New King James Version
Joel 2:7
7They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; Every one marches in formation, And they do not break ranks.
Joel 2:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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:
- New International Version (NIV)They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like soldiers. Straight forward they march, never breaking rank.
Context of Joel 2:7
5With 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. 6Before them the people writhe in pain; All faces are drained of color. They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; Every one marches in formation, And they do not break ranks. 8They do not push one another; Every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, They are not cut down. 9They run to and fro in the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter at the windows like a thief.
Read all of Joel 2Joel 2:7 word by word
כְּגִבּוֹרִ֣ים יְרֻצ֔וּן כְּאַנְשֵׁ֥י מִלְחָמָ֖ה יַעֲל֣וּ חוֹמָ֑ה וְאִ֤ישׁ בִּדְרָכָיו֙ יֵֽלֵכ֔וּן וְלֹ֥א יְעַבְּט֖וּן אֹרְחוֹתָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- They shall runרוּץrûts · to run: runH7323
- like mighty menגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
- they shall climbעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
- like menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- and they shall marchיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- on his waysדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- and they shall not breakעָבַט‛âbaţ · to lendH5670
- their ranksאֹ֫רַח'ôrach · wayH734
Cross-references for Joel 2:7
- 2 Samuel 1:23“Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.
- 2 Samuel 2:18Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle.
- Psalms 19:5Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
- Isaiah 5:26He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, And will whistle to them from the end of the earth; Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly.
- Joel 2:9They run to and fro in the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter at the windows like a thief.
- 2 Samuel 5:8Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and captain.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”
- Jeremiah 5:10“Go up on her walls and destroy, But do not make a complete end. Take away her branches, For they are not the Lord’s.
- Proverbs 30:27The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks;
Commentaries on Joel 2:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Like mighty men - like men of war (and as horsemen, Joel 2:4;) - The prophet does not say they are such, but they resemble. They are locusts; but in their operations they are Like the above. They shall not break their ranks - See the account on Joel 2:2, from Dr. Shaw.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7They 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 much more steadily, more compactly, more determinately, and irresistibly. The picture unites the countless multitude, condensed march…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-9The locusts invaded both cities and farms, moving like a well-trained army. They scaled city walls and swarmed over the city. They found every way to enter, even climbing through windows like thieves.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-97-9. Depicting the regular military order of their advance, "One locust not turning a nail's breadth out of his own place in the march" [Jerome]. Compare Pr 30:27, "The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands."Read the comment
Topics related to Joel 2:7
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries