Joe 2:1-11 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Joel 2:1-11: 2:1-11 Some regard this section as a second account of the locust plague described in ch 1 , but in ch 1 , the plague is in the past, whereas in this section, the verb tenses seem to depict it as a future event. Thus, others see it as a warning of yet another locust plague. Still other commentators have understood this passage as an apocalyptic description of the coming day of the Lord , using the language of a locust plague to describe an invading human army. 2:1 When an ancient city was attacked, the watchmen on the city wall would raise the alarm by blowing the trumpet , a ram’s horn instrument called a shofar (see also 2:15 ), to call all the defenders to repel the enemy.

Summary for Joel 2:1-11: 2:1-11 ^a Some regard this section as a second account of the locust plague described in ch 1 ^b, but in ch 1 ^c, the plague is in the past, whereas in this section, the verb tenses seem to depict it as a future event. Thus, others see it as a warning of yet another locust plague. Still other commentators have understood this passage as an apocalyptic description of the coming day of the Lord, using the language of a locust plague to describe an invading human army. 2:1 ^d When an ancient city was attacked, the watchmen on the city wall would raise the alarm by blowing the trumpet, a ram’s horn instrument called a shofar (see also 2:15 ^e), to call all the defenders to repel the enemy.
2:2 ^f Some religious leaders had taught the people of Jerusalem and Judah that the day of the Lord would be a time of blessing for God’s people. Echoing the prophet Zephaniah (Zeph 1:15 ^g), Joel proclaimed that it would instead be a day of darkness and gloom (see also Amos 5:18-20 ^h).
2:3 ⁱ The destruction wrought by the invading army would be like a raging wildfire. Before the attack, the land looked like the Garden of Eden, but afterwards, it would be nothing but desolation (a reversal of Isa 51:3 ^j and Ezek 36:35 ^k).
Summary for Joel 2:4-5: 2:4-5 ^l They look like horses: The resemblance between locusts and horses (see also Rev 9:7 ^m) heightens the image of the locusts as an army.

• Listen to the noise they make: The noise made by a locust swarm can be deafening.
2:6 ⁿ Fear grips all the people: Anticipating the invasion prepared the people for the call to repentance in 2:12-14 ^o.
Summary for Joel 2:7-9: 2:7-9 ^p The locusts would invade urban as well as agricultural areas, advancing like a disciplined, well-trained army to scale city walls and swarm over the city. Finding every means of entrance, they would even climb like thieves through the windows.
2:10 ^q The quaking of the earth and the heavens is a typical sign of theophany, an appearance of God (see Exod 19:16-19 ^r; Isa 13:13 ^s; Nah 1:5-6 ^t). The darkening of the sun and moon symbolizes divine judgment (Isa 13:9-11 ^u).
2:11 ^v The Lord is at the head of the column (literally the Lord utters his voice before his army): The coming destruction was not simply an act of nature or the result of human activity, but an act of God.

• This is his mighty army: God executed this judgment.

• Who can possibly survive? Apart from God’s grace and mercy, no one can.