Joel 2:9

9 They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls; they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief.

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, like soldiers they scale the wall. Each keeps to its own course, they do not swerve from their paths.

8 They do not jostle one another, each keeps to its own track; they burst through the weapons and are not halted.

9 They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls; they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief.

10 The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

11 The Lord utters his voice at the head of his army; how vast is his host! Numberless are those who obey his command. Truly the day of the Lord is great; terrible indeed—who can endure it?