Book of Joel Chapter 2 Vs. 9

 The Day of the Lord

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. Joel 2: 9

They shall run... Leap about from place to place, as locusts do (see Isa. 33:4).

שָׁקַק

shâqaq

shaw-kak'

A primitive root; to course (like a beast of prey); by implication to seek greedily: - have appetite, justle one against another, long, range, run (to and fro).

Which before they climbed; now they shall run upon and go from tower to tower.

עָיַר עָר עִיר

‛ı̂yr ‛âr ‛âyar

eer, awr, aw-yar'

From H5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post): - Ai [from margin], city, court [from margin], town.

רוּץ

rûts

roots

A primitive root; to run (for whatever reason, especially to rush): - break down, divide speedily, footman, guard, bring hastily, (make) run (away, through), post, stretch out.

חוֹמָה

chômâh

kho-maw'

Feminine active participle of an unused root apparently meaning to join; a wall of protection: - wall, walled.

עָלָה

‛âlâh

aw-law'

A primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or active (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literally and figuratively: - arise (up). (cause to) ascend up, at once, break [the day] (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, + shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up), grow (over), increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, [make] up, X mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, + perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work.

בַּיִת

bayith

bah'-yith

Probably from H1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.): - court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as would contain, hangings. home[born], [winter]house (-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within (-out).

בּוֹא

bô'

bo

A primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications): - abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, + besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, + have, X indeed, [in-]vade, lead, lift [up], mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken [in age], X surely, take (in), way.

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 walls, mounting the houses, entering the windows, running to and fro in the cities.

בְּעַד

b^e‛ad

beh-ad'

From H5704 with prepositional prefix; in up to or over against; generally at, besides, among, behind, for, etc.: - about, at, by (means of), for, over, through, up (-on), within.

חַלּוֹן

challôn

khal-lone'

A window (as perforated): - window.

Here the description has reached its height. The city is given over to those who assault it. There remains nothing more, save the shaking of the heaven and the earth.

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 (Exo. 10:6); and Pliny says, they will eat through everything, and even the doors of houses.

Their houses were not airtight, and these locusts got into the houses, as well. There will be nothing safe before them.

גַּנָּב

gannâb

gan-nawb'

From H1589; a stealer: - thief.

Once more the relentless advance of God's army is emphasized (cf. Joel 2:4-5). They run like mighty men supernatural beings, climb walls with no effort. They will stay the battle for God. Both advance in orderly fashion (Joel 2:7-8), plunge through defenses (Joel 2:8), and enter walled cities and homes.

As elsewhere in this section (cf. Joel 2:6), Joel seemingly alluded to Exo. 10:1-29.