Micah 4:3

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.

a. ASV: And he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off: 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 many peoples, And given a decision to mighty nations afar off, They have beaten their swords to ploughshares, And their spears to pruning-hooks, Nation lifteth not up sword unto nation, Nor do they learn war any more.

c. Classic Amplified: And He shall judge between many peoples and shall decide for strong nations afar off, 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 many peoples, and shall rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into sickles; and nation shall no more lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn to war any more.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: He will judge between many peoples, and will settle the arguments of mighty nations from far away. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning knives; nation will not lift sword against nation, nor will they learn war anymore.

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

a. [And he shall] judge [Strong: 8199 shaphat shaw-fat' a primitive root; to judge, i.e. pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extenssion, 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. many [Strong: 7227 rab rab by contracted from 7231; 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).]

d. people [Strong: 5971 `am am from 6004; 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.]

e. [and] rebuke [Strong: 3198 yakach 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.]

f. strong [Strong: 6099 `atsuwm aw-tsoom' or matsum {aw-tsoom'}; passive participle of 6105; powerful (specifically, a paw); by implication, numerous:--+ feeble, great, mighty, must, strong.]

g. nations [Strong: 1471 gowy go'-ee rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same root as 1465 (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.]

h. afar [Strong: 7350 rachowq raw-khoke' or rachoq {raw-khoke'}; from 7368; remote, literally or figuratively, of place or time; specifically, precious; often used adverbially (with preposition):--(a-)far (abroad, off), long ago, of old, space, great while to come.]

i. off [Strong: 5704 `ad ad properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.]

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 kathath 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 2717; 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 'eth ayth of uncertain derivation; a hoe or other digging implement:--coulter, plowshare.]

d. [and their] spears [Strong: 2595 chaniyth khan-eeth' from 2583; a lance (for thrusting, like pitching a tent):--javelin, spear.]

e. [into] pruning hooks [Strong: 4211 mazmerah maz-may-raw' from 2168; 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.

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

a. nation  [Strong: 1471 gowy go'-ee rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same root as 1465 (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 nasa' naw-saw' or nacah (Psalm 4 : 6 (7)) {naw-saw'}; a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absol. and rel. (as follows):--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, X needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, + swear, take (away, up), X utterly, wear, yield.]

d. sword [Strong: 2719 chereb kheh'-reb from 2717; 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 gowy go'-ee rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same root as 1465 (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 lamad law-mad' a primitive root; properly, to goad, i.e. (by implication) to teach (the rod being an Oriental incentive):(un-) accustomed, X diligently, expert, instruct, learn, skilful, teach(-er, - ing).]

i. war [Strong: 4421 milchamah mil-khaw-maw' from 3898 (in the sense of fighting); a battle (i.e. the engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare):--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).  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.

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.