Joel 2:7 (GNV)

Passage

They shall runne like strong men, and goe vp to the wall like men of warre, and euery man shall goe forward in his wayes, and they shall not stay in their paths.

Nearby Context

Joel 2:5 Like the noyse of charrets in the toppes of the mountaines shall they leape, like the noyse of a flame of fire that deuoureth the stubble, and as a mightie people prepared to the battel.

Joel 2:6 Before his face shall the people tremble: all faces shall gather blackenesse.

Joel 2:7 They shall runne like strong men, and goe vp to the wall like men of warre, and euery man shall goe forward in his wayes, and they shall not stay in their paths.

Joel 2:8 Neither shall one thrust another, but euery one shall walke in his path: and when they fall vpon the sword, they shall not be wounded.

Joel 2:9 They shall runne to and from in the citie: they shall runne vpon the wall: they shall clime vp vpon the houses, and enter in at ye windowes like ye thiefe.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "shall", "runne", "like", "strong", "wall", "warre", and "euery". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "shall" and "runne", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Before his face shall the people tremble..." into verse 8's "Neither shall one thrust another but euery...", so "shall" and "runne" belong inside that flow. In Joel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "shall" and "runne" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.