יואל, פרק א׳, פסוק ד׳

A systematic and thorough wave of destruction threatens the land, unfolding in relentless stages until not a single crop remains. The primary approach among commentators is that this disaster is carried out by four distinct types of locusts. Unlike the famous plague in Egypt, which featured only a single species, this devastation involves four different kinds working together to wipe out every fruit tree and green plant [מלבי״ם]. The ruin is gradual but total. Whatever crops manage to survive one wave become the exact target of the next, leaving absolutely nothing behind.

The specific titles of these creatures reflect their unique methods of destruction. The first type shears and cuts down the produce. The second arrives in unimaginable numbers, overwhelming the land as the most massive swarm. The third licks and laps up the remaining grass, while the fourth acts as the final blow, completely wiping out and cutting down whatever tiny fragments are left.

There are varying perspectives on exactly how and when these swarms strike. Some suggest that the different species attack the land simultaneously. Another perspective offers that these are not different species at all, but rather distinct developmental stages in the life cycle of a single type of locust. This biological progression implies that the plague will linger in the land for a prolonged period [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, the disaster might not have occurred within a single year. Instead, it could have stretched across four consecutive years, with a new swarm arriving each year to consume the meager leftovers of the previous season [רד״ק].

Beyond the literal agricultural disaster, there is a profound allegorical layer to this destruction. Rather than physical insects, this relentless progression symbolizes the four great empires that subjugated Israel and destroyed its holy places [אברבנאל]. The first wave represents the Babylonian empire, which sheared the surrounding nations and destroyed the First Temple. The second swarm points to the empires of Persia and Media, known for their massive, overwhelming armies. The third wave signifies Greece, which consumed and drained Israel during the era of the Second Temple. Finally, the ultimate destroyer represents the Roman empire, which completely leveled the Second Temple and finished off everything that was precious to the nation.