Isaiah 26:17

Like as a woman with child, [that] draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, [and] crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.

Like {H3644} as a woman with child {H2030}, that draweth near {H7126} the time of her delivery {H3205}, is in pain {H2342}, and crieth out {H2199} in her pangs {H2256}; so have we been in thy sight {H6440}, O LORD {H3068}.

As a pregnant woman about to give birth cries out and writhes in her labor pains, so we have been at your presence, ADONAI

As a woman with child about to give birth writhes and cries out in pain, so were we in Your presence, O LORD.

Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain and crieth out in her pangs; so we have been before thee, O Jehovah.

Commentary

Isaiah 26:17 vividly portrays the deep anguish and distress of God's people using the powerful metaphor of a woman in labor. This verse is part of a prophetic song within the book of Isaiah, often referred to as a "Little Apocalypse" (chapters 24-27), which speaks of God's ultimate judgment on the wicked and the glorious restoration of His faithful remnant.

Context

This verse follows a passage (Isaiah 26:16) where the people acknowledge seeking God in times of trouble and chastening. They cry out to Him during their affliction, recognizing His hand in their suffering. The imagery of birth pangs in verse 17 is a stark description of the intensity of their national distress, likely referring to periods of oppression, exile, or divine discipline. Crucially, this pain is "in thy sight, O LORD," emphasizing God's full awareness and sovereign involvement in their experience. The subsequent verses (Isaiah 26:18-19) reveal the futility of their own efforts to bring about deliverance, followed by a magnificent promise of resurrection and ultimate restoration for God's people, symbolizing the "new birth" after the labor.

Key Themes

  • Intense Suffering and Distress: The primary theme is the profound and inescapable pain experienced by God's people, likened to the unavoidable agony of childbirth. This highlights the severity of their trials.
  • Divine Awareness and Sovereignty: The phrase "in thy sight, O LORD" underscores that their suffering is not random or unnoticed. God is fully aware and sovereign over their circumstances, even in their deepest pain. This points to His purpose in allowing such distress.
  • Pain as a Prelude to Deliverance: Just as birth pangs precede the arrival of new life, the suffering described here is a necessary precursor to God's ultimate deliverance and restoration. It is a period of intense struggle before a glorious spiritual "birth" or national revival, as suggested by the promise of resurrection in Isaiah 26:19.
  • Futility of Human Effort: While not explicitly stated in verse 17, the broader context of Isaiah 26:18 reveals that despite their pain, their own efforts to bring forth deliverance were fruitless ("we have as it were brought forth wind"). This emphasizes that true salvation comes only from God.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "pangs" is chavalim (חֲבָלִים), which literally refers to birth pangs, but can also mean ropes or cords. This double meaning subtly reinforces the idea of being bound by distress, an inescapable and intense suffering. The imagery is universally understood as a period of profound anguish that precedes a significant event or new beginning.

Practical Application

Isaiah 26:17 offers profound comfort and insight for believers today facing difficult times. It reminds us that:

  • God is Present in Suffering: Our pain is never hidden from God's sight. He is intimately aware of our struggles, even when we feel overwhelmed.
  • Suffering Can Have Purpose: Just as labor leads to birth, our trials can be part of God's refining process, preparing us for a new season, deeper faith, or greater spiritual fruitfulness. This mirrors the sentiment found in Romans 5:3-4 about tribulation producing perseverance.
  • Hope Beyond the Pain: The ultimate message of Isaiah 26, especially verses 18-19, is one of hope. Even in intense distress, God's ultimate plan is for deliverance, resurrection, and renewal. We are called to trust in His timing and His power to bring forth new life from difficult circumstances.
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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 13:8 (4 votes)

    And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces [shall be as] flames.

  • John 16:21 (4 votes)

    A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

  • Isaiah 21:3 (3 votes)

    Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing [of it]; I was dismayed at the seeing [of it].

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3 (3 votes)

    For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

  • Jeremiah 30:6 (2 votes)

    Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

  • Psalms 48:6 (2 votes)

    Fear took hold upon them there, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail.

  • Jeremiah 4:31 (2 votes)

    For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, [and] the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, [that] bewaileth herself, [that] spreadeth her hands, [saying], Woe [is] me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.