Bible Strands
Joel 1:6
For a nation has invaded My land, powerful and without number; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and its fangs are the fangs of a lioness.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — YHWH speaks through the prophet Joel to Judah, declaring an invasion immediately after warning drunkards to mourn the loss of wine.
The words — The Hebrew goy (nation) and 'a.Tzum (mighty) identify a powerful force, while the phrase 'Ein mis.Par (there is no number) stresses its uncountable scale.
The thread — The description of an uncountable, destructive host parallels the locust devastation in Joel 2:25 and the predatory imagery of Proverbs 30:14.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition of a tangible, overwhelming military force that strips the land of its agricultural yield without remainder.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
Cross-references
- Joel 2:25 I will repay you for the years eaten by locusts—the swarming locust, the young locust, the destroying locust, and the devouring locust—My great army that I sent against you.
- Proverbs 30:14 there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.
- Isaiah 8:8 It will pour into Judah, swirling and sweeping over it, reaching up to the neck; its spreading streams will cover your entire land, O Immanuel!
- Joel 2:2 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.
- Revelation 9:7 And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle, with something like crowns of gold on their heads; and their faces were like the faces of men.
- Psalms 107:34 and fruitful land into fields of salt, because of the wickedness of its dwellers.
- Proverbs 30:25 The ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
- Isaiah 32:13 and for the land of my people, overgrown with thorns and briers—even for every house of merriment in this city of revelry.
- Hosea 9:3 They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.