יואל, פרק ב׳, פסוק ז׳

An invading swarm of locusts advances with the terrifying precision and perfect order of a highly disciplined army. Unstoppable and methodical, the swarm overcomes every obstacle in its path through a calculated sequence of attack.

Initially, the swarm storms the city walls with raw, natural strength and blinding speed, acting like mighty warriors rushing forward to terrify and scatter the defenders. Following this initial charge, they behave like seasoned soldiers executing advanced military tactics. With the skill of trained fighters, they scale the defenses to conquer their target [מלבי״ם]. In a practical sense, the locusts are perfectly equipped for this siege, using their hard claws to effortlessly climb steep walls [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

As the invasion progresses, the absolute discipline of the swarm becomes clear. Every single locust moves along its own specific route. By maintaining this strict individual order, the massive camp spreads out to cover the entire land without ever wandering aimlessly or falling into confusion [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Their movement is further defined by an unwavering commitment to their set paths. The primary approach among commentators is that the swarm refuses to bend or twist its direction, maintaining a perfectly straight line of advance without any deviation [רש״י, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Others understand this unyielding march to mean that the locusts never delay or hinder one another as they move [רד״ק]. Another perspective views their march through the lens of strategic resourcefulness, drawing a conceptual link to the idea of a loan. In this view, a distinction is made between the main routes they travel and the secondary trails they keep in reserve. The attackers march along the primary roads but refuse to surrender or "lend" the side paths to anyone else, keeping them strictly available for future tactical maneuvers to flank their enemy [מלבי״ם, רד״ק].