Joel 2:5
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The prophet uses vivid imagery to describe the sheer overwhelming force of this locust plague. What's easily missed is that the comparisons aren't just about the sound of the locusts, but also their movement and devastation: they leap like chariots on difficult terrain, consume like a swift fire, and advance with the terrifying order of an army. This shows how God uses even natural forces to enact judgment with unstoppable power and purpose.
This verse dramatically describes an approaching enemy, characterized by a terrifying, overwhelming force. Joel paints a vivid picture of locusts, which are then used as a metaphor for a devastating invading army, highlighting their unstoppable advance and the fear they instill. The prophet's goal is to shock the people into recognizing the gravity of the impending judgment.
The Bible uses vivid sensory details to describe God's judgment. Joel paints a picture so real, you can almost hear it.
Joel 2:5 uses intense auditory imagery to convey the terrifying power of the approaching judgment, which in Joel's context refers to an invading army, but is represented by a devastating locust plague.
The Roar of Chariots
The Crackle of Fire
Joel doesn't just describe the noise; he reveals the terrifying order and might behind this destructive force.
The final comparison in Joel 2:5 reveals that this overwhelming force isn't chaotic but highly organized, mirroring the dread inspired by a disciplined military.
The Mighty Army
Understand the original words
merkabah · Hebrew Noun
A combat vehicle typically drawn by horses, used extensively in ancient warfare for shock and mobility. It symbolizes military power, human reliance on weaponry, and the might of armies.
Joel's vivid description of the locust plague, which sounds like an unstoppable invading army, uses the terrifying reality of military conquest familiar to his audience to illustrate the overwhelming and destructive nature of God's judgment.
c. 8th century BC— this verse
Prophetic Ministry of Joel
Joel delivers his prophecy during a time of perceived peace and prosperity in Judah, warning of impending judgment and calling for repentance.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting its population and serving as a stark warning to Judah about the consequences of disobedience.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
The Assyrian army under Sennacherib invades Judah, besieging many cities and threatening Jerusalem itself. Though Jerusalem is spared, the invasion highlights Judah's vulnerability.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah, initiating the first wave of exiles, including prominent figures and treasures from Jerusalem.
This passage describes a terrifying army with a sound like chariots and horses, directly paralleling Joel's depiction of the locusts' overwhelming noise and force.
Jeremiah 4:13Jeremiah uses similar imagery of chariots coming like a whirlwind to describe an invading army, echoing Joel's use of military metaphors to convey destruction.
Psalm 78:54This psalm speaks of God bringing His people to their 'mountainous inheritance,' which connects with Joel's imagery of locusts descending upon mountaintops, highlighting the land itself being subjected to the plague.
Nahum 2:3-4Nahum describes the approaching army with imagery of chariots and flashing weapons, mirroring Joel's portrayal of an unstoppable force that causes widespread devastation and terror.
Exodus 10:14-15This account of the plague of locusts in Egypt directly prefigures Joel's prophecy, showing a devastating swarm that consumed everything, setting the stage for understanding Joel's more intense description.
barnesJoel 2:5: "Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array."
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains shall they leap - The amazing noise of the flight of locusts is likened by those who have heard them, to all sorts of deep sharp rushing sounds. One says , "their noise may be heard six miles off." Others , "within a hundred paces I heard the rushing noise occ…
pulpitJoel 2:5: "Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array."
Verse 5. - The first clause may be understood (1) according to the Authorized Version, whereby the leaping is attributed to the locusts, or (2) asper may be understood after chariots, and then the leaping is predicated of the chariots. The last clause of the same verse is capable of three constructions, namely (1)…
The prophet uses vivid imagery to describe the sheer overwhelming force of this locust plague. What's easily missed is that the comparisons aren't just about the sound of the locusts, but also their movement and devastation: they leap like chariots on difficult terrain, consume like a swift fire, and advance with the terrifying order of an army. This shows how God uses even natural forces to enact judgment with unstoppable power and purpose.
This verse dramatically describes an approaching enemy, characterized by a terrifying, overwhelming force. Joel paints a vivid picture of locusts, which are then used as a metaphor for a devastating invading army, highlighting their unstoppable advance and the fear they instill. The prophet's goal is to shock the people into recognizing the gravity of the impending judgment.
This verse dramatically describes an approaching enemy, characterized by a terrifying, overwhelming force. Joel paints a vivid picture of locusts, which are then used as a metaphor for a devastating invading army, highlighting their unstoppable advance and the fear they instill. The prophet's goal is to shock the people into recognizing the gravity of the impending judgment.
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586 BC
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The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and scattering the remaining population into exile.
"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." — The prophet uses vivid imagery to describe the sheer overwhelming force of this locust plague. What's easily missed is that the comparisons aren't just about the sound of the locusts, but also thei…
