Joel 2:9

9 They swarm over the city and run along its walls. They enter all the houses, climbing like thieves 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 The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like soldiers. Straight forward they march, never breaking rank.

8 They never jostle each other; each moves in exactly the right position. They break through defenses without missing a step.

9 They swarm over the city and run along its walls. They enter all the houses, climbing like thieves through the windows.

10 The earth quakes as they advance, and the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars no longer shine.

11 The LORD is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the LORD is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive?