Yoel 2:9

9 They shall run to and fro in the ir (city); they shall run upon the chomah, they shall climb up into the batim (houses); they shall enter in at the windows like the ganav.

Yoel 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.

Yoel 2:9 In-Context

7 They shall run like gibborim; they shall climb the chomah (wall) like anshei milchamah; and they shall march every one in formation, and they shall not swerve from their course;

8 Neither shall one push another; they shall walk every one in his own column; and when they burst through defenses, they shall not break ranks.

9 They shall run to and fro in the ir (city); they shall run upon the chomah, they shall climb up into the batim (houses); they shall enter in at the windows like the ganav.

10 The eretz shall quake before them; the Shomayim shall tremble; the shemesh and the yarei’ach shall be dark, and the kokhavim shall withdraw their shining;

11 And Hashem shall utter His voice before His army; His machaneh (camp) is very great; for the executor of His devar (word, command) is strong; for the Yom Hashem is gadol and very terrible; and who can endure it?