Joel 1:6
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The locust swarm is described as an invading nation, countless and fierce, with teeth like a lion's.
What Does Joel 1:6 Mean?
Joel lifts the locusts to the scale of an army. They are a nation, strong and without number, and their jaws are likened to a lion's teeth, tearing through everything in their path. Notice that God calls it my land. The invasion is not random; it has come upon ground that belongs to Him, and He feels the trespass.
To name the swarm a nation is to hint that more than insects is at stake. Behind the visible plague stands the hand of God disciplining His people, and the imagery prepares us for the great army of chapter two. The lion's teeth speak of a power no farmer can resist. Yet the same God who permits the lion to ravage is the God who will roar from Zion as a refuge for His people. What devours here will be answered later by the Lord's own voice.