Beat your plowshares into swords, And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak man say, “I am a warrior.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’
- KJV Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
- BSB Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, ‘I am strong!’
- NKJV Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’ ”
- NLT Hammer your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Train even your weaklings to be warriors.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The nations are told to forge weapons from farm tools and even the weak to boast of strength. They marshal all their power for the final confrontation.
Overview
Joel reverses the famous image of swords beaten into plowshares (Isaiah 2:4), here calling the nations to turn tools into weapons for war against God. Even the feeble are urged to claim strength. This ironic mustering of all human might highlights its ultimate futility, for no array of force can prevail against God's judgment in the day of the Lord.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Zech 12:8In that day Yahweh will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem. He who is feeble among them at that day will be like David, and David’s house will be like God, like Yahweh’s angel before them.
- Mic 4:3and he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war any more.
- Isa 2:4He 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.
- 2 Chr 25:8But if you will go, take action, and be strong for the battle. God will overthrow you before the enemy; for God has power to help, and to overthrow.”
- Luke 22:36Then he said to them, “But now, whoever has a purse, let him take it, and likewise a wallet. Whoever has none, let him sell his cloak, and buy a sword.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The promised outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh and the call to 'everyone who calls on the name of the LORD' are fulfilled at Pentecost in the name of Jesus.
How Joel 3:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.