Bible Strands
Proverbs 30:27
the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation;
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The speaker records an observation on animal behavior within a series of practical teachings, likely addressing a ruler or general audience seeking wisdom. This verse follows a note on rock badgers and precedes one about lizards.
The words — אֵ֣ין ('ein) = not and מֶ֭לֶךְ (Me.lekh) = king form the phrase "no king," while כֻּלּֽ/וֹ (ku.L/o) = all of it appears with חֹצֵ֣ץ (cho.Tzetz) = dividing to describe the locusts' coordinated movement.
The thread — Locusts appear elsewhere as a divinely sent swarm that overwhelms territory, as recorded in Exodus 10:4, Psalms 105:34, and Joel 1:6.
Why it lands — The text notes that a creature without central command still moves in disciplined ranks, asking the reader to observe how order functions without human hierarchy.
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
The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
Cross-references
- Exodus 10:4 But if you refuse to let My people go, I will bring locusts into your territory tomorrow.
- Psalms 105:34 He spoke, and the locusts came—young locusts without number.
- 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.
- Joel 2:7 They charge like mighty men; they scale the walls like men of war. Each one marches in formation, not swerving from the course.
- 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.
- Exodus 10:13 So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and throughout that day and night the LORD sent an east wind across the land. By morning the east wind had brought the locusts.
- Joel 1:4 What the devouring locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust has left, the young locust has eaten; and what the young locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten.
- Revelation 9:3 And out of the smoke, locusts descended on the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth.