This is not to say that the traditional interpretation is wrong. Religious traditions that use these lines to promote peace over war have every right to do so, and people who read or sing these ancient words to protest violence are aligning themselves with solid religious tradition. But let us be clear: This is a matter of tradition, not “what Isaiah says” and certainly not “what the Bible says.” In its original context, this famous passage is just part of a vision of what Israel will be like when God establishes a cosmic court of justice. What we do until then is up to us.
