THE MONTH, IN THE FOURTEENTH YEAR AFTER THAT THE CITY WAS SMITTEN, IN THE SELFSAME DAY THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS UPON ME, AND BROUGHT ME THITHER.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:2] IN THE VISIONS OF GOD BROUGHT HE ME INTO THE LAND OF ISRAEL, AND SET ME UPON A VERY HIGH MOUNTAIN, BY WHICH WAS AS THE FRAME OF A CITY ON THE SOUTH.   
<<INTO THE LAND OF ISRAEL: Ezekiel more than the other prophets refers to both Judah and the Ten Tribes as Israel and does not always distinguish between the two.                 
 
[Ezekiel 40:3] AND HE BROUGHT ME THITHER, AND, BEHOLD, THERE WAS A MAN, WHOSE APPEARANCE WAS LIKE THE APPEARANCE OF BRASS, WITH A LINE OF FLAX IN HIS HAND, AND A MEASURING REED; AND HE STOOD IN THE GATE.                     
<<A MAN, WHOSE APPEARANCE WAS LIKE THE APPEARANCE OF BRASS: i.e. an angel.
 
[Ezekiel 40:4] AND THE MAN SAID UNTO ME, SON OF MAN, BEHOLD WITH THINE EYES, AND HEAR  WITH THINE EARS, AND SET THINE HEART UPON ALL THAT I SHALL SHEW THEE; FOR TO THE INTENT THAT I  MIGHT SHEW THEM UNTO THEE ART THOU BROUGHT HITHER: DECLARE ALL THAT THOU SEEST TO THE HOUSE  OF ISRAEL.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:5] AND BEHOLD A WALL ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE ROUND ABOUT, AND IN THE MAN'S HAND A MEASURING REED OF SIX CUBITS LONG BY THE CUBIT AND AN HAND BREADTH: SO HE MEASURED THE BREADTH OF THE BUILDING, ONE REED; AND THE HEIGHT, ONE REED.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:6] THEN CAME HE UNTO THE GATE WHICH LOOKETH TOWARD THE EAST, AND WENT UP THE STAIRS THEREOF, AND MEASURED THE THRESHOLD OF THE GATE, WHICH WAS ONE REED BROAD; AND THE OTHER THRESHOLD OF THE GATE, WHICH WAS ONE REED BROAD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:7] AND EVERY LITTLE CHAMBER WAS ONE REED LONG, AND ONE REED BROAD; AND BETWEEN THE LITTLE CHAMBERS WERE FIVE CUBITS; AND THE THRESHOLD OF THE GATE BY THE PORCH OF THE GATE WITHIN WAS ONE REED.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:8] HE MEASURED ALSO THE PORCH OF THE GATE WITHIN, ONE REED.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:9] THEN MEASURED HE THE PORCH OF THE GATE, EIGHT CUBITS; AND THE POSTS THEREOF, TWO CUBITS; AND THE PORCH OF THE GATE WAS INWARD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:10] AND THE LITTLE CHAMBERS OF THE GATE EASTWARD WERE THREE ON THIS SIDE, AND THREE ON THAT SIDE; THEY THREE WERE OF ONE MEASURE: AND THE POSTS HAD ONE MEASURE ON THIS SIDE AND ON THAT SIDE.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:11] AND HE MEASURED THE BREADTH OF THE ENTRY OF THE GATE, TEN CUBITS; AND THE LENGTH OF THE GATE, THIRTEEN CUBITS.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:12] THE SPACE ALSO BEFORE THE LITTLE CHAMBERS WAS ONE CUBIT ON THIS SIDE, AND THE SPACE WAS ONE CUBIT ON THAT SIDE: AND THE LITTLE CHAMBERS WERE SIX CUBITS ON THIS SIDE, AND SIX CUBITS ON THAT SIDE.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:13] HE MEASURED THEN THE GATE FROM THE ROOF OF ONE LITTLE CHAMBER TO THE ROOF OF ANOTHER: THE BREADTH WAS FIVE AND TWENTY CUBITS, DOOR AGAINST DOOR.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:14] HE MADE ALSO POSTS OF THREESCORE CUBITS, EVEN UNTO THE POST OF THE COURT ROUND ABOUT THE GATE. 
<<ALSO POSTS OF THREESCORE CUBITS: Usually understood to mean 60 cubits high which is explained to be the height of a 12 storey building. The Commentary "Daat Mikra" remarks that from an engineering point of view this concept of height makes it difficult to reconcile with the rest of the description.                 
 
[Ezekiel 40:15] AND FROM THE FACE OF THE GATE OF THE ENTRANCE UNTO THE FACE OF THE PORCH OF THE INNER GATE WERE FIFTY CUBITS.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:16] AND THERE WERE NARROW WINDOWS TO THE LITTLE CHAMBERS, AND TO THEIR POSTS WITHIN THE GATE ROUND ABOUT, AND LIKEWISE TO THE ARCHES: AND WINDOWS WERE ROUND ABOUT INWARD: AND UPON EACH POST WERE PALM TREES.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:17] THEN BROUGHT HE ME INTO THE OUTWARD COURT, AND, LO, THERE WERE CHAMBERS, AND A PAVEMENT MADE FOR THE COURT ROUND ABOUT: THIRTY CHAMBERS WERE UPON THE PAVEMENT.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:18] AND THE PAVEMENT BY THE SIDE OF THE GATES OVER AGAINST THE LENGTH OF THE GATES WAS THE LOWER PAVEMENT.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:19] THEN HE MEASURED THE BREADTH FROM THE FOREFRONT OF THE LOWER GATE UNTO THE FOREFRONT OF THE INNER COURT WITHOUT, AN HUNDRED CUBITS EASTWARD AND NORTHWARD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:20] AND THE GATE OF THE OUTWARD COURT THAT LOOKED TOWARD THE NORTH, HE MEASURED THE LENGTH THEREOF, AND THE BREADTH THEREOF.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:21] AND THE LITTLE CHAMBERS THEREOF WERE THREE ON THIS SIDE AND THREE ON THAT SIDE; AND THE POSTS THEREOF AND THE ARCHES THEREOF WERE AFTER THE MEASURE OF THE FIRST GATE: THE LENGTH THEREOF WAS FIFTY CUBITS, AND THE BREADTH FIVE AND TWENTY CUBITS.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:22] AND THEIR WINDOWS, AND THEIR ARCHES, AND THEIR PALM TREES, WERE AFTER THE MEASURE OF THE GATE THAT LOOKETH TOWARD THE EAST; AND THEY WENT UP UNTO IT BY SEVEN STEPS; AND THE ARCHES THEREOF WERE BEFORE THEM.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:23] AND THE GATE OF THE INNER COURT WAS OVER AGAINST THE GATE TOWARD THE NORTH,  AND TOWARD THE EAST; AND HE MEASURED FROM GATE TO GATE AN HUNDRED CUBITS.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:24] AFTER THAT HE BROUGHT ME TOWARD THE SOUTH, AND BEHOLD A GATE TOWARD THE   SOUTH: AND HE MEASURED THE POSTS THEREOF AND THE ARCHES THEREOF ACCORDING TO THESE MEASURES.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:25] AND THERE WERE WINDOWS IN IT AND IN THE ARCHES THEREOF ROUND ABOUT, LIKE THOSE WINDOWS: THE LENGTH WAS FIFTY CUBITS, AND THE BREADTH FIVE AND TWENTY CUBITS.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:26] AND THERE WERE SEVEN STEPS TO GO UP TO IT, AND THE ARCHES THEREOF WERE BEFORE THEM: AND IT HAD PALM TREES, ONE ON THIS SIDE, AND ANOTHER ON THAT SIDE, UPON THE POSTS THEREOF.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:27] AND THERE WAS A GATE IN THE INNER COURT TOWARD THE SOUTH: AND HE MEASURED FROM GATE TO GATE TOWARD THE SOUTH AN HUNDRED CUBITS.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:28] AND HE BROUGHT ME TO THE INNER COURT BY THE SOUTH GATE: AND HE MEASURED  THE SOUTH GATE ACCORDING TO THESE MEASURES;                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:29] AND THE LITTLE CHAMBERS THEREOF, AND THE POSTS THEREOF, AND THE ARCHES  THEREOF, ACCORDING TO THESE MEASURES: AND THERE WERE WINDOWS IN IT AND IN THE ARCHES  THEREOF ROUND ABOUT: IT WAS FIFTY CUBITS LONG, AND FIVE AND TWENTY CUBITS BROAD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:30] AND THE ARCHES ROUND ABOUT WERE FIVE AND TWENTY CUBITS LONG, AND FIVE CUBITS BROAD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:31] AND THE ARCHES THEREOF WERE TOWARD THE UTTER COURT; AND PALM TREES WERE UPON THE POSTS THEREOF: AND THE GOING UP TO IT HAD EIGHT STEPS.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:32] AND HE BROUGHT ME INTO THE INNER COURT TOWARD THE EAST: AND HE MEASURED  THE GATE ACCORDING TO THESE MEASURES.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:33] AND THE LITTLE CHAMBERS THEREOF, AND THE POSTS THEREOF, AND THE ARCHES THEREOF, WERE ACCORDING TO THESE MEASURES: AND THERE WERE WINDOWS THEREIN AND IN THE ARCHES THEREOF ROUND ABOUT: IT WAS FIFTY CUBITS LONG, AND FIVE AND TWENTY CUBITS BROAD.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:34] AND THE ARCHES THEREOF WERE TOWARD THE OUTWARD COURT; AND PALM TREES  WERE UPON THE POSTS THEREOF, ON THIS SIDE, AND ON THAT SIDE: AND THE GOING UP TO IT HAD EIGHT STEPS.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:35] AND HE BROUGHT ME TO THE NORTH GATE, AND MEASURED IT ACCORDING TO THESE MEASURES;                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:36] THE LITTLE CHAMBERS THEREOF, THE POSTS THEREOF, AND THE ARCHES THEREOF, AND  THE WINDOWS TO IT ROUND ABOUT: THE LENGTH WAS FIFTY CUBITS, AND THE BREADTH FIVE AND TWENTY CUBITS.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:37] AND THE POSTS THEREOF WERE TOWARD THE UTTER COURT; AND PALM TREES WERE UPON THE POSTS THEREOF, ON THIS SIDE, AND ON THAT SIDE: AND THE GOING UP TO IT HAD EIGHT STEPS.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:38] AND THE CHAMBERS AND THE ENTRIES THEREOF WERE BY THE POSTS OF THE GATES, WHERE THEY WASHED THE BURNT OFFERING.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:39] AND IN THE PORCH OF THE GATE WERE TWO TABLES ON THIS SIDE, AND TWO TABLES ON THAT SIDE, TO SLAY THEREON THE BURNT OFFERING AND THE SIN OFFERING AND THE TRESPASS OFFERING.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:40] AND AT THE SIDE WITHOUT, AS ONE GOETH UP TO THE ENTRY OF THE NORTH GATE, WERE TWO TABLES; AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHICH WAS AT THE PORCH OF THE GATE, WERE TWO TABLES.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:41] FOUR TABLES WERE ON THIS SIDE, AND FOUR TABLES ON THAT SIDE, BY THE SIDE OF THE GATE; EIGHT TABLES, WHEREUPON THEY SLEW THEIR SACRIFICES.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:42] AND THE FOUR TABLES WERE OF HEWN STONE FOR THE BURNT OFFERING, OF A CUBIT AND  AN HALF LONG, AND A CUBIT AND AN HALF BROAD, AND ONE CUBIT HIGH: WHEREUPON ALSO THEY LAID THE INSTRUMENTS WHEREWITH THEY SLEW THE BURNT OFFERING AND THE SACRIFICE.   
From this it appears that (contrary to some opinions) animal sacrifice will be renewed.                 
 
[Ezekiel 40:43] AND WITHIN WERE HOOKS, AN HAND BROAD, FASTENED ROUND ABOUT: AND UPON THE TABLES WAS THE FLESH OF THE OFFERING.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:44] AND WITHOUT THE INNER GATE WERE THE CHAMBERS OF THE SINGERS IN THE INNER COURT, WHICH WAS AT THE SIDE OF THE NORTH GATE; AND THEIR PROSPECT WAS TOWARD THE SOUTH:  ONE AT THE SIDE OF THE EAST GATE HAVING THE PROSPECT TOWARD THE NORTH.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:45] AND HE SAID UNTO ME, THIS CHAMBER, WHOSE PROSPECT IS TOWARD THE SOUTH, IS  FOR THE PRIESTS, THE KEEPERS OF THE CHARGE OF THE HOUSE.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:46] AND THE CHAMBER WHOSE PROSPECT IS TOWARD THE NORTH IS FOR THE PRIESTS, THE KEEPERS OF THE CHARGE OF THE ALTAR: THESE ARE THE SONS OF ZADOK AMONG THE SONS OF LEVI, WHICH COME NEAR TO THE LORD TO MINISTER UNTO HIM.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:47] SO HE MEASURED THE COURT, AN HUNDRED CUBITS LONG, AND AN HUNDRED CUBITS BROAD, FOURSQUARE; AND THE ALTAR THAT WAS BEFORE THE HOUSE.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:48] AND HE BROUGHT ME TO THE PORCH OF THE HOUSE, AND MEASURED EACH POST OF THE PORCH, FIVE CUBITS ON THIS SIDE, AND FIVE CUBITS ON THAT SIDE: AND THE BREADTH OF THE GATE WAS THREE CUBITS ON THIS SIDE, AND THREE CUBITS ON THAT SIDE.                     
 
[Ezekiel 40:49] THE LENGTH OF THE PORCH WAS TWENTY CUBITS, AND THE BREADTH ELEVEN CUBITS, AND HE BROUGHT ME BY THE STEPS WHEREBY THEY WENT UP TO IT: AND THERE WERE PILLARS BY THE POSTS, ONE ON THIS SIDE, AND ANOTHER ON THAT SIDE.
  Chapters with Brit-Am Commentary:
Ezekiel 6 to 10
Ezekiel 16

Exekiel chs. 30 to 35

Exekiel chs. 41 to 45