Isaiah 2:4

Isaiah 2:4

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

a. ASV: And he will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

b. YLT: And He hath judged between the nations, And hath given a decision to many peoples, And they have beat their swords to ploughshares, And their spears to pruning-hooks, Nation doth not lift up sword unto nation, Nor do they learn any more -- war.

c. Classic Amplified: And He shall judge between the nations and shall decide [disputes] for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

d. Septuagint: And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into sickles: and nation shall not take up sword against nation, neither shall they learn to war any more.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: He will judge among the nations, and will settle the arguments of many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare.

1. “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people…”

a. [And he shall] judge [Strong:8199 shâphaṭ, shaw-fat'; a primitive root; to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extension, to govern; passively, to litigate (literally or figuratively):--+ avenge, X that condemn, contend, defend, execute (judgment), (be a) judge(-ment), X needs, plead, reason, rule.]

b. among [Strong: 996  beyn bane (sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly, the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 995; a distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), + from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.]

c. [the] nations [Strong: 1471 gôwy, go'-ee; rarely (shortened) גֹּי gôy; apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—Gentile, heathen, nation, people.]

d. [and shall] rebuke [Strong: 3198 yâkach, yaw-kahh'; a primitive root; to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or convict:--appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct(-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove(-r), surely, in any wise.]

e. many 7227 rab, rab; by contracted from H7231; abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality):—(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), (ship-)master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude), officer, often(-times), plenteous, populous, prince, process (of time), suffice(-lent).]

f. people [Strong: 1471 ʻam, am; from H6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:—folk, men, nation, people.]

1). Annotated Bible Notes: The peoples will appeal to Him as umpire on international questions. Disputes will be settled no longer by the senseless arbitrament of war, but by the Word of God.

2). As the Hebrew definitions reveal this portion of the verse covers all nuances of the words. Immediately after the return of Christ, He will judge the people, but he will also settle all the disputes that He has with the nations and the disputes they have among themselves. His decisions will be absolute and final.  

2. “…and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks…”

a. [and they shall] beat [Strong: 3807 kâthath, kaw-thath'; a primitive root; to bruise or violently strike:—beat (down, to pieces), break in pieces, crushed, destroy, discomfit, smite, stamp.]

b. [their] swords [Strong: 2719 chereb, kheh'-reb; from H2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement:—axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.]

c. [into] plowshares [Strong: 855 ʼêth, ayth; of uncertain derivation; a hoe or other digging implement:—coulter, plowshare.]

d. [and their] spears [Strong: 2596 chănîyth, khan-eeth'; from H2583; a lance (for thrusting, like pitching a tent):—javelin, spear.]

e. [into] pruninghooks [Strong: 4211 mazmêrâh, maz-may-raw'; from H2168; a pruning-knife:—pruning-hook.]

1). From the text we can see the implication that part of the reason these nations and people are being rebuked is because of their warlike ways. They are rebuked and they turn their weapons into farming equipment. Not only that but it implies that all of the effort that nations have exerted in manufacturing weapons will be turned toward farming. I personally believe the effort in harvesting will be greatly necessary because part of the hindrances involved in the original curse brought upon the earth and the animal kingdom because of Adam’s sin will be removed. The hindrances that man experiences in harvesting the earth are the result of two curses one on the animal kingdom including the insects and the other on the earth itself.

a). Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

b). Genesis 3:17-19 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and has eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake;  in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

2). Not only does man have to put fertilizers into the earth to help the earth bring forth fruit, but man also has to put insecticides in the ground to kill the destructive insects that destroy the crops. These are the result of mans fall and all of creation is suffering from its effects.

a). Romans 8:21-23 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body.

3). The deliverance the Scripture speaks of will occur at the second coming of Christ, when the manifested sons of God come back with Christ Jesus. So an argument could be made that the whole curse on the earth would be removed at that time, but Scripture is explicit in describing what is removed at the second coming of Christ. It mentions specifically a Covenant being made between God and the animal and insect kingdom.

a). Hosea 2:18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.

b). Notice this covenant with the animals is made at the same time he causes war to stop exactly the same time context as the text in Isaiah 2:4.

4). The Covenant that God will make with the animal and insect kingdom will result in the carnivorous natures in animals and insects to cease.

a). Isaiah 11:6  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

5). The effect of the Covenant, of the glorious liberty of the children of God coming upon creation will result in the earth bringing forth overflows of harvest so that it will be absolutely necessary for the military manufacturing industry to change into a harvesting industry after they are forced to by the Lord Jesus Christ and then by the need of the abundance of harvest.    

3. “…nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

a. nation [Strong: 1471 gôwy, go'-ee; rarely (shortened) גֹּי gôy; apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—Gentile, heathen, nation, people.]

b. [shall] not [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

c. lift up [Strong: 5375 nâsâʼ, naw-saw'; or נָסָה nâçâh; (Psalm 4:6 [7]), a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative:—accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ( man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, × needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, swear, take (away, up), × utterly, wear, yield.]

d. sword [Strong: 2719 chereb, kheh'-reb; from H2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement:—axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.]

e. against [Strong: 413 'el ale (but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el}); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).]

f. nation [Strong: 1471 gôwy, go'-ee; rarely (shortened) גֹּי gôy; apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts:—Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

g. neither [Strong: 3808 lo' lo or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else, ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, + of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.]

h. [shall they] learn [Strong: 3925 lâmad, law-mad'; a primitive root; properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive):—(un-) accustomed, × diligently, expert, instruct, learn, skilful, teach(-er, -ing).]

i. war [Strong: 4421 milchâmâh, mil-khaw-maw'; from H3898 (in the sense of fighting); a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. war-fare):—battle, fight(-ing), war(-rior).]

j. anymore [Strong: 5750 `owd ode or rod {ode}; from 5749; properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more:--again, X all life long, at all, besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer, (any) more(-over), X once, since, (be) still, when, (good, the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet (within).]

1). After the return of Christ one of the directives coming forth from Jerusalem will be to disband all militaries from every nation.

a). Micah 4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

b). Psalm 68:29, 30 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.

68:30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.