The Meaning of Joel 2:5 Explained

Joel 2:5

KJV: Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

YLT: As the noise of chariots, on the tops of the mountains they skip, As the noise of a flame of fire devouring stubble, As a mighty people set in array for battle.

Darby: Like the noise of chariots, on the tops of the mountains, they leap; like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

ASV: Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains do they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Like the noise  of chariots  on the tops  of mountains  shall they leap,  like the noise  of a flame  of fire  that devoureth  the stubble,  as a strong  people  set in battle  array. 

What does Joel 2:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Joel 2:1-11 - A Summons To Penitence
We know nothing of Joel beyond this book. He was content to be God's mouthpiece and remain unknown. His message was one of unparalleled woe. The memory of God's loving kindness ought to have kept His people faithful and loyal, but since grace and love had failed to affect them awful judgments were announced. A small insect, the locust, was to prostrate man's boasted power. The four kinds of locusts here described and which doubtless devastated the country, were also symbols of the four world-empires, Assyria, Babylon, Greece, and Rome, which were to lay waste the Holy Land. Such judgments call for acts of repentance, such as fasting, humiliation, and intercession. There are days in national experience when it becomes us to gird ourselves and lament. The ministers and elders of the Church should lead the way. Where there has been infidelity to the great Lover of souls, when the visible Church or the individual member has turned from Christ to the wanton world, then joy withers away, Joel 1:12, spiritual worship ceases, Joel 1:9, and there can be neither peace nor safety until there has been repentance and return. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joel 2

1  He shows unto Zion the terribleness of God's judgment
12  He exhorts to repentance;
15  prescribes a fast;
18  promises a blessing thereon
21  He comforts Zion with present,
28  and future blessings

What do the individual words in Joel 2:5 mean?

With a noise like chariots Over the tops mountaintops they leap Like the noise of a fire flaming that devours the stubble Like a people strong set in array battle
כְּק֣וֹל מַרְכָּב֗וֹת עַל־ רָאשֵׁ֤י הֶֽהָרִים֙ יְרַקֵּד֔וּן כְּקוֹל֙ לַ֣הַב אֵ֔שׁ אֹכְלָ֖ה קָ֑שׁ כְּעַ֣ם עָצ֔וּם עֱר֖וּךְ מִלְחָמָֽה

כְּק֣וֹל  With  a  noise  like 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
מַרְכָּב֗וֹת  chariots 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: מֶרְכָּבָה  
Sense: chariot.
עַל־  Over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
רָאשֵׁ֤י  the  tops 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הֶֽהָרִים֙  mountaintops 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
יְרַקֵּד֔וּן  they  leap 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: רָקַד  
Sense: to skip about.
כְּקוֹל֙  Like  the  noise 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
לַ֣הַב  of  a  fire 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לַהַב  
Sense: flame, blade.
אֵ֔שׁ  flaming 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
אֹכְלָ֖ה  that  devours 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
קָ֑שׁ  the  stubble 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קַשׁ  
Sense: stubble, chaff.
כְּעַ֣ם  Like  a  people 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
עָצ֔וּם  strong 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָצוּם  
Sense: mighty, vast, numerous.
עֱר֖וּךְ  set  in  array 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular construct
Root: עָרַךְ  
Sense: to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare.
מִלְחָמָֽה  battle 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.