13 Heb “Like the appearance of horses [is] its appearance.” The fact that a locust’s head resembles a miniature replica of a horse’s head has often been noticed. For example, the German word for locust (Heupferd, “hay horse”) and the Italian word as well (cavaletta, “little horse”) are based on this similarity in appearance.
14 Heb “like the sound of.” The repetition of the word of comparison (“like”) in vv. 4–7 should not go unnoticed. The author is comparing the locust invasion to familiar aspects of human invasion. If the preposition has its normal force here, it is similarity and not identity that is intended. In other words, locusts are being likened to human armies, but human armies are not actually present. On the other hand, this Hebrew preposition is also on occasion used to indicate exactitude, a function described by grammarians as kaph veritatis.
15 Heb “jostling” or “leaping.” There is question whether this pictures chariots rumbling over the mountains (e.g., 2 Sam 6:14, 16; 1 Chr 15:29; Nah 3:2) or the locusts flying—or “leaping”—over the mountains (e.g., Job 21:11); see 955 רָקַד.
16 Heb “sound.”
17 The phrase “the noise of” does not appear in the Hebrew, but is implied by the parallelism, so it has been supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
18 Heb “people.”
19 Heb “being arrayed of battle.”

In other versions

Their appearance is like the appearance of horses,

and like war horses they run.

As with the rumbling of chariots,

they leap on the tops of the mountains,

like the crackling of a flame of fire

devouring the stubble,

like a powerful army

drawn up for battle.

They have the appearance of horses;

they gallop along like cavalry.

With a noise like that of chariots

they leap over the mountaintops,

like a crackling fire consuming stubble,

like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

Their appearance is like that of horses,

and they gallop like war horses.

They bound on the tops of the mountains.

Their sound is like the sound of chariots,

like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble,

like a mighty army deployed for war.

They look like horses;

they charge forward like warhorses.

Look at them as they leap along the mountaintops.

Listen to the noise they make—like the rumbling of chariots,

like the roar of fire sweeping across a field of stubble,

or like a mighty army moving into battle.

Like the appearance of horses is their appearance,

and like horsemen they run;

like the sound of chariots on the tops of the mountains, they leap about;

like the sound of a flame of fire

devouring stubble;

like a strong army arranged

in rows for battle.

The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses;

And as horsemen, so shall they run.

Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap,

Like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble,

As a strong people set in battle array.

Public Domain