Joel 2:10

“The earth shall quake before them, etc.] The inhabitants of it, because of the desolating judgments they bring with them, and those enemies that are signified by them: the heavens shall tremble; being obscured by them: the sun and moon shall be dark; the locusts sometimes come in such large numbers as to intercept the rays of the sun. Pliny F43 says they sometimes darken it; and though some thought they did not fly in the night, because of the cold; this he observes is owing to their ignorance, not considering that they pass over wide seas to distant countries; and this will account for it how the moon also may be darkened by them, and the stars, as follows: and the stars shall withdraw…”

“earth . . . quake before them--that is, the inhabitants of the earth quake with fear of them. heavens . . . tremble--that is, the powers of heaven (Mat 24:29); its illumining powers are disturbed by the locusts which intercept the sunlight with their dense flying swarms. These, however, are but the images of revolutions of states caused by such foes as were to invade Judea.”

“The earth shall quake before them - “Not,” says Jerome, “as though locusts or enemies had power to move the heavens or to shake the earth; but because, to those under trouble, for their exceeding terror, the heaven seems to fall and the earth to reel. But indeed, for the multitude of the locusts which cover the heavens, sun and moon shall be turned into darkness, and the stars shall withdraw their shining, while the cloud of locusts interrupts the light, and allows it not to reach the earth.” Yet the mention of moon and stars rather suggests that something more is meant than the locusts, who, not flying by night except when they cross the sea, do not obscure either. Rather, as the next verse…”

“The earth - A divine hyperbole. But this also may have a reference to the great day. Joel 2:11”

“2:10 The quaking of the earth and the heavens is a typical sign of theophany, an appearance of God (see Exod 19:16-19; Isa 13:13; Nah 1:5-6). The darkening of the sun and moon symbolizes divine judgment (Isa 13:9-11).”

“earth: Psa 18:7, Psa 114:7; Nah 1:5; Mat 27:51; Rev 6:12, Rev 20:11 the sun: Joe 2:2, Joe 2:31, Joe 3:15; Isa 13:10, Isa 34:4; Jer 4:23; Eze 32:7; Amo 5:8; Mat 24:29; Mar 13:24, Mar 13:25; Luk 21:25, Luk 21:26; Act 2:20; Rev 8:12 Joel 2:11”

“The whole universe trembles at this judgment of God. Joe 2:10. "Before it the earth quakes, the heavens tremble: sun and moon have turned black, and the stars have withdrawn their shining. Joe 2:11. And Jehovah thunders before His army, for His camp is very great, for the executor of His word is strong; for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible, and who can endure it?" The remark of Jerome on Joe 2:10, viz., that "it is not that the strength of the locusts is so great that they can move the heavens and shake the earth, but that to those who suffer from such calamities, from the amount of their own terror, the heavens appear to shake and the earth to reel," is correct enough so far as…”