God’s Word Translation
Isaiah 2:4
4Then he will judge disputes between nations and settle arguments between many people. They will hammer their swords into plowblades and their spears into pruning shears. Nations will never fight against each other, and they will never train for war again.
Isaiah 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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 anymore.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; 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 anymore.
Context of Isaiah 2:4
2In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house will be established as the highest of the mountains and raised above the hills. All the nations will stream to it. 3Then many people will come and say, “Let’s go to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways so that we may live by them.” The teachings will go out from Zion. The Lord’s word will go out from Jerusalem. Then he will judge disputes between nations and settle arguments between many people. They will hammer their swords into plowblades and their spears into pruning shears. Nations will never fight against each other, and they will never train for war again. 5Come, descendants of Jacob, let’s live in the light of the Lord. 6Lord, you have abandoned your people, the descendants of Jacob, because they are filled with Eastern influences. They are fortunetellers like the Philistines, and they make deals with foreigners.
Read all of Isaiah 2Isaiah 2:4 word by word
וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹא־יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he shall judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- among the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- and shall rebukeיָכַחyâkach · to rebukeH3198
- manyרַבrab · manyH7227
- peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and they shall beatכָּתַתkâthath · to crushH3807
- their swordsחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- into plowsharesאֵת'êth · plowshareH855
- and their spearsחֲנִיתchănîyth · spearH2595
- into pruninghooksמַזְמֵרָהmazmêrâh · pruning-knifeH4211
- shall not lift upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: fightH5375
- neither shall they learnלָמַדlâmad · to learn: learnH3925
- warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
Cross-references for Isaiah 2:4
- Isaiah 11:3He will gladly bear the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear.
- 1 Samuel 2:10“Those who oppose the Lord are broken into pieces. He thunders at them from the heavens. The Lord judges the ends of the earth. He gives strength to his King and lifts the head of his Messiah.”
- Psalms 82:8Arise, O God! Judge the earth, because all the nations belong to you.
- Psalms 96:13in the Lord’s presence because he is coming. He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and its people with his truth.
- Psalms 110:6He will pass judgment on the nations and fill them with dead bodies. Throughout the earth he will crush ⌞their⌟ heads.
- John 16:8He will come to convict the world of sin, to show the world what has God’s approval, and to convince the world that God judges it.
- Acts 17:31He has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice, and he will use a man he has appointed to do this. God has given proof to everyone that he will do this by bringing that man back to life.”
- Revelation 19:11I saw heaven standing open. There was a white horse, and its rider is named Faithful and True. With integrity he judges and wages war.
- Isaiah 9:7His government and peace will have unlimited growth. He will establish David’s throne and kingdom. He will uphold it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The Lord of Armies is determined to do this!
- Isaiah 11:6Wolves will live with lambs. Leopards will lie down with goats. Calves, young lions, and year-old lambs will be together, and little children will lead them.
- Psalms 46:9He puts an end to wars all over the earth. He breaks an archer’s bow. He cuts spears in two. He burns chariots.
- Hosea 2:18“On that day I will make an arrangement with the wild animals, the birds, and the animals that crawl on the ground. I will destroy all the bows, swords, and weapons of war, so people can live safely.
- Joel 3:10Hammer your plowblades into swords and your pruning shears into spears. Weaklings should say that they are warriors.
- Micah 4:3Then he will judge disputes between many people and settle arguments between many nations far and wide. They will hammer their swords into plowblades and their spears into pruning shears. Nations will never fight against each other, and they will never train for war again.
- Zechariah 9:10He will make sure there are no chariots in Ephraim or war horses in Jerusalem. There will be no battle bows. He will announce peace to the nations. He will rule from sea to sea and from the ⌞Euphrates⌟ River to the ends of the earth.
- Isaiah 60:17I will bring gold instead of bronze. I will bring silver instead of iron, bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stone. I will appoint peace as your governor and righteousness as your ruler.
Commentaries on Isaiah 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Neither shall they learn war any more - If wars are necessary, how deep must that fall be that renders them so! But what a reproach to humanity is the trade of war! Men are regularly instructed in it, as in any of the necessary arts. "How to dislodge most souls from their frail shrines By bomb, sword, ball, and bayonet, is the art Which some call great and glorious!" And is this a necessary part of a finished education in civilized society? O Earth!…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And he shall judge - Or he shall exercise the office of a judge, or umpire. This “literally” refers to the God of Jacob Isaiah 2:3, though it is clear that the meaning is, that he will do it by the Messiah, or under his reign. One office of a judge is to decide controversies; to put an end to litigations, and thus to promote peace. The connection shows that this is the meaning here. Nations that are contending shall be brought to peace by the influence of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4The kingdom of God becomes clear when conflict and violence stop. It is characterized by peace (Romans 14:17). People will either choose to cooperate or be compelled to stop fighting (Psalm 46:9). Nations will choose divine judgment instead of war (see Isaiah 1:18–20). The words judge and arbitrate describe God's actions here, but later verses show the Messiah as the one who delivers justice (Isaiah 11:3–4). When this happens, war will end, and nations…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. judge--as a sovereign umpire, settling all controversies (compare Is 11:4). Lowth translates "work," "conviction." plowshares--in the East resembling a short sword (Is 9:6, 7; Zec 9:10).Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 2:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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