God’s Word Translation
Jeremiah 4:31
31I hear a woman in labor. I hear the woman cry with anguish as she gives birth to her first child. My people Zion are gasping for breath. They are stretching out their hands, saying, “How horrible it is for us! We’re defenseless in the presence of murderers!”
Jeremiah 4:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)I hear a cry as of a woman in labor, a groan as of one bearing her first child— the cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands and saying, “Alas! I am fainting; my life is given over to murderers.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor, anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands, "Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers."
- New King James Version (NKJV)“For I have heard a voice as of a woman in labor, The anguish as of her who brings forth her first child, The voice of the daughter of Zion bewailing herself; She spreads her hands, saying, ‘Woe is me now, for my soul is weary Because of murderers!’
Context of Jeremiah 4:31
29All the people in the city will flee at the sound of riders and archers. They will go off into the thickets and climb among the rocks. The entire city will be abandoned, and no one will live in it. 30You are going to be destroyed! What are you going to do? Why do you dress in red and put on gold jewelry? Why do you wear eye shadow? You are making yourself beautiful for nothing. Your lovers reject you; they want to kill you. I hear a woman in labor. I hear the woman cry with anguish as she gives birth to her first child. My people Zion are gasping for breath. They are stretching out their hands, saying, “How horrible it is for us! We’re defenseless in the presence of murderers!”
Read all of Jeremiah 4Jeremiah 4:31 word by word
כִּי֩ ק֨וֹל כְּחוֹלָ֜ה שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי צָרָה֙ כְּמַבְכִּירָ֔ה ק֧וֹל בַּת־צִיּ֛וֹן תִּתְיַפֵּ֖חַ תְּפָרֵ֣שׂ כַּפֶּ֑יהָ אֽוֹי־נָ֣א לִ֔י כִּֽי־עָיְפָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י לְהֹרְגִֽים׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For I have heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- a voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- as of a woman in travailחָלָהchâlâh · be weak: grievedH2470
- the anguishצָרָהtsârâh · distressH6869
- as of her that bringeth forth her first childבָּכַרbâkar · to be/bear firstbornH1069
- of the daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- of Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
- bewailethיָפַחyâphach · to breatheH3306
- spreadethפָּרַשׂpâraώ · to spreadH6566
- her handsכַּףkaph · palmH3709
- Woeאוֹי'ôy · woe!H188
- me now! for my soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
- is weariedעִיף‛âyêph · be faintH5888
- because of murderersהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
Cross-references for Jeremiah 4:31
- Jeremiah 6:24We have heard the news about them. Our hands hang limp. We are gripped by anguish and pain like a woman giving birth to a child.
- Jeremiah 13:21What will you say when God makes the people you thought were your friends your new masters? Won’t pain grip you like a woman in labor?
- Jeremiah 22:23You live in Lebanon and have your nest in the cedars. But you will groan when pain strikes you, pain like a woman giving birth to a child.
- Jeremiah 30:6Ask now, and see: Can a man give birth to a child? Why, then, do I see every strong man holding his stomach in pain like a woman giving birth to a child? Why has every face turned pale?
- Jeremiah 48:41The cities will be taken, and the fortified places will be captured. On that day Moab’s soldiers will be like women in childbirth.
- Jeremiah 49:22The enemy will swoop down like eagles and spread their wings over Bozrah. On that day Edom’s soldiers will be like women in childbirth.
- Jeremiah 50:43The king of Babylon has heard reports about them, and he loses courage. Anguish will grip him as pain grips a woman in labor.
- Isaiah 13:8They’ll be terrified. Pain and anguish will seize them. They’ll writhe like a woman giving birth to a child. They’ll look at one another in astonishment. Their faces will be burning red.
- Isaiah 21:3That is why my body is full of trembling. Pain grips me like the pain of childbirth. I’m disturbed by what I hear. I’m terrified by what I see.
- Hosea 13:13They have the opportunity to live again, but they are not smart enough to take it. They are like a baby who is about to be born but won’t come out of its mother’s womb.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:3When people say, “Everything is safe and sound!” destruction will suddenly strike them. It will be as sudden as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They won’t be able to escape.
- Jeremiah 6:2“My people Zion are like lovely pastures.
- Matthew 21:5“Tell the people of Zion, ‘Your king is coming to you. He’s gentle, riding on a donkey, on a colt, a young pack animal.’ ”
- Isaiah 1:15So when you stretch out your hands ⌞in prayer⌟, I will turn my eyes away from you. Even though you offer many prayers, I will not listen because your hands are covered with blood.
- Lamentations 1:17Zion holds out its hands. No one offers it comfort. The Lord has given this order about Jacob: His own neighbors will become his opponents. Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.
- Jeremiah 10:19Oh, I’m wounded! My wound is serious. Then I thought that this is my punishment, and I will bear it.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 4:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Bringeth forth her first child - In such a case the fear, danger, and pain were naturally the greatest. Spreadeth her hands - The gesture indicated by nature to signify distress, and implore help. We have met with this figure in other parts, and among the classic writers it is frequent.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31For a cry have I heard as of one writhing in vain: Anguish as of one that bringeth forth her first-born: The cry of the daughter of Zion. She gasps for breath: she stretches out her palms: Woe is me! for my soul faints before the murderers.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-31Verses 19-31 The prophet had no pleasure in delivering messages of wrath. He is shown in a vision the whole land in confusion. Compared with what it was, every thing is out of order; but the ruin of the Jewish nation would not be final. Every end of our comforts is not a full end. Though the Lord may correct his people very severely, yet he will not cast them off. Ornaments and false colouring would be of no avail. No outward privileges or profession, no…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31The people in Jerusalem felt such intense anguish that Jeremiah compared their pain to a woman giving birth to her first child. Like these women, beautiful Jerusalem was desperate (Jeremiah 13:21; 23:23; 30:6; Isaiah 1:15; 42:14; Lamentations 1:17).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3131. anguish--namely, occasioned by the attack of the enemy. daughter of Zion--There is peculiar beauty in suppressing the name of the person in trouble, until that trouble had been fully described [Henderson]. bewaileth herself--rather, "draweth her breath short" [Horsley]; "panteth." spreadeth ... hands--(La 1:17).Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 4:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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