The commands here to the nations to change instruments of farming into instruments of war are the reverse of the commands in Isa 2.4 and Micah 4.3.

Beat your plowshares into swords: Plowshares were used for plowing ground. They were flat triangular blades made of metal, which were connected to handles. Some were wooden bars covered with cylindrical, pointed metal sleeves, so Good News Translation says “points of … plows”. A blacksmith would be able to reshape them into swords by heating them until red-hot, and then beating them or striking them with a hammer into the right shape. Swords are weapons that are long, heavy knives made of metal. For this line New Jerusalem Bible has “Hammer your ploughshares into swords.” In cultures not familiar with plows, translators may have to use a more generic way of expressing the meaning; for example, “Make swords out of your iron tools for preparing the land for planting [or, sowing].”

And your pruning hooks into spears: The verb Beat in the first line is implied here. Pruning hooks are used to trim vines or fruit trees by cutting off unwanted branches. Good News Translation says “pruning knives,” which may be a helpful model for other languages. They are to be changed into spears, which are usually wooden rods with iron points. Spears are weapons that are either thrown or pushed against an enemy. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is accurate in rendering the term as “spear points” in this context.

Let the weak say, “I am a warrior”: The weak among the nations are to identify themselves as soldiers. The Hebrew word for warrior is the same one rendered “mighty men” in verse 9. Some translators may find it better to translate this term according to its significance here; for example, for the whole line Good News Translation says “Even the weak must fight,” Bible en français courant has “Even the most apprehensive should persuade themselves that they are heroes,” New Jerusalem Bible uses “let the weakling say, ‘I am tough!’ ” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “Even the weakest one should declare: I fight like a lion!”

Quoted with permission from de Blois, Kees & Dorn, Louis. A Handbook on Joel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2020. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .