The locusts have no king,.... These are small creatures also, yet very devouring ones; and consume the fruits of the earth, wherever they come and light; see Ex 10:13; they are very numerous, and move in large bodies, and yet with great regularity and order; which shows the wisdom there is in them by natural instinct, though they have no king to command, guide, and direct them: in this the mystical locusts differ from them, who have a king, whose name is Abaddon, Re 9:11;yet they go forth all of them by bands; the Targum is,"they are all gathered together as one.'
'They get together in one place; they associate and join themselves in bands, and keep together, though they have no ruler over them; an emblem of unity, concord, and harmony, let the form of government be what it will, as the best security to a people: and these creatures, when they move from place to place, they move in a body, in a very regular manner; "in precise order" , as the words may be rendered, with great exactness, everyone in his proper place, all in rank and file; and though they have no general to marshal them, yet are in, and march in as good order as the most regular army does.
So the Arabic version,"yet in their army, their affairs and manner are in a beautiful disposition;''indeed they are God's army, as they are called, Joe 2:25; and it is he that gives them their wisdom, instructions, directions, and commission.
It is rendered by some, "everyone cutting"; that is, as Kimchi interprets it, cutting the green grass and trees; or, "every one dividing" ; that is, to himself, the prey or spoils, as kings do; see Isa 33:4.
Vid. Hilier. Onomastic. Sacr. p. 187. Sepher Shorash. rad. Uux; so Stockius, p. 377. "exeidens omnia, herbas, scil. et fruges", Schindler. col. 633. so Ben Melech.