the Week of Proper 8 / Ordinary 13
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THE MESSAGE
Joel 2:9
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedParallel Translations
They storm the city;they run on the wall;they climb into the houses;they enter through the windows like thieves.
They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.
They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls, they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief.
They storm the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter through the windows like a thief.
They run into the city. They run at the wall and climb into the houses, entering through windows like thieves.
They rush over the city, They run on the wall; They climb up into the houses, They enter at the windows like a thief.
They shal runne to & fro in the citie: they shal runne vpon the wall: they shal clime vp vpon the houses, & enter in at ye windowes like ye thiefe.
They rush on the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter through the windows like a thief.
They rush on the city;They run on the wall;They climb up into the houses;They enter through the windows like a thief.
They storm the city; they run along the wall; they climb into houses, entering through windows like thieves.
They swarm over city walls and enter our homes; they crawl in through windows, just like thieves.
They rush into the city, they run along the wall, they climb up into the houses, entering like a thief through the windows.
They spread themselves over the city; they run upon the wall; they climb up into the houses; they enter in by the windows like a thief.
They run to the city. They quickly climb over the wall. They climb into the houses. They climb through the windows like thieves.
They shall go up against the cities; they shall run upon the walls, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter through the windows like thieves.
They rush against the city; they run over the walls; they climb up the houses and go in through the windows like thieves.
In the city they rush forth; on the walls they run. Into the houses they climb up; through the windows they enter like a thief.
They shall rush on the city; they shall run on the wall; they shall climb up on the houses; they shall enter in by the windows, like a thief.
They leap upon the city; they run upon the wall; they climb up into the houses; they enter in at the windows like a thief.
They make a rush on the town, running on the wall; they go up into the houses and in through the windows like a thief.
They leap upon the city, they run upon the wall, they climb up into the houses; they enter in at the windows like a thief.
They shall runne to and fro in the citie: they shall runne vpon the wall: they shall clime vp vpon the houses: they shall enter in at the windowes, like a theefe.
They shall runne to and fro in the citie, they shall runne vp & downe vpon the wall, they shall climbe into the houses, they shall enter in at the windowes like a theefe.
They shall seize upon the city, and run upon the walls, and go up upon the houses, and enter in through the windows as thieves.
They leap upon the city; they run upon the wall; they climb up into the houses; they enter in at the windows like a thief.
They rush on the city. They run on the wall. They climb up into the houses. They enter in at the windows like thieves.
Thei schulen entre in to the citee, thei schulen renne on the wal; thei schulen stie on housis, thei schulen entre as a niyt theef bi wyndows.
They leap on the city; they run on the wall; they climb up into the houses; they enter in at the windows like a thief.
They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
They rush into the city; they scale its walls. They climb up into the houses; they go in through the windows like a thief.
They 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.
They swarm over the city and run along its walls. They enter all the houses, climbing like thieves through the windows.
They rush upon the city. They run on the wall. They go into the houses through the windows like a robber.
They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls; they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief.
Upon the city, shall they leap, on the wall, shall they run, up the houses, shall they climb, - through the windows, shall they enter, like a thief,
They shall enter into the city: they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up the houses, they shall come in at the windows, as a thief.
They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls; they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief.
In the city they run to and fro, On the wall they run, Into houses they go up by the windows, They go in as a thief.
They shal come into the cite, & runne vpon the walles: They shal clymme vp vpon the houses, & slyppe in at the wyndowes like a thefe.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
enter: Exodus 10:6, Jeremiah 9:21, John 10:1
Reciprocal: Exodus 22:2 - breaking Isaiah 33:4 - the running Jeremiah 5:1 - Run ye Joel 2:7 - climb
Cross-References
Then God planted a garden in Eden, in the east. He put the Man he had just made in it. God made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. The Tree-of-Life was in the middle of the garden, also the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil.
"It will be a set-right and put-together life for us if we make sure that we do this entire commandment in the Presence of God , our God, just as he commanded us to do."
A good life is a fruit-bearing tree; a violent life destroys souls.
He makes the magicians look ridiculous and turns fortunetellers into jokes. He makes the experts look trivial and their latest knowledge look silly. But he backs the word of his servant and confirms the counsel of his messengers. He says to Jerusalem, "Be inhabited," and to the cities of Judah, "Be rebuilt," and to the ruins, "I raise you up." He says to Ocean, "Dry up. I'm drying up your rivers." He says to Cyrus, "My shepherd— everything I want, you'll do it." He says to Jerusalem, "Be built," and to the Temple, "Be established."
"‘Which of the trees of Eden came anywhere close to you in splendor and size? But you're slated to be cut down to take your place in the underworld with the trees of Eden, to be a dead log stacked with all the other dead logs, among the other uncircumcised who are dead and buried. "‘This means Pharaoh, the pompous old goat. "‘Decree of God , the Master.'"
"But the river itself, on both banks, will grow fruit trees of all kinds. Their leaves won't wither, the fruit won't fail. Every month they'll bear fresh fruit because the river from the Sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing."
The question keeps coming up regarding meat that has been offered up to an idol: Should you attend meals where such meat is served, or not? We sometimes tend to think we know all we need to know to answer these kinds of questions—but sometimes our humble hearts can help us more than our proud minds. We never really know enough until we recognize that God alone knows it all.
"Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. I'm about to call each conqueror to dinner. I'm spreading a banquet of Tree-of-Life fruit, a supper plucked from God's orchard."
"How blessed are those who wash their robes! The Tree of Life is theirs for good, and they'll walk through the gates to the City. But outside for good are the filthy curs: sorcerers, fornicators, murderers, idolaters—all who love and live lies.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
They shall run to and fro in the city,.... Leap about from place to place, as locusts do; see Isaiah 33:4; and as the Chaldeans did when they became masters of the city of Jerusalem; they ran about from place to place to seize upon their spoil and plunder:
they shall run upon the wall; which before they climbed, now they shall run upon, and go from tower to tower, as the Chaldeans did, and broke clown the walls and fortifications:
they shall climb up upon the houses, and enter in at the windows, like a thief; so the locusts entered into the houses of the Egyptians,
Exodus 10:6; and Pliny says s, they will eat through everything, and even the doors of houses. Theodoret on the place observes, that not only this may be done by enemies, what is here said,
"but even [we have often seen] it done by locusts; for not only flying, but even creeping up the walls, they enter into houses at the windows.''
s Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 29.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
They shall run to and fro in the city - “The city” is questionless Jerusalem. So to the Romans, “the city” meant Rome; to the Athenians, Athens; among ourselves, “town” or “the city” are idiomatic names for the whole of London or “the city of London.” In Wales “town” is, with the country people, the neighboring town with which alone they are familiar. There is no ambiguity in the living language. In Guernsey, one who should call Port Pierre by any other name than “the town,” would betray himself to be a stranger. In Hosea, and Amos, prophets for Israel, “the city” is Samaria Hosea 11:9; Amos 3:6. In Solomon Psalms 72:16; Proverbs 1:21; Proverbs 8:3 and the prophets of Judah (Micah 6:9; Lamentations 1:1, etc.; Ezekiel 7:23; Ezekiel 33:21), “the city” is Jerusalem; and that the more, because it was not only the capital, but the center of the worship of the One True God. Hence, it is called “the city of God Psalms 46:4; Psalms 48:1, Psalms 48:8; Psalms 87:3, the city of the Lord” Psalms 101:8; Isaiah 60:14, then “the city of the Great King Psalms 48:2; Matthew 5:35, the holy city” Isaiah 48:2; Isaiah 52:1; Nehemiah 11:1, Nehemiah 11:18; Daniel 9:24; and God calls it “the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel 1 Kings 11:32, the city of righteousness” Isaiah 1:26. So our Lord spake, “go ye into the city” Matthew 26:18; Mark 14:13; Luke 22:10, and perhaps, , “tarry ye in the city.” So do His Evangelists Matthew 21:17-18; Matthew 28:11; Mark 11:1, Mark 11:19; Luke 19:41; Acts 7:58; John 19:20), and so does Josephus .
All around corresponds with this. Joel had described their approach; they had come over “the tops of the mountains,” those which protected Jerusalem; and now he describes them scaling “the wall,” “mounting the houses,” “entering the windows,” “running to and fro in the city.” Here the description has reached its height. The city is given over to those who assault it. There remaineth nothing more, save the shaking of the heaven and the earth.
They shall enter in at the windows - So in that first great judgment, in which God employed the locust, He said, “They shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth; and they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians” Exodus 10:5-6. : “For nothing denies a way to the locusts, inasmuch as they penetrate fields, cornlands, trees, cities, houses, yea, the retirement of the bed-chambers.” “Not that they who are victors, have the fear which thieves have, but as thieves are accustomed to enter through windows, and plunder secretly, so shall these, if the doors be closed, to cut short delay, burst with all boldness through the windows.” : “We have seen this done, not by enemies only, but often by locusts also. For not only flying, but creeping up the walls also, they enter the houses through the openings for light.” : “a.d. 784, there came the flying locust, and wasted the corn and left its offspring; and this came forth and crawled, and scaled walls and entered houses by windows and doors; and if it entered the house on the south side, it went out on the north; together with herbs and trees it devoured also woolen clothing, and men’s dresses.”
Modern travelers relate the same. : “They entered the inmost recesses of the houses, were found in every corner, stuck to our clothes and infested our food.” : “They overwhelm the province of Nedjd sometimes to such a degree, that having destroyed the harvest, they penetrate by thousands into the private dwellings, and devour whatsoever they can find, even the leather of the water-vessels.” : “In June 1646, at Novogorod it was prodigious to behold them, because they were hatched there that spring, and being as yet scarce able to fly, the ground was all covered, and the air so full of them, that I could not eat in my chamber without a candle, all the houses being full of them, even the stables, barns, chambers, garrets, and cellars. I caused cannon-powder and sulphur to be burnt, to expel them, but all to no purpose. For when the door was opened, an infinite number came in, and the others went fluttering about; and it was a troublesome thing when a man went abroad, to be hit on the face by those creatures, on the nose, eyes, or cheeks, so that there was no opening one’s mouth, but some would get in. Yet all this was nothing, for when we were to eat, they gave us no respite; and when we went to cut a piece of meat, we cut a locust with it, and when a man opened his mouth to put in a morsel, he was sure to chew one of them.” The eastern windows, not being glazed but having at most a lattice-work , presented no obstacle to this continuous inroad. All was one stream of infesting, harassing foes.
As the windows are to the house, so are the senses and especially the sight to the soul. As the strongest walls and battlements and towers avail not to keep out an enemy, if there be an opening or chink through which he can make his way, so, in vain is the protection of God’s Providence or His Grace , if the soul leaves the senses unguarded to admit unchallenged sights, sounds, touches, which may take the soul prisoner. : “Death,” says Jeremiah, “entereth through the window” Jeremiah 9:21. Thy window is thy eye. If thou seest, to lust, death hath entered in; if thou hearest enticing words, death hath entered in: if softness gain possession of thy senses, death has made his way in.” The arrow of sin is shot through them. : “When the tongue of one introduces the virus of perdition, and the ears of others gladly drink it in, “death enters in;” while with itching ears and mouth men minister eagerly to one another the deadly draught of detraction, “death enters in at the windows.” : “Eve had not touched the forbidden tree, except she had first looked on it heedlessly. With what control must we in this dying life restrain our sight, when the mother of the living came to death through the eyes! The mind of the prophet, which had been often lifted up to see hidden mysteries, seeing heedlessly another’s wife, was darkened,” and fell. “To keep purity of heart, thou must guard the outward senses.” An enemy is easily kept out by the barred door or window, who, having entered in unawares, can only by strong effort and grace be forced out. “It is easier,” said the pagan philosopher , “to forbid the beginnings of feelings than to control their might.”
Like a thief - that is, they should come unawares, so as to take people by surprise, that there should be no guarding against them. As this is the close at this wonderful description, it may be that he would, in the end, describe the suddenness and inevitableness of God’s judgments when they do come, and of the final judgment. It is remarkable that our Lord, and His Apostles from Him adopt this image of the prophet, in speaking of the coming of the Day of Judgment and His own. “Behold I come as a thief. This know that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched. Be ye therefore ready also, for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Yourselves know perfectly that the Day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. Ye are not in darkness, that that Day should overtake you as a thief” (Revelation 16:15 (add Revelation 3:3.); Matthew 24:43-44; Luke 12:39; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10).
