Joel 2:7

7 They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course.

Joel 2:7 in Other Translations

7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:

7 Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths.

7 The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like soldiers. Straight forward they march, never breaking rank.

7 The invaders charge. They climb barricades. Nothing stops them. Each soldier does what he's told, so disciplined, so determined.

7 They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like men of war; and they march every one on his ways, and they break not their ranks.

7 They run like warriors. They climb walls like soldiers. They march straight ahead. They do not leave their places.

7 They attack as warriors [attack]; they scale walls as men of war [do]. Each goes on his own path, and they do not change their course.

7 The locusts charge ahead like warriors. They climb over walls like soldiers. All of them march in line. They don't turn to the right or the left.

Joel 2:7 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 2:7

They shall run like mighty men
Like men of war, in a hostile way, as soldiers run upon their enemy with undaunted courage and bravery. Bochart from Pisidas describes the locusts' manner of fighting, who says, they strike not standing, but running: they shall climb the wall like men of war;
scale the walls of cities as besiegers do; walls and bulwarks cannot keep them out; all places are accessible to them, walled cities, towns, yea, even houses, ( Exodus 10:6 ) ; and they shall march everyone on his ways;
in his proper path, following one another, and keeping just distance: and they shall not break their ranks;
or "pervert their ways", as the word signifies in the Arabic language, as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, observe; that is, decline not from their paths, as the Septuagint version; proceed in an orderly way, keep rank and file; so they are said to go forth in bands, ( Proverbs 30:27 ) ; and to encamp, ( Nahum 3:17 ) . Jerom on the text relates what he saw with his own eyes:

``this we lately saw (says he) in this province (Palestine); for when swarms of locusts came, and filled the air between heaven and earth, they flew in such order, by the disposition and command of God, that they kept their place like chequered squares in a pavement fixed by the hands of artificers; so as not to decline a point, nor even I may say a nail's breadth;''

they keep as exact order as if military discipline was known and observed by them. Some render it, "they shall not ask their way" ^F14; being unconcerned about it, moving on in a direct line securely.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 (Mtxra Nwjbey al) "non interrogabunt [isti ab illo] de semitis suis", some in Vatablus, and others in Kimchi and Abendana.

Joel 2:7 In-Context

5 With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

6 At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale.

7 They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course.

8 They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks.

9 They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows.

Cross References

• 1. S Job 16:14
• 2. Proverbs 30:27
• 3. Isaiah 5:27