The Meaning of Ezekiel 38:4 Explained

Ezekiel 38:4

KJV: 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:

YLT: And I have turned thee back, And I have put hooks in thy jaws, And have brought thee out, and all thy force, Horses and horsemen, Clothed in perfection all of them, A numerous assembly, with buckler and shield, Handling swords -- all of them.

Darby: 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 thoroughly equipped, a great assemblage with targets and shields, all of them handling swords:

ASV: and I will turn thee about, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Ezekiel 38:4 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 38

1  The army
8  and malice of Gog
14  God's judgment against him

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 38:4 mean?

And I will turn you around and put hooks into your jaws and lead you out and with all your army horses and horsemen clothed splendidly all a company great [with] bucklers and shields handling swords all of them
וְשׁ֣וֹבַבְתִּ֔יךָ וְנָתַתִּ֥י חַחִ֖ים בִּלְחָיֶ֑יךָ וְהוֹצֵאתִי֩ אוֹתְךָ֨ וְאֶת־ כָּל־ חֵילֶ֜ךָ סוּסִ֣ים וּפָרָשִׁ֗ים לְבֻשֵׁ֤י מִכְלוֹל֙ כֻּלָּ֔ם קָהָ֥ל רָב֙ צִנָּ֣ה וּמָגֵ֔ן תֹּפְשֵׂ֥י חֲרָב֖וֹת כֻּלָּֽם

וְשׁ֣וֹבַבְתִּ֔יךָ  And  I  will  turn  you  around 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
וְנָתַתִּ֥י  and  put 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
חַחִ֖ים  hooks 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: חָח  
Sense: hook, ring, fetter, brooch.
בִּלְחָיֶ֑יךָ  into  your  jaws 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, second person masculine singular
Root: לְחִי  
Sense: jaw, cheek.
וְהוֹצֵאתִי֩  and  lead 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אוֹתְךָ֨  you  out 
Parse: Direct object marker, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
כָּל־  with  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
חֵילֶ֜ךָ  your  army 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
סוּסִ֣ים  horses 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
וּפָרָשִׁ֗ים  and  horsemen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: פָּרָשׁ 
Sense: horse, steed, warhorse.
לְבֻשֵׁ֤י  clothed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural construct
Root: לָבַשׁ  
Sense: to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed.
מִכְלוֹל֙  splendidly 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִכְלֹול  
Sense: perfection, gorgeous attire adv.
קָהָ֥ל  a  company 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָהָל  
Sense: assembly, company, congregation, convocation.
רָב֙  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
צִנָּ֣ה  [with]  bucklers 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִנָּה 
Sense: something piercing, hook, barb.
וּמָגֵ֔ן  and  shields 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular
Root: מָגֵן 
Sense: shield, buckler.
תֹּפְשֵׂ֥י  handling 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: תָּפַשׂ  
Sense: to catch, handle, lay hold, take hold of, seize, wield.
חֲרָב֖וֹת  swords 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
כֻּלָּֽם  all  of  them 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.