Christian Standard Bible
Joel 2:5
5They bound on the tops of the mountains. Their sound is like the sound of chariots, like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for war.
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
3A fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame blazes. The land in front of them is like the garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland; there is no escape from them. 4Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like war horses. They bound on the tops of the mountains. Their sound is like the sound of chariots, like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for war. 6Nations writhe in horror before them; all faces turn pale. 7They attack as warriors attack; they scale walls as men of war do. Each goes on his own path, and they do not change their 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Like the noiseקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: soundH6963
- of chariotsמֶרְכָּבָהmerkâbâh · chariotH4818
- on the topsרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
- of mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
- shall they leapרָקַדrâqad · to skip aboutH7540
- of a flameלַ֫הַבlahab · flameH3851
- of fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- that devourethאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- the stubbleקַשׁqash · stubbleH7179
- as a strongעָצוּם‛âtsûm ‛âtsûm · mightyH6099
- peopleעַם‛am · people: soldiersH5971
- set in battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- arrayעָרַךְ‛ârak · to arrangeH6186
Cross-references for Joel 2:5
- Nahum 2:3The shields of his warriors are dyed red; the valiant men are dressed in scarlet. The fittings of the chariot flash like fire on the day of its battle preparations, and the spears are brandished.
- Nahum 3:2The crack of the whip and rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and jolting chariot!
- Revelation 9:9they had chests like iron breastplates; the sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariots with horses rushing into battle;
- Isaiah 5:24Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes straw and as dry grass shrivels in the flame, so their roots will become like something rotten and their blossoms will blow away like dust, for they have rejected the instruction of the Lord of Armies, and they have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
- Isaiah 30:30And the Lord will make the splendor of his voice heard and reveal his arm striking in angry wrath and a flame of consuming fire, in driving rain, a torrent, and hailstones.
- Matthew 3:12His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”
- Joel 2:2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and total darkness, like the dawn spreading over the mountains; a great and strong people appears, such as never existed in ages past and never will again in all the generations 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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