Joel 2:7

Wycliffe Bible

As stronge men thei schulen renne, as men werriours thei schulen stie on the wal. Men schulen go in her weies, and thei schulen not bowe awei fro her pathis.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
They 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.

Hebrew Names Version
They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they don't swerve off course.

King James Version
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:

English Standard Version
Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths.

New American Standard Bible
They run like warriors, They climb the wall like soldiers; And each of them marches in line, Nor do they lose their way.

New Century Version
They charge like soldiers; they climb over the wall like warriors. They all march straight ahead and do not move off their path.

Amplified Bible
They run like warriors; They climb the wall like soldiers. They each march [straight ahead] in line, And they do not deviate from their paths.

Geneva Bible (1587)
They shal runne like strong men, and goe vp to the wall like men of warre, and euery man shall goe forward in his wayes, and they shall not stay in their paths.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like soldiers; And they each march in line, Nor do they deviate from their paths.

Legacy Standard Bible
They run like mighty men;They climb up the wall like men of war;And they each march in line,And they do not deviate from their paths.

Berean Standard Bible
They charge like mighty men; they scale walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from their course.

Contemporary English Version
They climb over walls like warriors; they march in columns and never turn aside.

Complete Jewish Bible
Like warriors they charge, they scale the wall like soldiers. Each one keeps to his own course, without getting in the other's way.

Darby Translation
They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like men of war; and they march every one on his ways, and break not their ranks.

Easy-to-Read Version
The soldiers run fast. They climb over the walls. Each soldier marches straight ahead. They don't move from their path.

George Lamsa Translation
They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the walls like men of war; and they shall march in order every man on his way, and they shall not turn aside from their ranks;

Good News Translation
They attack like warriors; they climb the walls like soldiers. They all keep marching straight ahead and do not change direction

Lexham English Bible
They run like mighty warriors, they scale the wall like men of war; each goes on its own way, and they do not swerve from their paths.

Literal Translation
They shall run as mighty ones; they shall go up the wall as men of war. And they each go on his way, and they do not change their paths.

American Standard Version
They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like men of war; and they march every one on his ways, and they break not their ranks.

Bible in Basic English
They are running like strong men, they go over the wall like men of war; every man goes straight on his way, their lines are not broken.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; and they move on every one in his ways, and they entangle not their paths.

King James Version (1611)
They shall runne like mighty men, they shall clime the wall like men of warre, and they shall march euery one on his wayes, and they shall not breake their rankes.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
They shall runne like strong men, and climbe the walles like men of warre: & euery one shall march on in his way, and they shal not linger in their pathes.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
As warriors shall they run, and as men of war shall they mount on the walls; and each shall move in his right path, and they shall not turn aside from their tracks:

English Revised Version
They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like men of war; and they march every one on his ways, and they break not their ranks.

World English Bible
They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like warriors. They each march in his line, and they don't swerve off course.

Update Bible Version
They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like men of war; and they march every one on his ways, and they do not proceed in a confused manner on their way.

Webster's Bible Translation
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 English Translation
They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. Each one proceeds on his course; they do not alter their path.

New King James Version
They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; Every one marches in formation, And they do not break ranks.

New Living Translation
The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like soldiers. Straight forward they march, never breaking rank.

New Life Bible
They run like strong men. They go over the wall like soldiers. They each walk straight on, and do not turn from their paths.

New Revised Standard
Like warriors they charge, like soldiers they scale the wall. Each keeps to its own course, they do not swerve from their paths.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Like heroes, shall they run, like men of war, shall they mount a wall, - and, every one - along his own road, shall they march along, and shall not change their paths;

Douay-Rheims Bible
They shall run like valiant men: like men of war they shall scale the wall: the men shall march every one on his way, and they shall not turn aside from their ranks.

Revised Standard Version
Like warriors they charge, like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way, they do not swerve from their paths.

Young's Literal Translation
As mighty ones they run, As men of war they go up a wall, And each in his own ways they do go, And they embarrass not their paths.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
These shal rune like giauntes, & leape ouer the walles like men of warre. Euery ma in his goinge shal kepe his araie, & not go out of his Path.

THE MESSAGE
The invaders charge. They climb barricades. Nothing stops them. Each soldier does what he's told, so disciplined, so determined. They don't get in each other's way. Each one knows his job and does it. Undaunted and fearless, unswerving, unstoppable. They storm the city, swarm its defenses, Loot the houses, breaking down doors, smashing windows. They arrive like an earthquake, sweep through like a tornado. Sun and moon turn out their lights, stars black out. God himself bellows in thunder as he commands his forces. Look at the size of that army! And the strength of those who obey him! God 's Judgment Day—great and terrible. Who can possibly survive this?

Contextual Overview

¹ Synge ye with a trumpe in Sion, yelle ye in myn hooli hil. Alle the dwelleris of erthe be disturblid; for the dai of the Lord cometh, ² for the dai of derknessis and of myist is niy, the dai of cloude and of whirlewynde. As the morewtid spred abrood on hillis, a myche puple and strong. Noon was lijk it fro the bigynnyng, and after it schal not be, til in to yeeris of generacioun and of generacioun. ³ Bifore the face therof schal be fier deuourynge, and after it schal be brennynge flawme; as a gardyn of liking the lond schal be bifor him, and wildirnesse of desert schal be after him, and noon is that schal ascape him. ⁴ The lokyng of hem schal be as the lokyng of horsis, and as horse men so thei schulen renne. ⁵ As the sown of cartis on the heedis of hillis thei schulen skippe; as the sowne of the flawme of fier deuourynge stobil, as a strong puple maad redi to batel. ⁶ Puplis schulen be turmentid of the face therof, alle facis schulen be dryuun in to a pot. ⁷ As stronge men thei schulen renne, as men werriours thei schulen stie on the wal. Men schulen go in her weies, and thei schulen not bowe awei fro her pathis. ⁸ Ech man schal not make streyt his brother, ech man schal go in his path; but also thei schulen falle doun bi wyndows, and schulen not be hirt. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ The erthe tremblide of his face, heuenys weren mouyd, the sunne and the moone weren maad derk, and sterris withdrowen her schynyng.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

They shall run: In their progress, says Dr. Shaw, "they kept their ranks like men of war; climbing over every tree or wall that was in their way. Nay, they entered into our very houses and bedchambers, like so many thieves. Every effort of the inhabitants to stop them was unavailing; the trenches they had dug were quickly filled up, and the fires they had kindled extinguished, by infinite swarms succeeding each other." 2 Samuel 1:23, 2 Samuel 2:18, 2 Samuel 2:19, Psalms 19:5, Isaiah 5:26-29

climb: Joel 2:9, 2 Samuel 5:8, Jeremiah 5:10

they shall march: Proverbs 30:27

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 12:36 - expert in war Isaiah 5:27 - shall be

Cross-References

Genesis 2:14
forsothe the name of the thridde ryuer is Tigris, thilke goith ayens Assiriens; sotheli the fourthe ryuer is thilke Eufrates.

Genesis 2:15
Therfor the Lord God took man, and settide hym in paradis of likyng, that he schulde worche and kepe it.

Genesis 2:20
And Adam clepide bi her names alle lyuynge thingis, and alle volatils, and alle vnresonable beestis of erthe. Forsothe to Adam was not foundun an helpere lijk hym.

Genesis 2:21
Therfore the Lord God sente sleep in to Adam, and whanne he slepte, God took oon of hise ribbis, and fillide fleisch for it.

Genesis 3:23
And the Lord God sente hym out of paradijs of likyng, that he schulde worche the erthe, of which he was takun.

Genesis 7:22
Alle men, and alle thingis in whiche the brething of lijf was in erthe, weren deed.

Numbers 16:22
Whiche felden lowe on the face, and seiden, Strongeste God of the spiritis of al fleisch, whethir `thin yre schal be fers ayens alle men, for o man synneth?

Numbers 27:16
The Lord God of spiritis of al fleisch puruey a man, that be on this multitude,

Job 4:19
Hou myche more thei that dwellen in housis of cley, that han an ertheli foundement, schulen be wastyd as of a mouyte.

Job 27:3
For as long as breeth is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nose thirlis,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

They shall run like mighty men,.... Like men of war, in a hostile way, as soldiers run upon their enemy with undaunted courage and bravery. Bochart from Pisidas describes the locusts' manner of fighting, who says, they strike not standing, but running:

they shall climb the wall like men of war; scale the walls of cities as besiegers do; walls and bulwarks cannot keep them out; all places are accessible to them, walled cities, towns, yea, even houses, Exodus 10:6;

and they shall march everyone on his ways; in his proper path, following one another, and keeping just distance:

and they shall not break their ranks; or "pervert their ways", as the word signifies in the Arabic language, as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, observe; that is, decline not from their paths, as the Septuagint version; proceed in an orderly way, keep rank and file; so they are said to go forth in bands, Proverbs 30:27; and to encamp, Nahum 3:17. Jerom on the text relates what he saw with his own eyes:

"this we lately saw (says he) in this province (Palestine); for when swarms of locusts came, and filled the air between heaven and earth, they flew in such order, by the disposition and command of God, that they kept their place like chequered squares in a pavement fixed by the hands of artificers; so as not to decline a point, nor even I may say a nail's breadth;''

they keep as exact order as if military discipline was known and observed by them. Some render it, "they shall not ask their way" n; being unconcerned about it, moving on in a direct line securely.

n לא יעבטון ארחתם "non interrogabunt [isti ab illo] de semitis suis", some in Vatablus, and others in Kimchi and Abendana.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They shall run like mighty men - They are on God’s message, and they linger not, “but rejoice to run their course” Psalms 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, and entire security of the locust with the might of warriors.

They shall march every one on his ways - There is something awful and majestic in the well-ordered flight of the winged locusts, or their march while yet unwinged. “This,” says Jerome, “we have seen lately in this province (Palestine). For when the hosts of locusts came, and filled the air between heaven and earth, they flew, by the disposal of God ordaining, in such order, as to hold each his place, like the minute pieces of mosaic, fixed in the pavement by the artist’s hands, so as not to incline to one another a hair’s breadth.” “You may see the locust,” says Theodoret, “like enemies, both mounting the walls, and marching on the roads, and not allowing itself to be dispersed by any violence, but making the assault by a sort of concert.” “It is said,” says Cyril, “that they go in rank, and fly as in array, and are not severed from each other, but attend one on the other, like sisters, nature infusing into them this mutual love.” : “They seemed to be impelled by one common instinct, and moved in one body, which had the appearance of being organized by a leader.” : “There is something frightful in the appearance of these locusts proceeding in divisions, some of which are a league in length and 200 paces in breadth.” : “They continued their journey, as if a signal had been actually given them to march.”

So, of the young brood it is related; : “In June, their young broods begin gradually to make their appearance; no sooner were any of them hatched than they immediately collected themselves together, each of them forming a compact body of several hundred yards square, which, marching afterward directly forward, climbed over trees, walls and houses, ate up every plant in their way, “and let nothing escape them.” : “They seemed to march in regular battalions, crawling over everything that lay in their passage, in one straight front.” So the judgments of God hold on their course, each going straight to that person for whom God in the awful wisdom of His justice ordains it. No one judgment or chastisement comes by chance. Each is directed and adapted, weighed and measured, by Infinite Wisdom, and reaches just that soul, for which God appointed it, and no other, and strikes upon it with just that force which God ordains it. As we look on, God’s judgments are like a heavy sleet of arrows; yet as each arrow, shot truly, found the mark at which it was aimed, so, and much more, does each lesser or greater judgment, sent by God, reach the heart for which He sends it and pierces it just as deeply as He wills.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 7. Like 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.