Berean Standard Bible
Joel 2:5
5With a sound like that of chariots they bound over the mountaintops, like the crackling of fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for battle.
Joel 2:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)With a noise like chariots Over mountaintops they leap, Like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, Like a strong people set in battle array.
Context of Joel 2:5
3Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland— surely nothing will escape them. 4Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds. With a sound like that of chariots they bound over the mountaintops, like the crackling of fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for battle. 6Nations writhe in horror before them; every face turns pale. 7They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from the course.
Read all of Joel 2Joel 2:5 word by word
כְּק֣וֹל מַרְכָּב֗וֹת עַל־רָאשֵׁ֤י הֶֽהָרִים֙ יְרַקֵּד֔וּן כְּקוֹל֙ לַ֣הַב אֵ֔שׁ אֹכְלָ֖ה קָ֑שׁ כְּעַ֣ם עָצ֔וּם עֱר֖וּךְ מִלְחָמָֽה׃Read the interlinear
- With a sound likeקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
- that of chariotsמֶרְכָּבָהmerkâbâh · chariotH4818
- they boundרָקַדrâqad · to skip aboutH7540
- overעַל‛al · uponH5921
- the mountaintopsרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
- the mountaintopsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- of fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- of fireלַ֫הַבlahab · flameH3851
- consumingאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- stubbleקַשׁqash · stubbleH7179
- like a mightyעָצוּם‛âtsûm ‛âtsûm · mightyH6099
- armyעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
- deployedעָרַךְ‛ârak · to arrangeH6186
- for battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
Cross-references for Joel 2:5
- Nahum 2:3The shields of his mighty men are red; the valiant warriors are dressed in scarlet. The fittings of the chariots flash like fire on the day they are prepared, and the spears of cypress have been brandished.
- Nahum 3:2The crack of the whip, the rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot!
- Revelation 9:9They also had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the roar of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.
- Isaiah 5:24Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the straw, and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will decay and their blossoms will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the instruction of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 30:30And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones.
- Matthew 3:12His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
- Joel 2:2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.
Commentaries on Joel 2:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Like the noise of chariots - Bochart also remarks: - "The locusts fly with a great noise, so as to be heard six miles off, and while they are eating the fruits of the earth, the sound of them is like that of a flame driven by the wind." Ibid., p. 478.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Like 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 occasioned by the flight of so many million of insects. When I was in the midst of them, it was as loud as the dashing of the waters occasioned by…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5Their appearance is like that of horses: The similarity between locusts and horses (see also Revelation 9:7) emphasizes the image of locusts as an army. With a sound like that of chariot: A swarm of locusts can make an extremely loud noise that is hard to endure.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Like the noise of chariots--referring to the loud sound caused by their wings in motion, or else the movement of their hind legs. on the tops of mountains--Maurer connects this with "they," that is, the locusts, which first occupy the higher places, and thence descend to the lower places. It may refer (as in English Version) to "chariots," which make most noise in crossing over rugged heights.Read the comment
Topics related to Joel 2:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joel 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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