Joel 2:4

4 They have the appearance of horses, and like war-horses they charge.

Joel 2:4 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 2:4

The appearance of them [is] as the appearance of horses
in their running, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; they came with, as much swiftness and eagerness, with as much fierceness and courage, as horses rush into the battle. Bochart ^F8 has shown, from various writers, that the head of a locust is in shape like that of a horse; and Theodoret on the text observes, that whoever thoroughly examines the head of a locust will easily perceive that it is very like the head of a horse; see ( Revelation 9:7 ) . The Chaldeans are often represented as strong and mighty, fierce and furious, and riding on horses exceeding swift, ( Jeremiah 4:13 ) ( 5:15 ) ( Habakkuk 1:6-8 ) ; and as horsemen, so shall they run;
with great agility and swiftness. The particle "as" is observed by some, against those interpreters that apply this wholly to the enemies of the Jews, and not the locusts; and it seems indeed best to favour them; but Theodoret observes, that the "as" here may be taken, not as a note of similitude, but as used for the increase and vehemency of the expression.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 4. c. 5. p. 474, 475.

Joel 2:4 In-Context

2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come.

3 Fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame burns. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, but after them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them.

4 They have the appearance of horses, and like war-horses they charge.

5 As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle.

6 Before them peoples are in anguish, all faces grow pale.