Joel 2:8

8 They never jostle each other; each moves in exactly the right position. They break through defenses without missing a step.

Joel 2:8 Meaning and Commentary

Joel 2:8

Neither shall one thrust another
Press upon another, thrust him out of his place, or push him forward, or any ways straiten and distress him, or in the least hinder him in his progress: they shall walk everyone in his path;
or "highway" F15; everyone should have his path, and keep in it, and it should be as roomy to him as if he had a highway to walk in by himself, and in which he could not err: and when they shall fall upon the sword;
on which they would pitch without any fear or dread of it: they shall not be wounded:
or "cut to pieces" F16 by it; it not being easy for the sword to pierce and cut them, through the smoothness and smallness of their bodies; see ( Revelation 9:9 ) ; and besides, their numbers being so great, the loss of a few by the use of a sword, or a dart, or any such flying projectile, as the word F17 signifies, would be of little consequence, and avail very little to the utter rout, or cutting of them in pieces. Kimchi observes that the word signifies haters of gain; and to this sense Jarchi explains it; and so the Targum,

``they go to the place whither they are sent, they slay, and receive not mammon;''
they are not, as other enemies, to be appeased by money, as Kimchi interprets it. The Targum is, they are not to be bribed, as soldiers sometimes may be, and so depart; see ( Isaiah 13:17 ) ; and to this sense are other versions F18.
FOOTNOTES:

F15 (wtlomb) "per aggerem suum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "via elevata", Drusius; "via strata sua", Cocceius.
F16 (weuby) "verbum significat discidit", Amos ix. 1. Tarnovius, so Ben Melech.
F17 (xlv deb) "per missile", Cocceius; so Bochartus, Castalio, Drusius, Burkius; "super missile", Montanus.
F18 "Non avari erunt", Montanus; "nec lucro inhiant", Tigurine version; "non studebunt avaritiae", so some in Vatablus.

Joel 2:8 In-Context

6 Fear grips all the people; every face grows pale with terror.
7 The attackers march like warriors and scale city walls like soldiers. Straight forward they march, never breaking rank.
8 They never jostle each other; each moves in exactly the right position. They break through defenses without missing a step.
9 They swarm over the city and run along its walls. They enter all the houses, climbing like thieves through the windows.
10 The earth quakes as they advance, and the heavens tremble. The sun and moon grow dark, and the stars no longer shine.
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