Joel 2:9

9 They rush into the city, they run along the wall, they climb up into the houses, entering like a thief through the windows.

Joel 2:9 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 2:9

They shall run to and fro in the city
Leap about from place to place, as locusts do; see ( Isaiah 33:4 ) ; and as the Chaldeans did when they became masters of the city of Jerusalem; they ran about from place to place to seize upon their spoil and plunder: they shall run upon the wall;
which before they climbed, now they shall run upon, and go from tower to tower, as the Chaldeans did, and broke clown the walls and fortifications: they shall climb up upon the houses, and enter in at the windows, like
a thief;
so the locusts entered into the houses of the Egyptians, ( Exodus 10:6 ) ; and Pliny says ^F19, they will eat through everything, and even the doors of houses. Theodoret on the place observes, that not only this may be done by enemies, what is here said,

``but even [we have often seen] it done by locusts; for not only flying, but even creeping up the walls, they enter into houses at the windows.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 29.

Joel 2:9 In-Context

7 Like warriors they charge, they scale the wall like soldiers. Each one keeps to his own course, without getting in the other's way.

8 They don't jostle each other, but stay on their own paths; they burst through defenses unharmed, without even breaking rank.

9 They rush into the city, they run along the wall, they climb up into the houses, entering like a thief through the windows.

10 At their advance the earth quakes, and the sky shakes, the sun and moon turn black, and the stars stop shining.

11 ADONAI shouts orders to his forces - his army is immense, mighty, and it does what he says. For great is the Day of ADONAI, fearsome, terrifying! Who can endure it?