Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Joel 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.
5. Like the noise of chariots, &c.] Cf. Rev 9:9, “And the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war.” The remarkable noise made by a flight of locusts is noticed by many travellers. “Within a hundred paces, I heard the rushing noise occasioned by the flight of so many millions of insects. When I was in the midst of them, it was as loud as the dashing of waters occasioned by the mill-wheel.” “While passing over our heads, their sound was as of a great cataract.” “In flying they make a rushing, rustling noise, as when a strong wind blows through trees.” Cf. below, p. 87 (No. 1), 89 (No. 4), 90 (No. 7).
like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble ] Here the reference is to the sound made by the insects while feeding. Cyril long ago compared the noise of locusts browsing to that of a wind ( ap. Boch. Hieroz. 3:309); and C. V. Riley, the eminent American entomologist, speaks of it as resembling “the crackling of a prairie-fire” ( Riverside Nat. Hist. 2., p. 197). “The sound of their feeding, when in swarms, is as the rushing of flames driven by the wind” (Newman, Hist. of Insects, Joe 2:1, cited in the Speaker’s Comm.).
as a strong people set in battle array ] cf. Joe 2:2. They prepare for the attack like a mighty nation, seized to a man with martial ardour, and arrayed in order for the fray.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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 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 the mill-wheel. : While passing over our heads, their sound was as of a great cataract. : We heard a noise as of the rushing of a great wind at a distance. : In flying they make a rushing rustling noise, as when a strong wind blows through trees. : They cause a noise, like the rushing of a torrent. To add another vivid description , When a swarm is advancing, it seems as though brown clouds were rising from the horizon, which, as they approach, spread more and more. They cast a veil over the sun and a shadow on the earth. Soon you see little dots, and observe a whizzing and life. Nearer yet, the sun is darkened; you hear a roaring and rushing like gushing water. On a sudden you find yourself surrounded with locusts.
Like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble – The sharp noise caused by these myriads of insects, while feeding, has also been noticed. : You hear afar the noise which they make in browsing on the herbs and trees, as of an army which is foraging without restraint. : When they alight upon the ground to feed, the plains are all covered, and they make a murmuring noise as they eat, when in two hours they devour all close to the ground. : The noise which they make in devouring, ever announces their approach at some distance. : They say, that not without a noise is their descent on the fields effected, and that there is a certain sharp sound, as they chew the grain as when the wind strongly fanneth a flame.
Their noise, Joel says, is like the noise of chariots. Whence John says Rev 9:9, the sound of their wings was as the sound of many horses rushing to battle. Their sound should be like the sound of war-chariots, hounding in their speed; but their inroad should be, where chariots could not go and mans foot could rarely reach, on the tops of the mountains . A mountain range is, next to the sea, the strongest natural protection. Mountains have been a limit to the mightiest powers. The Caucasus of old held in the Persian power; on the one side, all was enslaved, on the other, all was fearlessly free . Of late it enabled a few mountaineers to hold at bay the power of Russia. The pass of Thermopylae, until betrayed, enabled a handful of men to check the invasion of nearly two million.
The mountain-ridges of Spain were, from times before our Lord, the last home and rallying-place of the conquered or the birth-place of deliverance . God had assigned to His people a spot, central hereafter for the conversion of the world, yet where, meantime, they lay enveloped and sheltered amid the mountains which His Right Hand purchased Psa 78:54. The Syrians owned that their God was the God of the hills 1Ki 20:23; and the people confessed, as the hills are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people Psa 125:2. Their protection was a symbol of His. But His protection withdrawn, nothing should be a hindrance to those whom He should send as a scourge. The prophet combines purposely things incompatible, the terrible heavy bounding of the scythed chariot, and the light speed with which these countless hosts should in their flight bound over the tops of the mountains, where God had made no path for man. Countless in number, boundless in might, are the instruments of God. The strongest national defenses give no security. Where then is safety, save in fleeing from God displeased to God appeased?
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. Like 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap; such warlike chariots on resounding mountains do, with their rapid motions, and shaking their irons about them, make a great and dreadful noise; so should these locusts in their flight; by which they shall terrify the people before they come to them, for the noise of them may be heard, say some, at six miles distance.
Like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble; which does with continued crackling burn what is under the flame, and threaten speedy and inevitable ruin to what is before it; all shall be endangered by it, as if surrounded with flaming fire.
As a strong people; so Joe 2:2.
Set in battle array; prepared to assault and destroy: in pursuance of this metaphor, see Joe 2:7-11.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. Like the noise ofchariotsreferring to the loud sound caused by their wings inmotion, or else the movement of their hind legs.
on the tops ofmountainsMAURERconnects this with “they,” that is, the locusts, whichfirst occupy the higher places, and thence descend to the lowerplaces. It may refer (as in English Version) to “chariots,”which make most noise in crossing over rugged heights.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of that mountains shall they leap,…. The motion of the locusts is leaping from place to place; for which the locusts have legs peculiarly made, their hindermost being the longest; wherefore Pliny i observes, that insects which have their hindermost legs long leap locusts; to which agrees the Scripture description of them: “which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; even those of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind”, Le 11:21; which words, as Dr. Shaw k, observes, may bear this construction: “which have knees upon” or “above their [hinder] legs, to leap withal upon the earth”; and he observes, that the , “locust”, has the two hindermost of its legs or feet much stronger, larger, and longer, than any of the foremost; in them the knee, or the articulation of the leg and thigh, is distinguished by a remarkable bending or curvature, whereby it is able, whenever prepared to jump, to spring and raise itself with great force and activity; and this fitly resembles the jumping of chariots on mountains and hills, which are uneven, and usually have stones lie scattered about, which, with the chains and irons about chariots, cause a great rattling; and the noise of locusts is compared to the noise of these, which is represented as very great; some say it is to be heard six miles off, as Remigius on the place; and Pliny says l, they make such a noise with their wings when they fly, that they are thought to be other winged fowls; see Re 9:9. Chariots were made use of in war, and the Chaldeans are said to have chariots which should come like a whirlwind, Jer 4:13;
like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble; as they are before compared to fire, and a flame of fire that devoured all things as easily as the fire devours stubble, so here to the crackling noise of it; see Ec 7:6;
as a strong people set in battle array: that is, as the noise of a mighty army prepared for battle, just going to make the onset, when they lift up their voices aloud, and give a terrible shout; for this clause, as the other two, refer to the noise made by the locusts in their march; an emblem of the terribleness of the Chaldeans in theirs, who were heard before they were seen.
i Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 48. k Travels, p. 420. Ed. 2. l Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 29.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Like the sound of chariots. They expound מרכבות merecabut, chariots, though the Hebrews rather think them to be harnesses or saddles as we call them; but yet I prefer to view them as chariots; for what the Prophet says, that they shall leap on the tops of mountains like the sound of chariots, would not be suitably applied to the trappings of horses. They then shall leap on tops of mountains — but how? as chariots, that is, they shall come with great force, or make a great and terrible noise. And he speaks of the tops of mountains for there we know the noise is greater when there is any commotion. The Prophet, therefore, does in every way amplify God’s vengeance, that he might awaken the Jews, who by their indifference had too long provoked the Lord’s wrath.
Like the sound, he says, of the flame of fire, or of a fiery flame, devouring the stubble. He compares the Assyrians to a flame, which consumes all things; and he compares the Jews to stubble, though they thought themselves fortified by many forces and strongholds.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Joe 2:5. Shall they leap, &c. Shall they make a sound; as the noise of a flame of fire devouring the stubble. Bochart has shewn abundantly how this description agrees with the locusts. He tells us from several authors, that they fly with a great noise, as St. John also describes them, Rev 9:9 that they may be heard at six miles distance; and that when they are eating the fruits of the earth, the sound of them is like that of a flame driven by the wind. See Chandler.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Joe 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.
Ver. 5. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains ] Not only on the tops of standing grain, as other locusts, which therehence also have their name A , but as the hurry of chariots in stony places, Rev 9:9 . For in that book of the Revelation, the penman borrows all the elegancies and flowers of the Old Testament, thereby to set out the story of the New in succeeding ages; as here hence the Popish priests are fitly called locusts for their numerosity and voracity, Rev 9:3 . They are also likened unto horses, Joe 2:7 , fed and fierce to run, and rush into the battle not without noise. “Like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble,” Ecc 7:6 ; or the rattling of “the jumping chariot wheels,” Nah 3:2 .
As a strong people set in battle array
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Like the noise, &c. Compare Rev 9:9. Connect this with the end of Joe 2:4.
on the tops, &c. The Hebrew accents connect this with the leaping, not with the chariots.
leap = rattle along.
as a strong people. Compare Joe 2:2. Not locusts. The symbol must not be confused with what is symbolized.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the noise: Nah 2:3, Nah 2:4, Nah 3:2, Nah 3:3, Rev 9:9
like the noise of a: Isa 5:24, Isa 30:30, Mat 3:12
a strong: Joe 2:2
Reciprocal: Exo 5:12 – stubble 1Ch 19:9 – put the battle Isa 9:5 – confused noise Isa 47:14 – they shall Oba 1:18 – for stubble Rev 9:7 – the shapes
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Joe 2:5. The horses were used to carry riders in battle array, and they were likewise used to draw the chariots of war which are mentioned in this verse.