The verse paints a picture of overwhelming, organized chaos, highlighting that even in their destructive march, the locusts (and by extension, the armies they represent) don't act randomly. Instead, each moves with an unnerving precision, following its "way" without deviating, revealing an awesome, divinely ordained order even within seemingly uncontrollable devastation.
Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths. They do not jostle one another; each marches in his path; they burst through the weapons and are not halted.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Joel has just described an immense, terrifying plague of locusts descending upon the land, like an unstoppable army advancing. He continues this vivid imagery, portraying the locusts' relentless, organized, and destructive movement as they scale walls and march forward without deviation, overwhelming every obstacle in their path. This terrifying advance foreshadows the coming judgment of the Lord, depicted not just as a natural disaster but as a divinely orchestrated assault by formidable human armies.
Imagine an enemy that doesn't just attack; it overwhelms. Joel uses powerful imagery to describe something unstoppable. What makes this description so potent?
Joel 2:7 paints a vivid picture of relentless advance. The locusts, and by extension the invading army they represent, are compared to 'mighty men' and 'soldiers'.
Irresistible Force
This imagery emphasizes not just the destructive power, but the terrifying efficiency of the judgment coming upon Judah.
It sounds like chaos, but the description reveals an eerie, terrifying order. How can something so destructive move with such precision?
The second half of Joel 2:7 reveals a surprising aspect of this devastating force: perfect order.
Unwavering Direction
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This perfect order makes the destruction even more frightening. There's no accidental destruction; it's all part of a plan, moving with relentless, unified purpose.
Understand the original words
gibbôr · Hebrew Noun
In biblical imagery, warriors represent agents of divine judgment or military discipline. Their appearance often signals the arrival of God's instruments of wrath or discipline against a rebellious people.
Joel's vivid imagery of locusts as an unstoppable, disciplined army directly reflects the terrifying reality of Assyrian military campaigns that had devastated the region and threatened Judah for generations.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Empire at its Peak
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, known for its military might and expansionist policies, dominated the Near East. Its armies were highly organized and effective.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its inhabitants. This event served as a stark warning to the southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 701 BC— this verse
Sennacherib's Campaign in Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. While Jerusalem was not captured, the devastation was immense.
c. 626–609 BC
Rise of the Neo-Babylonian Empire
The Babylonian Empire rose from the ashes of the Assyrian Empire, eventually becoming the dominant power in the region.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under Nebuchadnezzar II, the Babylonians defeated the Egyptians and began deporting Judean elites and skilled workers to Babylon.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population, marking the end of the Kingdom of Judah.
This passage also describes an invading force, the Babylonians, as coming from distant lands with organized, unstoppable might, paralleling Joel's description of the locusts' relentless advance.
Exodus 10:14-15This describes the devastating plague of locusts in Egypt, highlighting their overwhelming numbers and destructive power, which serves as a divine judgment, similar to the force Joel describes.
Nahum 3:15-16This passage uses imagery of locusts to describe the destruction brought by the Assyrian army, emphasizing their swiftness, numbers, and the totality of their consumption, mirroring Joel's imagery.
Proverbs 30:27This verse directly states that locusts 'go out all of them in bands' and have no king, highlighting the innate, organized discipline and unified purpose that Joel's description of marching soldiers captures.
Revelation 9:3-7This New Testament passage describes demonic locusts that torment humanity with great power, further developing the theme of locusts as agents of divine judgment with formidable, soldier-like capabilities.
barnesJoel 2:7: "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:"
They shall run like mighty men - They are on God's message, and they linger not, "but rejoice to run their course" Psalm 19:5 . "The height of walls cannot hinder the charge of the mighty; they enter not by the gates but over the walls" , as of a city taken by assault. People can mount a wall few at a time; the locusts scale muc…
pulpitJoel 2:7: "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:"
Verses 7-9. - The prophet, having mentioned the consternation and terror occasioned by the approach of locusts, proceeds to compare them to an army well equipped and overcoming all impediments. Verse 7. - They shall run like mighty men. This either refers to their extreme nimbleness or rapidity of motion (compare the Homeric πόδ…
The verse paints a picture of overwhelming, organized chaos, highlighting that even in their destructive march, the locusts (and by extension, the armies they represent) don't act randomly. Instead, each moves with an unnerving precision, following its "way" without deviating, revealing an awesome, divinely ordained order even within seemingly uncontrollable devastation.
The prophet Joel has just described an immense, terrifying plague of locusts descending upon the land, like an unstoppable army advancing. He continues this vivid imagery, portraying the locusts' relentless, organized, and destructive movement as they scale walls and march forward without deviation, overwhelming every obstacle in their path. This terrifying advance foreshadows the coming judgment of the Lord, depicted not just as a natural disaster but as a divinely orchestrated assault by formidable human armies.
The prophet Joel has just described an immense, terrifying plague of locusts descending upon the land, like an unstoppable army advancing. He continues this vivid imagery, portraying the locusts' relentless, organized, and destructive movement as they scale walls and march forward without deviation, overwhelming every obstacle in their path. This terrifying advance foreshadows the coming judgment of the Lord, depicted not just as a natural disaster but as a divinely orchestrated assault by formidable human armies.
"Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths. They do not jostle one another; each marches in his path; they burst through the…" — The verse paints a picture of overwhelming, organized chaos, highlighting that even in their destructive march, the locusts (and by extension, the armies they represent) don't act randomly. Instead,…
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Last reviewed October 2026
