Micah 4:3 - Exposition

The effect of this reception of true religion shall be universal peace. He shall judge among many people; or better, between many peoples . The Lord shall be the Arbiter to whom all disputes shall be referred, as in the next clause. When his reign is acknowledged and his Law obeyed, all war and all causes of war shall cease. The gospel is a gospel of peace and love, and when "the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ" ( Revelation 11:15 ), peace and love shall everywhere abound. (For the phrase in the text, comp. 11:27 ; 1 Samuel 24:12 , 1 Samuel 24:15 .) Rebuke strong nations afar off. The word rendered '"rebuke" means here "decide concerning," "act as umpire for." The arbitration of the sword shall no more be resorted to. The words "afar off" are omitted in the similar passage of Isaiah. Beat their swords into ploughshares; i.e. they shall practise the arts of peace instead of war. Literally, the short broad sword of the Israelites might readily be converted into a share, and the spear forged into a pruning hook (comp. Hosea 2:18 ; Zechariah 9:10 ). Martial has an epigram entitled, "Falx ex ense" (14:34)—

" Pax me certa ducis placidos curvavit in usus:

Agricolae nunc sum, militis ante fui ."

The reverse process is seen in Joel 3:10 , where ploughshares are beaten into swords. Thus Virgil, 'Georg.,' 1.508—

" El curvae rigidum falces conflantur in ensem ."

(Comp. Ovid, 'Fast.,' 1.699, etc.)