Albert Barnes Commentary Joel 2:8

"Neither doth one thrust another; they march every one in his path; and they burst through the weapons, and break not off [their course]." — Joel 2:8 (ASV)

When they fall upon the sword - (literally, “among the darts”) they shall not be wounded. It may be that the prophet would describe how the locust seems armed as in a suit of armor. As one says, “Their form was wondrous; they had a sort of gorget round their neck like a lancer, and a helm on their head, such as soldiers wear.”

But, more, he exhibits their indomitableness and impenetrableness, how nothing checks, nothing retards, nothing makes any impression upon them. It has been observed: “They do not suffer themselves to be impeded by any obstacles, but fly boldly on, and are drowned in the sea when they come to it.”

Another notes: “When on a march during the day, it is utterly impossible to turn the direction of a troop, which is generally with the wind.”

Furthermore, one account states: “The guard of the Red Town attempted to stop their irruption into Transylvania by firing at them; and indeed when the balls and shot swept through the swarm, they gave way and divided; but having filled up their ranks in a moment, they proceeded on their journey.”

And the same is true of the young swarms. “The inhabitants, to stop their progress, made trenches all over their fields and gardens and filled them with water; or else, placing in a row great quantities of heath, stubble, and similar combustible matter, they set them on fire on the approach of the locusts. But all this was to no avail, for the trenches were quickly filled up, and the fires put out by infinite swarms, succeeding one another; while the front seemed regardless of danger, and the van pressed on so close, that a retreat was impossible.”

It is also said: “Like waves, they roll over one another on and on, and let themselves be stopped by nothing. Russians and Germans try many means with more or less success against them, when they come from the waste against the grainlands. Bundles of straw are laid in rows and set on fire before them; they march in thick heaps into the fire, but this is often put out through the great mass of the animals, and those advancing from behind march away over the corpses of their companions and continue the march.”

Another observer wrote: “Their number was astounding; the whole face of the mountain was black with them. On they came like a living deluge. We dug trenches, and kindled fires, and beat and burned to death heaps upon heaps, but the effort was utterly useless. Wave after wave rolled up the mountain side, and poured over rocks, walls, ditches, and hedges, those behind covering up and bridging over the masses already killed. After a long and fatiguing contest, I descended the mountain to examine the depth of the column, but I could not see to the end of it.”

“It was perfectly appalling to watch this animated river, as it flowed up the road and ascended the hill.”

Both in ancient and modern times, armies have been marched against them, but in vain, unless they destroyed them before they were full-grown.

Since the very smallest of God’s judgments are thus irreversible, since creatures so small cannot be turned aside, since we cannot alter the course of even one of the least of our Master’s servants, since they are each as a “man of might” (as the prophet calls them, for that is the force of the word rendered “each”), what then of the greater? What of the whole?