The Meaning of Isaiah 2:4 Explained

Isaiah 2:4

KJV: 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.

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.

Darby: And he shall judge among the nations, and shall reprove many peoples; and they shall forge their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-knives: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Isaiah 2:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Isaiah 2:1-11 - A Vision Of World Peace
This and the four following chapters must be classed together as a distinct portion of this book, belonging to the earliest years of Isaiah's ministry. Their date is 735 b.c.; about the time of the accession of Ahaz to the throne. Isaiah 2:2-4 are evidently an ancient prophecy by some unknown seer, for Micah also quotes it. This section presents a fair vision of the future, when the beloved city must become the center of the religious life of the world, the seat of the theocracy, the burning nucleus of a reign of love and peace. We cherish this ancient prophecy as our guiding star in the present storm. But it can be realized only when the Son of God, riding forth on His white horse, has subdued His enemies. Then Revelation 21:1-27 and Revelation 22:1-21 will fulfill this ancient dream. The contrast between the ideal city and the actual is terrible, Isaiah 2:6-9. But let us not despair. The exalted Lord, from the right hand of power, is hastening the coming of the day of God. [source]

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 2

1  Isaiah prophesies the coming of Christ's kingdom
6  Wickedness is the cause of God's forsaking
10  He exhorts to fear, because of the powerful effects of God's majesty

What do the individual words in Isaiah 2:4 mean?

And He shall judge between the nations and rebuke people many and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks not shall lift up Nation against nation sword and neither shall they learn anymore war -
וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹא־ יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־ גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־ יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה פ

וְשָׁפַט֙  And  He  shall  judge 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
בֵּ֣ין  between 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
הַגּוֹיִ֔ם  the  nations 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ  and  rebuke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָכַח  
Sense: to prove, decide, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct, be right.
לְעַמִּ֣ים  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
רַבִּ֑ים  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
וְכִתְּת֨וּ  and  they  shall  beat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: כָּתַת  
Sense: to beat, crush by beating, crush to pieces, crush fine.
חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם  their  swords 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
לְאִתִּ֗ים  into  plowshares 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֵת  
Sense: ploughshare.
וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙  and  their  spears 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חֲנִית  
Sense: spear.
לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת  into  pruning  hooks 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַזְמֵרָה  
Sense: pruning knife.
יִשָּׂ֨א  shall  lift  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
ג֤וֹי  Nation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
אֶל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
גּוֹי֙  nation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
חֶ֔רֶב  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
וְלֹא־  and  neither 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִלְמְד֥וּ  shall  they  learn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: לָמַד  
Sense: to learn. teach, exercise in.
ע֖וֹד  anymore 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
מִלְחָמָֽה  war 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation