Joel 2:4
2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like the dawn overspreading the mountains a great and strong army appears, such as never was of old, nor will ever be in ages to come.
3 Before them a fire devours, and behind them a flame scorches. The land before them is like the Garden of Eden, but behind them, it is like a desert wasteland— surely nothing will escape them.
Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds.
5 With a sound like that of chariots they bound over the mountaintops, like the crackling of fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army deployed for battle.
6 Nations writhe in horror before them; every face turns pale.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Their appearance is like that of horses, and they gallop like swift steeds.
- KJV
- The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
- WEB
- Their appearance is as the appearance of horses, and they run as horsemen.
- ASV
- The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so do they run.
- DARBY
- The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so they run.
- BLB
- Like the appearance of horses [is] its appearance, and like steeds so they run.
- ÅB
- Som hester er det å se til, og som ryttere løper de avsted.
- OTB
- Deres utseende er som hester;
de galopperer som krigshester. - B1930
- Som hester er det å se til, og som ryttere løper de avsted.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Revelation 9:7
And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle, with something like crowns of gold on their heads, and faces like the faces of men.
Read in context