The Meaning of Micah 4:3 Explained

Micah 4:3

KJV: 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.

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.

Darby: And he shall judge among many peoples, and reprove strong nations, even afar off; 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 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Micah 4:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord will serve as the global Judge deciding disputes between many strong nations far removed from Israel geographically. The Jews of Micah"s day did not want God telling them what to do and not to do, and their judges perverted justice (cf. Micah 3:1-3; Micah 3:9-11). In that future day, the Millennium when Yahweh Messiah is reigning on earth, the nations will convert their implements of warfare into agricultural tools to promote life. They will not engage in warfare or train for battle any longer. Standing armies and stockpiles of armaments will be things of the past. In Joel 3:10 the reverse figure appears describing the Tribulation.

Context Summary

Micah 4:1-13 - The Promise Of Peace
It is not improbable that Isaiah, Micah 2:1-4, and Micah quoted an older prophecy, which in its fullness, is yet to be fulfilled. In the millennial age Israel, in her restored beauty, will be the center of a renovated world. That restoration will bring great glory to God and blessing to mankind, Romans 11:15. The time center of unity is not to be found in creeds or systems, but in the impulse of a common desire after God and common worship. When men have found their unity in God they will renounce war; and the home-life will become the preservative of society, Micah 4:4. Micah 4:6-7 foretell the gathering of Israel to their own land. Babylon probably stands not only for the literal nation by which the Jews were carried into captivity, but for all of the Gentile nations that have afflicted the Chosen People. Notice that God's deliverances discover and help us in the midst of our direct affliction. [source]

Chapter Summary: Micah 4

1  The glory,
5  and the peace of Christ's kingdom
6  The restoration,
11  and victory of the church

What do the individual words in Micah 4:3 mean?

And He shall judge between peoples many and rebuke nations strong even to afar off 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 any more war
וְשָׁפַ֗ט בֵּ֚ין עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וְהוֹכִ֛יחַ לְגוֹיִ֥ם עֲצֻמִ֖ים עַד־ רָח֑וֹק וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבֹתֵיהֶ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹֽא־ יִשְׂא֞וּ גּ֤וֹי אֶל־ גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־ יִלְמְד֥וּן ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה

וְשָׁפַ֗ט  And  He  shall  judge 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
בֵּ֚ין  between 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
עַמִּ֣ים  peoples 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
רַבִּ֔ים  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
וְהוֹכִ֛יחַ  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.
לְגוֹיִ֥ם  nations 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
עֲצֻמִ֖ים  strong 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: עָצוּם  
Sense: mighty, vast, numerous.
עַד־  even  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
רָח֑וֹק  afar  off 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָחֹוק  
Sense: remote, far, distant, distant lands, distant ones.
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.
חַרְבֹתֵיהֶ֜ם  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.
וַחֲנִיתֹֽתֵיהֶם֙  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.
יִשְׂא֞וּ  shall  lift  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
גּ֤וֹי  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.
יִלְמְד֥וּן  shall  they  learn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: לָמַד  
Sense: to learn. teach, exercise in.
ע֖וֹד  any  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
מִלְחָמָֽה  war 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.