War of Gog and Magog -18
Introduction
The prophets of the bible have predicted a final war of the enemies of Israel against the Israelites which will culminate with the arrival of the messiah and the establishment of the kingdom of Hashem. Many have tried to predict the date of this war and some have even attempted to relate this war with past conflicts (e.g. Mongol invasions, Napoleonic wars, and World Wars 1 and 2). In the opinion of this author some of these predictions were premature because they did not take into account the many factors that characterize this war. This article will examine these factors using the pardes method of exposition (i.e. literal meaning, exegesis, allusions, and secrets of the Torah), drawn from the Torah, Talmud, Midrash, and Zohar with associated commentaries.
To facilitate reading of this article the author will combine different sources for each topic rather than discuss the separately. The article will follow the conventional approach to historical reporting answering the questions of:
- Who?
- What?
- When?
- Where?
- Why?
Who – Identity of Gog and His Allies
Biblical Verses
The prophet Ezekiel (Chapter 38) provides a detailed description of the army of Gog and his allies as follows:
Verse 2 – “Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the leader who is the head of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy concerning him.”
Verse 5 – “Persia, Cush, and Put are with them; all of them with buckler and helmet.”
Verse 6 – “Gomer and all its allies, the house of Togarmah.
However this description leads to the following questions:
- Who is Gog and where is the land of Magog?
- Which countries correspond to Meshech and Tuval?
- Which countries correspond to Cush and Put?
- Which country corresponds to Gomer the house of Togarmah?
- Why three different verses and in this order?
Biblical Commentaries
The key to deciphering this prophecy is to examine the verses in Genesis chapter 10 with commentaries which describe the offspring of Noah who formed the biblical 70 nations.
Verse 2 – “The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tuval, Meshech and Tiras.”
Verse 3 – “The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.
Verse 6 – “The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.”
The reader may ask, “How do we identify these nations whose movements were lost in antiquity?” The answer is to examine and correlate primary biblical commentaries (viz. Targum Yonatan ben Uziel, Babylonian Talmud Yoma 10a, Jerusalem Talmud Megillah 1:9, and Midrash Rabbah Genesis 37:1) as shown in the following table which provides the names of these nations.
| Name | Targum | Babylonian | Jerusalem | Midrash |
| Gomer | Afriki | Germania | Germania | Afriki |
| Magog | Germania | Candia | Goths | Germania |
| Tuval | Bithynia | Beit Unaiki | Bithynia | Isania |
| Meshech | Musia | Musia | Musia | Bythnia |
| Togarmah | No comment | No comment | Germania | Germania |
From a brief view at this table the reader will note the following points:
- Difference of opinion between the sources.
- Obscure names of these nations.
- The name Germania occurs in several entries in this table.
Analysis of Commentaries
Since there is a difference of opinion between the sources the author will attempt to correlate these sources to obtain a clearer definition of these nations. Although the names of the above nations were known at the time of these commentaries, historical migration has obscured the identity of these nations in the present time. In the opinion of the author the key to identifying these nations or more importantly their descendants is the following verse from Ezekiel (38:6), “Gomer and all its allies, the house of Togarmah, the utmost parts of the north and all its allies, many nations with you.” The verse indicates that these nations which were originally near the Middle East later migrated to northern Europe. In a similar fashion, the sages of the Talmud and Midrash recognized that Rome, a European nation, originated from Esau the brother of Jacob who originally lived in Canaan and then settled in Jordan as described in the article ”History of Esau” on this web site. Hence to correlate the different opinions the author will focus on the nation that occurs most often in the table, namely Germania.
Obscure Names
Most of the names (viz. Afriki, Candia, Bithynia, Beit Unaiki, Isania, and Musia) listed in the table are obscure and bear little resemblance to current geography. The biblical commentaries place these names in the Middle East and most likely in Turkey or Syria. The name Afriki does not refer to current Africa because the descendants of Japheth are light skinned who lived in European or the northern part of the Middle East. By contrast the native Africans are the descendants of Ham and dark skinned (Genesis 10:6-20 and Mishna Negaim 2:1). Some identify Candia with Crete but this would not correspond to the verse (Ezekiel 38:6) which describes the armies originating from the far north of Europe. Perhaps some warriors of Crete migrated from their homeland to other parts of Europe.
Rabbi David Kimchi (Redak), a French medieval scholar, biblical commentator, and philosopher explains (on Obadiah 1:1) that as a result of wars and population migrations, the biblical names of these nations may not correspond to current geography. However he further explains that these nations may be divided into two groups as shown in the following table which lists the geography, ethnicity, religion, and related verses in Ezekiel chapter 38.
| Geography | Ethnicity | Religion | Verse |
| Europe | Caucasian | Church | 2 and 6 |
| Africa/Asia | Dark Skinned | Islam | 5 |
Germania
Although there are commentators who hold that Germania is not present day Germany (e.g. Maharsha on Megillah 6b) but rather in the Middle East there are also prominent commentators (e.g. Gaon of Vilna and Rabbi Yaakov Emden) who maintain that Germania is present day Germany defining this region as north of the Danube and East of the Rhine which includes Poland and Russia. The author will discuss the following sources to support the latter opinion:
- Geography (Megilah 6a and b as explained by the Gaon of Vilna).
- Ethnicity (Mishna Negaim 2:1 as explained by the Gaon of Vilna).
- History (reference to World Wars 1 and 2).
Geography
The Talmud Megillah 6a and b identifies Germania as a nation which was near Rome and constantly attacking it which could correspond to Germany. The Talmud (ibid.) further relates that Jacob (on behalf of the Israelites) prays that Hashem does not remove the muzzle on Edom (i.e. Rome) that constrains him, namely Germania. For if the Germans would go forth, they would destroy the entire world. Hence the Talmud recognizes that Germany is a potential military threat which must kept in check. The Maharsha notes that the Talmud calls this nation “Germania of Rome” which may not be the same as Germania in reference to Genesis 10:2-3.
Appendix 1 provides a detailed analysis of these nations from the point of view of Josephus a secular historian of the 1st century of the Common Era.
Although the geography aspect of Gog is not conclusive the author will provide other clues to lead to a compelling identity Gog and his allies to Germany and Russia. In any even the prophet Ezekiel (38:6) predicts that Gog and his allies will originate from th far north of Europe.
Ethnicity
The Gaon of Vilna on the Mishna Negaim 2:1 identifies the inhabitants of Germania as white skinned (i.e. Caucasian). The Torah mentions that Hashem may apply a plague of bright white spots on the skin of the Israelites for different sins (Leviticus 13:2, Negaim 1:1, and Arachin 16a). The Mishna Negaim 2:1 identifies ethnicities by skin colour which is shown in the following table which lists the ethnic name, skin colour, and son of Noah.
| Name | Skin Colour | Son of Noah |
| German | White | Japheth |
| Semitic (Israelites) | Tan (boxwood) | Shem |
| Ethiopian (African) | Black | Ham |
The sages of this Mishna debate how to judge the whiteness of these spots, according to the skin colour of the individual person or the intermediate skin colour of boxwood. The Halacha follows the latter view (Maimonides Laws of Skin Plagues 1:9). In any event the Mishna uses the term German to define a person with white skin which the Gaon of Vilna links to present day Germany. By contrast Maimonides on the Mishna explains the term German גרמני in the Mishna refers to the Aramaic word bone גרמא which has a similar spelling and not necessarily a person of German origin. Nevertheless we see a link between Gog and his allies and the Caucasians of Northern Europe. (In the opinion of the author it is more than a coincidence that the wicked Nazi regime prided themselves on their Aryan origin and denigrated non-whites.)
History
Even with the analysis of geography and ethnicity the link to Germany is not yet compelling. However in the opinion of the author the following interpretation of Leviticus Rabbah 27:11 provides a compelling link to Germany or in the vernacular “the smoking gun”. This Midrash indentifies 5 villains who aim for world domination or destruction of the Israelites as shown in the following table which provides their names in English, Hebrew, and essential characteristic.
| Name (English) | Name (Hebrew) | Characteristic |
| Cain | קין | World domination |
| Esau | עשו | Long range planner |
| Pharaoh | פרעה | World power |
| Haman | המן | Genocidal plan |
| Gog | גוג | Theological war |
The author will first provide a literal reading of the Midrash which focuses on the flawed plan of the first 4 villains. Then the Midrash concludes that Gog will learn from each of their plans to avoid their mistakes as follows. Cain aimed for world domination by killing his brother Abel. However his plan was flawed because Adam begot other children especially Seth whose descendants populated the world (Genesis 4:25-26). Esau planned to kill his brother Jacob after the death of their father Isaac (Genesis 27:41). However his plan was also flawed because during the interim Jacob could begin a family of Israelites which actually happened. Pharaoh planned to destroy the Israelites by killing the male babies, either through the midwives (Exodus 1:16) or throwing the babies into the Nile (ibid.1:22). However this plan was also flawed because the women will still conceive and produce Israelites. Haman planed to destroy all of the Israelites (i.e. both males and females) in the kingdom of Ahasuerus. (Esther 3:13). Gog realized that this plan was also flawed because Hashem will intervene to protect His people. Therefore Gog will wage war against Hashem as the verse states (Psalms 2:2), “Kings of a land stand up, and nobles take counsel together against Hashem and His anointed.” The verse mentions kings and nobles which refer to Gog and his allies (Ezekiel 38:6). The Midrash concludes this discussion by stating that Hashem will destroy Gog and his armies based upon Zachariah 14:3 and 9.
The author will now interpret this Midrash to extract the essential characteristics of Gog based upon the above 4 villains as follows:
- World domination.
- Long range planner.
- Leader of a world power.
- Genocidal plans against the Israelites.
- Theological war.
- Student of History.
- Builder of an Alliance
World Domination
Gog will be driven by a desire for world domination which will be achieved through alliances and war (Ezekiel 38:2 and 5-6).
Long Range Planner
Following the character of Esau, Gog will develop a plan for world domination and has the patience and foresight to implement this plan over time.
Leader of a World Power
Although there are many individuals who dream of word domination and self-aggrandizement these people may be safely ignored until they become a leader of a world power and thereby have the means to realize their plans. In addition to raw power Gog will need the latest technology to be victorious.
Genocidal Plans against the Israelites
Gog will embark on a genocidal plan to destroy the Israelites as the verse states Ezekiel 38:11, “I (Gog) shall ascend upon a land of open cities (in Israel). I shall come upon the tranquil, who dwell securely; all of them living without a wall.”
These 4 characteristics are eerily similar to the leader of Nazi Germany who planned to exterminate the Israelites through his evil power and planning. In the opinion of the author this similarity not a coincidence and provides evidence that Germany is in fact the Germania as mentioned by the Talmud and Midrash.
Theological War
In addition to the above 4 characteristics Gog will wage a theological war against Hashem. The reader may ask, “How can a physical being wage war against Hashem who is spiritual?” The commentator Eitz Yosef (on Leviticus Rabbah 27:11) explains that Gog will attempt to weaken the bond between Hashem and His people by preventing the Israelites from practicing their religion. Rabbi David Paris in his commentary and translation of the Zohar called Matuk Midvash מדבש מתוק (literally sweeter than honey) explains that the enemies of Israel led by Gog will complain to Hashem that the Israelites are not worthy of the redemption (Zohar 2:58b). The author would like to explain that Gog is not literally waging a war against Hashem. Rather Gog will lead a coalition of the enemies of Israel including atheists, extreme members of some churches, and radical Islam who will not accept the messiah as the king of the Israelites. In effect because of their theology they might think that they are fighting a holy war in the name of G-d but in reality are fighting against the will of Hashem. In this line of thinking the prophet Zachariah (14:9) when discussing the war of Gog and Magog declares,” And Hashem shall become King over all the earth; on that day Hashem shall be one and His name one.”
Student of History
In addition to a theological leader, Gog is a student of history and will attempt to learn from the mistakes of the past. As the Midrash (Leviticus Rabbah 27:11) points out that every villain tried to avoid the mistakes of his predecessors Gog will learn from all of the previous villains. In the opinion of the author this aspect of Gog is most troubling because by avoiding obvious mistakes (e.g. land war in Russia) he may inflict much damage until Hashem intervenes.
Builder of an Alliance
In addition to his military and historical knowledge, Gog will build an alliance of many nations to wage war against Israel as the verse states (Ezekiel 38:6), “From the utmost parts of the north and all its allies, many nations with you.” In addition Zachariah predicts (14:2), “I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to wage war”, which implies a massive military force.” The sages speak of 70 primary nations of the world based upon the 70 descendants of Noah’s sons (excluding his sons) as listed in chapter 10 of Genesis. (For the interested reader the Artscroll Chumash, Stone Edition by Rabbi Nosson Scherman (ISBN 0-89906-014-5) provides a table of these 70 nations at the end of Chapter 10 of Genesis which corresponds to page 47 in the first edition of 1993.) In fact the Midrash Tanchuma (Parshat Korach 12) finds an allusion to the 70 nations in the gematria of the Hebrew words Gog and Magog (ומגוג גוג) 12+58 =70, indicating that his alliance will include members of all of the 70 nations.
Islamic Alliance
The prophet Ezekiel (38:5) identifies the second phase of the army as, “Persia, Cush, and Put.”
The key to deciphering this prophecy is to examine the verses in Genesis chapter 10 with commentaries which describe the offspring of Noah who formed the biblical 70 nations.
Verse 6 – “The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.”
The nation of Persia is clearly Iran of today. However the reader may ask, “How do we identify the nations of Cush and Put that are somewhat obscure?” The answer is to examine and correlate primary biblical commentaries (viz. Targum Yonatan ben Uziel, Babylonian Talmud Yoma 10a, Jerusalem Talmud Megillah 1:9, and Midrash Rabbah Genesis 37:2) as shown in the following table which provides the names of these nations.
| Name | Targum | Babylonian | Jerusalem | Midrash |
| Cush | Arabia | No comment | No comment | Near Egypt |
| Put | Alichrok | No comment | No comment | Near Egypt |
It is interesting to note that the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud do not specifically identify the nations of Cush and Put, presumably because they were not major powers at the time of the Talmud. However the Babylonian Talmud (ibid.) identifies some of the offspring of Ham with the nation of the Sakistan which some locate in Afghanistan and others in Africa. Since the location of Cush and Put are not clear from the above analysis the author will attempt to identify these nations by:
- Geography (Genesis Rabbah 37:2).
- Ethnicity (Mishna Negaim 2:1 as explained by the Gaon of Vilna).
- History (reference to World War 2).
- Religion (Islam)
Geography
The location of Cush and Put is subject to dispute among the commentaries with the Targum placing Cush in India (Isaiah 11:11 and Jeremiah 13:23). A simple reading of the verse in Genesis 10:6, “The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim (Egypt), Put, and Canaan” would imply that these nations border Egypt. If we accept that Cush is Ethiopia with surrounding countries including Sudan and Eritrea and Put is Libya then this verse (Genesis 10:6) lists the neighbouring countries of Egypt to the south, west, and east respectively. The Midrash (ibid) accepts that Cush and Put both border Egypt by quoting the verse in Ezekiel 30:5, “Cush and Put, Lud and all who support her, and Kub and the people of the allied land will fall with them (the Egyptians) by the sword. The previous verse in Ezekiel provides the context of this battle, “A sword will come upon Egypt, and there will be quaking in Cush when the slain fall in Egypt, and they will take her multitude, and her foundations will be broken down.”
Josephus Antiquities 1:6 identifies Cush with Ethiopia and Put with Libya. Although the geography aspect of this alliance is not conclusive the author will provide other clues to lead to a compelling identity of the nations of this alliance
Ethnicity
We can identify Cush and Put as dark skinned people based upon Sanhedrin 108b and Genesis Rabbah 36:8 since Ham was dark skinned. In addition the Mishna in Negaim 2:1 identifies the people of Cush as black skinned. Hence on an ethnic basis the descendant of Ham settled in Africa and initially in nearby Arabia.
History
It is interesting to note that the battle for North Africa in World War 2 took place in Libya. In addition, prior to this war, Italy invaded Ethiopia in from October 1935 and captured the country in February 1937. Since Iran was not involved in either of the World Wars the history factor alone is not conclusive.
Religion
As mentioned above the prophet Ezekiel (38:5) lists the nations of Persia, Cush, and Put as one unit. Both Cush and Put share the same the same geography, history, and ethnicity. However how does Iran fit into this list? In the opinion of the author the religion of Islam is the bond that links Persia to Cush and Put forming an Islamic alliance against Israel. At present the government of Iran has taken a strong position against Israel and supports terrorism against Israel and thereby engaging in proxy war through Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
??Germany made alliance with mufti in Jerusalem 1921-1948 Amin al-Husseini??
Who – Defenders of Israel
The reader may ask, “Although the prophet Ezekiel provides a detailed description of the army of Gog where does he indicate the defenders of Israel?” The answer is contained in cryptic verses in Zachariah 2:3-4, “Hashem showed me four craftsmen. They will cast away the strength (literally horns) of the nations that fought (literally bear a horn) against the land of Judah to scatter it.” Again the reader may ask, “Where are these 4 craftsmen identified and what are are their roles?” The Talmud (Succah 52b) and Midrash Rabbah (Numbers 14:1 and Song of Songs 2:29) provide different answers as shown in the following table.
| Talmud (Succah 52b) | Midrash (Numbers) | Midrash (Song of Songs) |
| Messiah son of David | Elijah the prophet | Messiah son of David |
| Messiah son of Joseph | Messiah son of Joseph | Anointed for war |
| Elijah the prophet | Anointed for war | Elijah the prophet |
| Righteous priest | Messiah son of David | Melchizedek |
The reader may ask, “Why are there different opinions concerning the defenders of Israel?” The answer is that these sources provide different scenarios of the messianic redemption depending upon the merit of the Israelites and the evil of Gog and his allies.
Messiah son of David
Maimonides explains (Laws of Kings Chapter 11) that the Messiah son of David must complete the following objectives:
- Defeat the forces of Gog and Magog (ibid. 4).
- Renew the dynasty of King David (ibid. 1).
- Establish sovereignty in Israel (ibid. 1).
- Build the third temple in Jerusalem (ibid. 1).
- Gather the dispersed Israelite to the land of Israel (ibid. 1).
- Motivate the nations to serve Hashem (ibid. 4).
The messiah must emerge victorious over Gog and his allies to achieve the other objectives. The following sections of this article will discuss the details (What) and reasons (Why) of this war with reference to these 4 craftsmen.
It is interesting to note that although both Ezekiel (Chapters 38 and 39) and Zachariah (Chapter 14) describe this war in some detail they attribute the victory to Hashem and do not mention the role of the messiah. The Torah alludes to the victories of the messiah in Numbers 24:17-19 as follows:
Verse 17 – “A star shall go forth from Jacob, and a staff shall arise in Israel which will crush the princes of Moab and uproot all the sons of Seth.”
Verse 18 – “Edom shall be possessed, and Seir shall become destroyed (literally the possession of his enemies), and Israel shall triumph.”
Verse 19 – “A ruler shall come out of Jacob, and destroy the remnant of the city.”
Maimonides (Laws of Kings 11:1) based upon Midrash (Deuteronomy Rabbah 1:20) interprets verses 17 and 18 as referring to both King David and the messiah son of David. The following table presents the verse number, reference to King David and reference to the messiah.
| Verse Number | King David | Messiah |
| 17 | A star shall go forth from Jacob. | A staff shall arise in Israel. |
| 17 | He will crush the princes of Moab. | He will uproot all the sons of Seth. |
| 18 | Edom shall be possessed. | Seir shall be destroyed. |
Rashi interprets verse 19 as referring to the messiah who will destroy the major city of Edom.
Messiah son of Joseph
In contrast to the role of the Messiah son of David which is discussed by the prophets, the role of the Messiah son of Joseph is not explicitly mentioned at all in scripture. The prophet Obadiah (1:18) alludes to his role in this war, “The house of Jacob shall be fire and the house of Joseph (alluding to the Messiah son of Joseph) a flame. The house of Esau shall become stubble, and they shall ignite them and consume them. The house of Esau shall have no survivors, for Hashem has spoken.” He will lead the government in Israel by building up the economy and military. Similar to the biblical Joseph who saved grain during the 7 years of plenty and then was able to ride out the famine (Genesis 41:33-36), the Messiah son of Joseph may achieve world recognition as an astute leader and expert in economics.
The Talmud Succah 52a states that the Messiah son of Joseph will be killed in the initial phase of the War of Gog and Magog. In fact his death will be recognized as a national tragedy, “The land shall mourn with every family apart Zachariah (12:12).”
The Talmud (ibid.) indicates that even the Messiah son of David will be taken back from this defeat as the Talmud relates. Hashem says to the Messiah son of David, “Ask for anything and I (Hashem) will grant your request.” Upon seeing the death of the Messiah son of Joseph, the Messiah son of David replies, “I ask only to live.” Hashem grants his request as the verse states (Psalms 21:5), “He (the messiah) asked You (Hashem) for life and You (Hashem) gave it to him, as length of days forever and ever.”
However the Zohar (2:120a) opines that the Messiah son of Joseph will not die in battle because the redemption will occur in the month of Nissan which is a favourable month. By contrast the Talmud (Megillah 31a) rules that the haftarahs (prophetic reading in the synagogue) for the 1st day of Succoth and the Sabbath of the intermediary day of Succoth relate to the war of Gog and Magog which will occur in the month of Tishrei which is a time of judgment.
Elijah the Prophet
The prophet Malachi predicts the arrival of Elijah the prophet and his mission (3:23-24) as follows:
Verse 23 – “Behold, I will send to you (the Israelites) Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of Hashem.”
Verse 24 – “He will turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers. Otherwise I (Hashem) will come and smite the earth with utter destruction.”
Hashem will send Elijah the prophet to herald the coming of the messiah (Talmud Eruvin 43b) and bring peace to the world through a return to the Torah and its commandments (Mishna Eduyot 8:7 and commentary of Tosafot Yom Tov). This peace will include harmony amongst the Israelites and peace between the Israelites and gentiles. If not for this peace Hashem would allow the war of Gog and Magog to continue resulting in mass destruction (verse 24).
Maimonides (Laws of Kings 12:2) identifies the “great and awesome day” of verse 23 as occurring before or during this war. The arrival of Elijah will bring inspiration and sense to the world to minimize casualties. However the precise timing of his arrival is not known (ibid.) and depends upon our merit. If the world is worthy he comes early (Sanhedrin 98a) and thereby shortens the war, if not the casualties will mount.
Righteous Priest
The Talmud (Succah 52b) does not clearly identify the righteous priest leading to different interpretations. Rashi (ibid.) identifies the righteous priest as Shem the son of Noah which is the same opinion as the Midrash (Song of Songs 2:29) which includes Melchizedek as one of the 4 craftsmen. The Talmud (Nedarim 32b) and Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 44:7) explain that Melchizedek king of Salem (actually Jerusalem), a priest to Hashem (Genesis 14:18) was actually Shem the son of Noah. He greeted Abraham with bread and wine, after Abraham’s victory over the 4 kings. The Talmud (ibid.) states that Hashem had intended that the priesthood should originate from Shem. However when Shem praised Abraham before praising Hashem the priesthood was exclusively transferred to Abraham and his descendants as the verses state:
Genesis 14:19 – “”Blessed is Abram to the Most High G-d, Who (Divine) possesses heaven and earth.”
Genesis 14:20 – “Blessed be the Most High G-d, Who (Divine) has delivered your adversaries into your hand.”
In the opinion of the author the identification of Shem as the righteous priest has significant implications for the war of Gog and Magog and the life of the Israelites. Since most of the descendants of Shem are not Jewish this means that his gentile descendants may play a major role as a moral conscience to the world through biblical teachings to either stop this war or at least help Israel with arms or manpower to defeat Gog. (As an example the American government played the Shem role by providing critical military hardware to Israel even though the Yom Kippur War of 1973 was not the actual War of Gog and Magog.) Thus Shem though his descendants can redeem himself by aiding Israel at this final war which will lead to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem where Shem’s descendants can minister to his followers. In addition the Israelites, at the appropriate time, can enhance the role of Shem, through outreach to gentiles by promoting biblical observance and pursuing world peace. Even according to other opinions that the righteous priest is in fact an Israelite (e.g. descendant of Ezra according to the Talmudic commentator Iyun Yaakov of the 18th century) the Midrash (Song of Songs 2:29) identifies one of the 4 craftsmen as Melchizedek.
Priest Anointed for War
Both sources from the Midrash identify the priest anointed for war as one of the 4 craftsmen. The Torah mentions the role of this priest in Deuteronomy 20:2-4 as follows:
Verse 2 – “When you (the Israelites) approach war, the priest (anointed for war) shall speak to the people.”
Verse 3 – “The priest shall say to them (the Israelites prepared for battle): Hear, O Israel, today you are approaching against your enemies. Let your hearts not be faint, nor be afraid, nor alarmed, or terrified by your enemies.”
Verse 4 – “(Rather have faith) because Hashem goes with you, to fight against your enemies and save you.”
From these verses we see that this priest does not actually fight in the war. Rather he acts as a chaplain to comfort and inspire the Israelites to fight for G-d and country with the assurance that Hashem will help them in battle. As a priest he must be a descendant of Aaron of the tribe of Levi. In addition this priest mentions the exemptions from a voluntary war as mentioned in Deuteronomy 20:6-7 (i.e. someone who built a new house, planted a vineyard, and betrothed a woman). However the war of Gog and Magog is a mandatory war and therefore there are no exemptions Maimonides Laws of Kings 7:4).
Order of the Craftsmen
| Talmud (Succah 52b) | Midrash (Numbers) | Midrash (Song of Songs) |
| Messiah son of David | Elijah the prophet | Elijah the prophet |
| Messiah son of Joseph | Messiah son of Joseph | Messiah son of David |
| Elijah the prophet | Anointed for war | Melchizedek |
| Righteous priest | Messiah son of David | Anointed for war |
After discussing the identity of the 4 craftsmen the author will attempt to explain the difference in the order of these craftsmen mentioned in the above sources in terms of:
- Importance.
- Order in verse.
- Chronology.
Talmud (Succah 52b)
For this source the order may relate to the importance of these craftsmen in the messianic process with the Messiah ben David playing the most significant role. This seems to be the view of the Talmud which lists the craftsmen in two groups, namely the Messiahs who are responsible for military leadership in terms of this war and the spiritual leaders who will guide both the Israelites and the gentiles to seek Hashem and world peace. Unlike the Midrash the Talmud does not provide a verse to identify these craftsmen. In addition it is not clear if these spiritual leaders appear before or during this war.
Midrash (Numbers Rabbah 14:1)
This Midrash lists the craftsmen using the order of the verse in Psalms 60:9, “Gilead is mine, Manasseh is mine, Ephraim is the strength of my head and Judah is my lawgiver.”The Midrash indentifies these craftsmen by their location or tribe and associated verse as follows:
| Location or Tribe | Craftsman | Verse |
| Gilead | Elijah the prophet | 1 Kings 17:1 |
| Manasseh | Messiah son of Joseph | Psalms 80:3 |
| Ephraim | Anointed for war | Deuteronomy 33:17 |
| Judah | Messiah son of David | Genesis 49:10 |
In addition the Midrash explains that the list is chronological implying that the Elijah the prophet will start the redemption process which will completed by the Messiah son of David. The Midrash provides a parable of a king who builds 4 palaces in 4 different countries and visits each one of them. Only at the last one the king is at home (literally he takes off his shoes). In the parable Hashem is the king and the 4 palaces in 4 different countries represent the 4 craftsmen in their different roles. Hashem is at home when the Messiah son of David achieves his objectives to defeat Gog and bring the world to serve Hashem. In this manner Hashem is at home in this world. Appendix 2 provides an analysis of these verses and its relation to the messianic process
According to this Midrash the sequence of events leading to the messiah would be:
- Elijah the prophet will arrive to lead the world to return to Hashem.
- The Messiah son of Joseph will lead the government in Israel, defend Israel against Gog and his allies, and later die in the war.
- The Messiah son of Joseph will confer with the one anointed for war.
- The Messiah son of David will take over the government after the death of the Messiah son of Joseph and with Hashem’s help defeat Gog and his allies.
Midrash (Song of Songs Rabbah 2:29)
This Midrash lists the craftsmen in a different order compared to the 2 previous sources without a supporting verse to explain this order. In addition to the different order, the Midrash does not specifically mention the Messiah son of Joseph but does mention Melchizedek. Some commentators identify the one anointed for war as the Messiah son of Joseph. However since the Midrash lists this craftsman as the 4th the order would not be chronological nor in the order of importance.
In the opinion of the author, the order is chronological and the omission of the Messiah son of Joseph is that the order follows his death. Therefore the sequence of events would be:
- The Messiah son of Joseph will lead the government in Israel, defend Israel against Gog and his allies, and later die in the war.
- Elijah the prophet will arrive to lead the world to return to Hashem.
- The Messiah son of David will confer with Melchizedek presumably to make an alliance with righteous gentiles.
- The Messiah son of David will prepare for war by consulting with the one anointed for war. In this scenario the Messiah son of David will cautiously wage war by establishing an alliance with other nations and then prepare for war to avoid the defeat of the Messiah son of Joseph.
What – Nature of the War
Based upon verses from scripture and commentary from Midrash and Zohar the author defines the following phases of this war:
- Military planning and alliances
- Initial Phase of War – Success of Gog and his allies
- War – Defeat of Gog and his allies
- Peace – Kingdom of Hashem
The author would like to provide a disclaimer on predicting the details of the war based upon Maimonides (Laws of Kings 12:2), “All these and similar matters (e.g. details of the war) cannot be definitely known by man until they occur for these matters are undefined in the prophets’ words and even the wise men have no established tradition regarding these matters except their own interpretation of the verses. Therefore, there is a controversy among them regarding these matters.” Therefore this discussion should be interpreted in a broad fashion without being overly concerned about the details.
Military Planning and Alliances
As discussed earlier in the section “Who – Identity of Gog and His Allies” the armies of Gog will comprise European and Islamic contingents. The Zohar (1:119a) explains that Gog and his European allies will convene in Europe to plan this war against the Israelites. In addition the Islamic contingent, called by the Zohar as sons of Ishmael, will wage war to capture Jerusalem. A number of verses from scripture refer to this alliance and war as follows:
Psalms 2:1 – “Why do peoples gather while nations talk in vain (about this war)?”
Psalms 2:2 – “The kings of the earth take their stand while princes conspire secretly against Hashem and His Messiah.”
Although the literal meaning of the verses refer to Kind David and the attempt of the Philistines to defeat him the Talmud (Berachot 7b) and Midrash Tanchuma (Lech Lecha 9) interpret these verse in reference to Gog and his war against the Israelites.
In addition the Zohar (ibid.) quotes Zachariah 14:2 in reference to Gog’s alliance, “I (Hashem) will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to wage war.”
The prophet Ezekiel (38:4) predicts this military buildup in terms of the military hardware o his time, “All your army, including horses and riders, clothed in finery, a great assembly, with shield and buckler, and grasping swords.” Admittedly this war will be fought with the latest technology including missiles and airplanes.
Initial Phase of War
In the initial phase of the war Gog and his allies will attack Jerusalem and appear to have victory in their hands as the prophet Zachariah predicts (14:2), “The city (Jerusalem) shall be captured, the houses plundered, and the women ravished. In addition half of the city shall go into exile but the rest of the people shall remain in the city.” The Midrash (Ruth Rabbah 5:6) explains that this initial victory will be a test of faith for the Israelites with some of them losing hope and joining Gog. The faithful will retreat to the Judean desert and subsist on vegetation until the Messiah son of David appears. As mentioned above the Talmud (Succah 52a) predicts that the Messiah son of Joseph will die in this phase.
Although this prediction is quite dire Maimonides points out those prophecies of doom do not have to be realized if the Israelites return to Hashem. Specifically Maimonides (Laws of Fundamentals of Torah 10:4) writes, “Prophecies of retribution which a prophet will utter (e.g. predictions of war or famine) do not have to be realized. Hashem is slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and forgiving of evil. Therefore it is possible that people will repent and their sin will be forgiven.”
Hashem’s Intervention
Scripture states that after the war turns against the Israelites Hashem will:
- Intervene in a miraculous way to save his people.
- Completely defeat the forces of Gog and his allies.
- Avenge the wrongs committed by the evil ones against the Israelites.
There are several verses in scripture to attest to these steps and the author quotes a sampling of these prophecies to provide a perspective on this war.
Hashem’s Role
In addition to the 4 craftsmen Hashem will intervene in a miraculous way as follows:
Zachariah 14:3 – “Hashem shall go forth and wage war with those nations, like the day he waged war on the day of the battle (at the Sea of Reeds against Pharaoh – Exodus 14:26-31).
Zachariah 14:4 – “On that day Hashem shall stand on the Mount of Olives which will split (implying an earthquake as mentioned in the next verse).
Zachariah 14:5 – “(As a result) the Israelites shall flee to the valley of the mountains (to escape the war) through the earthquake as in the days of Uzziah the King of Judah.
Zachariah 14:12 – “This shall be the plague wherewith Hashem will smite all the nations who besieged Jerusalem. His flesh will waste away while he still stands on his feet, his eyes will waste away in their sockets, and his tongue shall waste away in his mouth.”
Appendix 3 quotes Midrash Tanchuma Parshat Bo 4 which links the miracles that Hashem will perform in this war to the 10 plagues of the exodus based upon Micah 7:15, “As in the days of your exodus from the land of Egypt, I will show them (the Israelites) wonders (at this war).
Defeat of Gog and his Allies
With these great miracles Hashem will resoundingly defeat Gog and his allies as follows:
Isaiah 34:1- “Let nations hear and kingdoms hearken. (This message applies) to the earth and its fullness, the world and its entire offspring.”
Isaiah 34:2 – “For Hashem has indignation against all the nations and wrath against their entire host. He has destroyed them and given them to the slaughter.”
Isaiah 34:5 – “For My (divine) sword has become sated in the heaven. Behold, it shall descend upon Edom, and upon the nation with whom I contend, for judgment.”
Ezekiel 38:18 – “Hashem declares: It will come to pass on that day when Gog comes against the land of Israel that My blazing indignation will flame in My nostrils.”
Zachariah 14:12 – “This shall be the plague wherewith Hashem will smite all the nations who besieged Jerusalem. His flesh will waste away while he still stands on his feet, his eyes will waste away in their sockets, and his tongue shall waste away in his mouth.”
Avenge the Wrongs
Zachariah 14:13 – “It will come to pass on that day that there will be great consternation sent by Hashem upon them. Each one shall seize the hand of the other and fight each other.”
Zachariah 14:14 – “Even Judah will fight against Jerusalem!”
Peace – Kingdom of Hashem
The aftermath of this war will involve:
- Spoils of the war to the Israelites.
- Recognition of Kingdom of Hashem.
- Annual pilgrimage of the nations to the temple in Jerusalem.
Zachariah 14:14 – “The wealth of all the nations gold, silver, and apparel will be gathered in great abundance.”
Zachariah 14:9 – “Hashem shall become King over all the earth. On that day Hashem shall be one and His name one.”
Zachariah 14:16 – “It will come to pass that everyone left of the nations who came up against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to prostrate himself to the King, the L-rd of Hosts, and to celebrate the festival of Tabernacles.”
When will this war occur?
Many have speculated when this war will occur without success. The predictions have ranged from the invasion of the Mongols of the 13th century to Napoleon Bonaparte of the 18th century to the modern wars of 20th and 21st centuries including the latest invasion of Ukraine. The author would like to make the following points based upon the written and oral sources to frame this discussion:
- Actual date of the war is hidden.
- Israelites in Israel.
- 7 year cycle economic depression, military buildup, and war.
Hidden Date
Hashem has purposely hidden the date of this war (Pesachim 54b) so that man may exercise his free will. For example if this date is too far in the future then the Israelites may lose hope in the redemption. Similarly if the Israelites knew the date they may postpone a return to Hashem thinking that there is still time to enjoy a completely physical life. Furthermore if the enemies of Israel knew the date they would attempt to persecute the Israelites until that date thinking that they are immune to divine retribution.
The Midrash Genesis Rabbah 98:2 points out that even those who knew this date were not permitted to reveal Hashem’s secrets. For example Jacob wished to reveal the secrets of the “in the End of Days” הימים באחרית but the divine spirit left him and he reverted to other matters. The Midrash (ibid.) comes to this conclusion because the Torah relates (Genesis 49:1) that Jacob said to his sons, “Gather together and I will tell you what will occur in the End of Days.” However in the following verse Jacob does talk about the “End of Days”. Rather he admonished his first 3 sons and proceeded to bless the rest. Although the book of Daniel speaks of the “End of Days” (Daniel 10:14) the angel informed Daniel to keep the matter closed as the verse states (Daniel 12:4), “Daniel, close up the words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will run to and fro, and the knowledge will increase.”
The expression “in the End of Days” occurs 13 times in scripture of which 4 are in the Pentateuch. The Midrash (ibid.) highlights two of these expressions to describe what will occur in the messianic era namely:
- War of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38:16).
- Building of the third temple in Jerusalem (Micah 4:1).
Hence in the opinion of the Midrash these two events are related.
The verses follow:
Ezekiel 38:16 – “You (Gog) will ascend upon My people Israel like a cloud to cover the earth. At the end of days הימים באחרית it will be. I (Hashem) shall bring you upon My land (Israel) in order that the nations recognize Me when I am sanctified through you before their eyes, O Gog. “
Micah 4:1 – “It shall be at the end of the days הימים באחרית that the mountain of Hashem’s house shall be firmly established at the top of the mountains (in Jerusalem). It shall be raised above the hills (that are nearby) and peoples (including gentiles) shall stream upon it.”
The prophet Isaiah (2:2) makes a similar prophecy about the temple.
Although the date of the redemption is hidden the Talmud (Sanhedrin 97a) predicts that the messiah will come at or before the year 6,000 from creation or 2240 in the secular counting. Based upon the above, it goes without saying that the author will not attempt to put a date on the war of Gog and Magog.
At this point the reader may feel disappointed by this lack of clarity. However while the author cannot provide a date the author has found the following important clues leading to this war:
- Israel rebuilt and living securely.
- 7 year cycle of economic depression, military buildup, and war.
Israel rebuilt
The prophet Ezekiel (38:8 and 11-12) predicts that the war will occur after the Israelites returned from exile and are living securely without expecting a war. The verses follow:
38:8 – “At the end of the years you (Gog) will come to a land whose inhabitants (Israelites) returned from the sword, gathered from many peoples, upon the mountains of Israel, which had been continually laid waste, but it was liberated from the nations, and they all dwelt securely.”
38:11 – “Gog will say: I shall ascend upon a land of open cities (in Israel). I (Gog) shall come upon the tranquil that dwell securely. All of them living without a wall and have no bars or doors.” This verse implies that the Israelites have left their guard down and do not expect to be attacked.
The author would like to point out that these verses discuss the overconfidence of the Israelites thinking that they are invincible. This overconfidence has a parallel in the Yom Kippur War of 1973 when the Israeli military was self-assured after the Six Day War of 1967 and ignored signs of an impending Egyptian invasion over the Suez. The Israeli military thought that Egypt would not attack without an air force and the Bar Lev defenses would prevent the Egyptian forces from entering the Sinai Peninsula. Of course the Yom Kippur War was not the war of Gog and Magog but serves as an example of how this war could be fought.
Hence this clue indicates that the war will occur after Israel is settled (like at present) and does not expect a war to occur. Presently the Israeli military is not overconfident and is certainly wary of Iran and its intentions.
7 Year Cycle
The Talmud (Sanhedrin 97a) predicts a seven year cycle of economic depression, military buildup, and war as follows:
| Year | Event |
| 1 | Uneven world economy (uneven rainfall) |
| 2 | Recession (arrows of famine) |
| 3 | Depression (great famine) |
| 4 | Recovery (plenty but not great plenty) |
| 5 | Full recovery (great plenty) |
| 6 | Voices (of judgment) |
| 7 | War (of Gog and Magog) |
| 8 | Arrival of Messiah |
The words in parenthesis refer to the literal reading of the Talmud.
This cycle of economic depression, military buildup, and war is eerily similar to the events leading to World War 2. Although the messiah did not arrive after the Second World War and the time between the great depression and the beginning of the war was more than 7 years this seven year cycle provides important signs and reasons leading up to the war of Gog and Magog. In particular an economic depression leads people to seek a populist leader who will lead the country to recovery as happened in Germany after its hyperinflation and collapse of the Weimar republic. In addition an economic depression deters any other nations from involvement in foreign affairs (i.e. isolationism). Rather these governments focus on domestic policies to boost their economies. This isolationism allowing totalitarian governments to pursue territorial expansion as happened in the 1930s when Great Britain and the United States turned a blind eye to Germany’s plans to expand across Europe. Following the example of the 1930s the author would like to explain the 6th year of voices as a call to war, especially the expression of lebensraum (literally living space) meaning Germany’s plan to annex or conquer European countries to establish a German empire. In addition these voices include the relentless German propaganda through radio and movies to fortify the concept of a master race and persecute the Israelites.
In summary the war of Gog and Magog will be preceded by an economic depression, emergence of a populist leader who will exploit the media, a military buildup and eventually war.
.
Where
As discussed above the following armies will be involved in the war of Gog and Magog:
- Gog – European nations.
- Gog – Islamic contingent.
- Messiah – defending Israel.
Gog – European Nations
The European nations will come from the north of Israel (Ezekiel 38:6) and as discussed above led by the armies of Germany and Russia and joined by their allies.
Gog – Islamic Contingent
The prophet Ezekiel (38:5) identifies the Islamic contingent as Persia, Cush, and Put. As discussed these countries correspond to Iran, Ethiopia, and Libya. It is interesting to note that these 3 countries do not border Israel and are in fact a considerable distance from Jerusalem as shown in the following which table lists the countries, their capital cities, and distance from Jerusalem.
| Country | Capital City | Distance (km) |
| Iran | Teheran | 1559 |
| Ethiopia | Addis Ababa | 2546 |
| Libya | Tripoli | 2076 |
In the opinion of the author this large distance implies that Gog will use these countries as bases for staging troops far from Israel, stealth warfare, and airborne attacks (e.g. long range missiles). If the government of Israel is complacent about Gog and this strategy as mentioned above then Gog may be initially successful as predicted by the prophets.
Messiah – Defending Israel
As mentioned above (Section Who) the Messiah son of David with the help of Hashem will defend Israel against Gog and his armies. The prophet Zachariah clearly predicts that Gog will reach and attack Jerusalem as the verse states (ibid. 14:2), “I (Hashem) will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to wage war. The city shall be captured, the houses shall be plundered, and the women shall be ravished. Half the city shall go forth into exile and the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city.”
Before attacking Jerusalem, Gog and his armies will invade a major portion of the land of Israel as the verse states (Ezekiel 38:16), “You (Gog) will ascend upon My (divine) people Israel like a cloud which covers the earth.”
Why
The prophet Ezekiel predicts that Hashem will incite Gog to attack Israel as the verse states (ibid. 38:4), “I (Hashem) shall unbridle you (Gog). I (Hashem) shall put hooks into your (Gog’s) jaws and bring you and all your army (to Israel).” In addition Ezekiel predicts (ibid. 39:2), “I (Hashem) will unbridle and entice you (Gog). I will lead you up from the utmost parts of the north and bring you upon the mountains of Israel.” The prophet further explains that Gog will seek spoils (ibid. 38:12), “To take spoil and to plunder loot, to return your hand upon the resettled ruins and to a people gathered from nations, acquiring livestock and possessions, dwelling on the navel of the earth.”
Other than pursuing spoils the prophet verse does not provide reasons from political or economic viewpoints. Based upon the above analysis the author would like to provide a number of reasons for this war based upon contemporary world history as follows:
- Gog – world domination.
- Gog – intense hatred of Israelites.
- World – economic crisis.
- Arab world – declining demand for oil.
- Israelites – brashness of Messiah son of Joseph.
Gog – World Domination
In the opinion of the author some of the reasons of this war will follow the root causes of World War 2. As discussed in the section “Who” Gog will seek world domination through military might and alliances with the land of Israel as one of his targets.
Gog – Intense Hatred of Israelites
Similar to World War 2 Gog will aim for the destruction of Israel and the Israelites wherever they live and therefore will wage war to achieve this objective.
World – Economic Crisis
A populist and reckless leader as Gog will not likely achieve pubic support unless preceded by a major economic crisis which will lead people to seek simplistic solutions to complex problems, especially scapegoating the Israelites.
Arab World
With the inevitable decline in demand for oil the Arab world will be left without a major source of revenue for government programs. This economic shortfall will lead to rioting and instability in the Arab world. As in the past, rather than dealing with these issues the Arab governments will like deflect the attention of the people from the incompetence of their regimes and seek a scapegoat, namely Israel and the Israelites. In addition the Arab world will be jealous of the success of the Israeli economy which does not depend on oil but on technological developments. It is likely with the increasing number of Arabs in Europe that Gog will find a base of support in Europe for this war.
Messiah son of Joseph
It is possible that the brashness of the messiah son of Joseph could precipitate this war. Following the example of the biblical Joseph, the messiah son of Joseph may underestimate opposition to his policies and enflame the Arab world with his success and ambition. Just as the biblical Joseph erred by telling his brothers about his dreams (Genesis 37:5-11) which led them to hate him even more. In a similar vein Abarbanel on Genesis 49:23, comments that despite his great gifts of administration the monarchy passed through the tribe of Judah because Joseph provoked envy in people. By contrast Judah enjoyed undisputed popularity. This pattern may also apply to the messiah son of Joseph and the messiah son of David (from the tribe of Judah) with the latter who must attain world acceptance and admiration.
Current Events
The reader may ask, “What is the relevance of the current war in Ukraine to the war of Gog and Magog?” In the opinion of the author this tragic war does not fit the biblical model of Gog and Magog for several reasons as follows:
Who – As discussed above Gog will from an alliance with European and Islamic nations to attack Israel. At present Russia has divided Europe and has limited alliances in the Middle East. In addition Gog will harbor an intense dislike of the Israelites which is not manifest in present day Russia. With the current instability in the Israeli government and disputes between the secular and religious camps we can see that the 4 craftsmen as discussed above have not yet arrived.
Appendix 1 – Interpretation of Josephus
Josephus, a 1st century historian, in his book (Antiquities 1:6) identifies some of the descendants of Japheth using his knowledge of world history at that time. The following table lists the names of the nations from Genesis chapter 10, identification by Josephus, current name of the country, and references from the Babylonian and Jerusalem Talmud.
| Name | Nation | Current Country | Talmud Bab. | Talmud Jer. |
| Gomer | Gaul | France | Germania | Germania |
| Magog | Scythians | Ukraine | Candia | Goths |
| Tuval | Iberes | Spain | Beit Unaiki | Bithynia |
| Meshech | Cappadocia | Turkey | Musia | Musia |
| Togarmah | Phrygians | Turkey | No comment | Germania |
Although his descriptions are different from those of the Talmud and Midrash the author will attempt to reconcile a secular historical opinion with classical religious texts albeit with limitations. For example Josephus identifies Gomer with France and the Talmud with Germania. However this difference may be reconciled because France and Germany share a border and both countries were ruled by warring tribes until the conquest of France by Julius Caesar. By contrast Rome only occupied parts of Germania.
Josephus links Magog with the Scythians who lived in the Ukraine area but their empire came to an end in the 2nd century of the Common Era. With migration of populations we see that Russia may be identified with Magog especially since the Jerusalem Talmud links Magog with the Goths who originated in Germany and spread into Russia as far south as the Black Sea.
The identification of Spain as the country of Tuval by Josephus is unusual because the Talmud and Midrash locate Tuval in Turkey. Josephus identifies Mesech with Cappadocia in central Turkey which agrees with the Talmud and Midrash.
In addition he identifies Togarmah with the Phrygians who lived in Turkey who were later absorbed by the Byzantine Empire and after that the Ottoman Turks. By contrast the Jerusalem Talmud and Midrash link Togarmah with Germania.
Appendix 2 – Analysis of Verses
Elijah the Prophet
The Midrash and its commentators quote the first 3 verses to verse to describe these craftsmen as follows. The bible (1 Kings 17:1) indentifies Elijah as a resident of Gilead, “Elijah the Tishbite of the settlers of Gilead spoke to Ahab.”
Messiah son of Joseph
The Midrash quotes Psalms 80:3 to identify the Messiah son of Joseph, “Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh arouse Your (divine) might, and it is for You (Hashem) to save us. Although the verse mentions two other tribes the tribe of Manasseh is mentioned closest to divine assistance. It is interesting to note that the verse only lists descendants of Rachel, the mother of Joseph, indicating that support for the Messiah son of Joseph may not be equally felt among the tribes of Israel. The Midrash quotes Deuteronomy 33:17 which is the blessing of Moses to the descendants of Joseph as a reference to the one anointed for war. The verse reads in a paraphrased fashion, “Joseph’s descendants are given sovereignty and majesty. With his strength (i.e. military might) he shall gore nations to the ends of the earth through the myriads of Ephraim and thousands of Manasseh.”
Anointed for War
The commentators on this Midrash point out that the priest anointed for war must come from the tribe of Levi. However this Midrash identifies the one anointed for war from the tribe of Manasseh. They explain that the father of this priest will come from Levi and his mother from Manasseh. In the opinion of the author, the Midrash emphasizes the one anointed for war is from the tribe of Ephraim is to indicate that he may influence the Messiah son of Joseph to enter the war prematurely as a result of overconfidence in his military.
Messiah son of David
Although this section of Midrash did not quote a verse for the Messiah son of David, the author quoted Genesis 49:10 which speaks of the messiah and his role as law giver, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a law giver from his descendants, even when Shiloh (reference to the messiah based upon Sanhedrin 98b) comes, and to him will be an assembly of peoples.”
Appendix 3 – Ten Plagues
Midrash Tanchuma Parshat Bo 4 links the ten plagues of the exodus to 10 divine interventions in the war of Gog and Magog. The following table lists the plagues, verse numbers in Exodus, corresponding miracle in the war and associated verse number in the prophets.
| Plague | Verses (Exodus) | Intervention (war) | Verse |
| Blood | 7:14-25 | Blood of slain | Joel 3:3 |
| Frogs | 7:26-8:11 | Sounds | Isaiah 66:6 |
| Lice | 8:12-15 | Destruction of land | Isaiah 34:9 |
| Wild Animals | 8:16-28 | Desolation of land | Isaiah 34:11 |
| Pestilence | 9:1-7 | Pestilence | Ezekiel 38:22 |
| Boils | 9:8-12 | Destruction of army | Zachariah 14:12 |
| Hail | 9:13-35 | Hail and floods | Ezekiel 38:22 |
The following are the verse from the prophets with a brief explanation.
Blood
Joel 3:3 – “I (Hashem) will perform signs in the heavens and on the earth namely blood, fire, and pillars of smoke.”
Although the connection is direct with the word blood in both contexts the meanings are different. In Egypt the Nile turned to blood to punish the Egyptians for worshipping the Nile and for throwing the male babies of the Israelites into the Nile. The prophet Joel refers to the blood of the slain on the war of Gog and Magog (Abarbanel on Joel 3:3).
Frogs
Isaiah 66:6 – “There is a tumultuous sound from the city, a sound from the Temple, the voice of Hashem applying retribution to His enemies.”
In this case the connection is not literal rather it is conceptual, meaning that Hashem will not use frogs for this retribution but some other form of sound disturbance to frighten the enemy. Redak explains that this verse describes the defeat of Gog and his allies through Hashem’s intervention and relates to Zachariah 14:3.
Lice
Isaiah 34:8 – “For it is a day of vengeance for Hashem, a year of retribution for the plea of Zion.”
Isaiah 34:9 – “The streams (of Edom) shall become tar. Its dust into sulfur and land shall become burning pitch.”
In this chapter Isaiah predicts the destruction of Edom, the archenemy of the Israelites at the time of the messiah. In addition to the defeat of Gog and his allies Hashem will destroy the lands of Edom as retribution for the crimes against the Israelites. As in the case of frogs the connection to Egypt is not literal rather it is conceptual.
Wild Animals
Isaiah 34:11 – “The pelican and owl shall roam (the destroyed land of Edom) together with the night owl and raven.”
In this verse the prophet continues with the destruction of lands of Edom where wild birds roam. As in the case of lice the connection to Egypt is not literal because in the plague of Egypt the wild animals attacked the Egyptians. In the case of Edom the land is desolate where wild birds flourish.
Pestilence
Ezekiel 38:22 – “I (Hashem) will judge him (Gog) with pestilence and with blood.”
In this case the connection is the same word pestilence (דבר) with a difference in the victim, In Egypt the livestock and in the war Gog and his army.
Boils
Zachariah 14:12 – “This shall be the plague wherewith Hashem will smite all the nations who besieged Jerusalem. His flesh will waste away while he still stands on his feet; his eyes will waste away in their sockets, and his tongue shall waste away in his mouth.”
In this verse the prophet predicts that Hashem will destroy the forces of Gog and his allies with a debilitating plague where the soldiers decompose which is similar to the effects of a nuclear bomb. In this case the connection is conceptual with both plagues involving skin. However the boils of Egypt were less severe because the Egyptians survived after the plague.
Hail
Ezekiel 38:22 – “I (Hashem) will judge him (Gog) with pestilence, blood, rain bringing floods, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone … upon him, his hordes, and the many people with him.”
Here the prophet Ezekiel continues on the theme of destruction mentioned in connection with pestilence as discussed above. While similar in concept to the hail of Egypt this destruction is more severs because it includes floods and brimstone which will destroy the armies of Gog. In fact the Midrash Exodus Rabbah 12:8 points out that after Moses prayed to end the plague of hail the verse states (Exodus 9:33), “The thunder and hail ceased and the rain did not reach the earth.”
Eduyot 2:9 one year.