Jeremiah 4:31

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

29At the sound of the horseman and archer every city flees; They go into the thickets and climb among the rocks; Every city is abandoned, And no one lives in them. 30And you, desolate one, what will you do? Although you dress in scarlet, Although you adorn yourself with jewelry of gold, Although you enlarge your eyes with makeup, In vain you make yourself beautiful. Your lovers despise you; They seek your life. For I heard a voice cry as of a woman in labor, The anguish as of one giving birth to her first child. The voice of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, Stretching out her hands, saying, “Ah, woe to me, for I faint before murderers.”

Jeremiah 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

• For I heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• a voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• as of a woman inחוּלchûl chîyl · to twist: trembleH2342
• The anguishצָרָהtsârâh · distressH6869
• as of one givingבָּכַרbâkar · to be/bear firstbornH1069
• of the daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
• of Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
• gaspingיָפַחyâphach · to breatheH3306
• Stretchingפָּרַשׂpâraώ · to spreadH6566
• handsכַּףkaph · palmH3709
• Ahנָאnâ' · pleaseH4994
• woeאוֹי'ôy · woe!H188
• I faintעִיף‛âyêph · be faintH5888
• before murderersהָרַגhârag · to killH2026

Cross-references for Jeremiah 4:31

• Jeremiah 6:24We have heard the report of it; Our hands are limp. Anguish has seized us, Pain like that of a woman in childbirth.
• Jeremiah 13:21What will you say when He appoints over you-- And you yourself had taught them-- Former companions to be head over you? Will sharp pains not take hold of you Like a woman in childbirth?
• Jeremiah 22:23You who live in Lebanon, Nested in the cedars, How you will groan when sharp pains come on you, Pain like a woman in childbirth!
• Jeremiah 30:6Ask now, and see If a male can give birth. Why do I see every man With his hands on his waist, as a woman in childbirth? And why have all faces turned pale?
• Jeremiah 48:41Kerioth has been captured And the strongholds have been seized, So the hearts of the warriors of Moab on that day Will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
• Jeremiah 49:22Behold, He will mount up and swoop like an eagle, and spread out His wings against Bozrah; and the hearts of the warriors of Edom on that day will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
• Jeremiah 50:43The king of Babylon has heard the report about them, And his hands hang limp; Distress has gripped him, Agony like a woman in childbirth.
• Isaiah 13:8They will be terrified, Pains and anguish will take hold of them; They will writhe like a woman in labor, They will look at one another in astonishment, Their faces aflame.
• Isaiah 21:3For this reason my loins are full of anguish; Pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in labor. I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see.
• Hosea 13:13The pains of childbirth come on him; He is not a wise son, For it is not the time that he should delay at the opening of the womb.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:3While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
• Jeremiah 6:2The beautiful and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, I will destroy.
• Matthew 21:5“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold your King is coming to you, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”
• Isaiah 1:15So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you offer many prayers, I will not be listening. Your hands are covered with blood.
• Lamentations 1:17Zion stretches out with her hands; There is no one to comfort her; The Lord has commanded regarding Jacob That those around him become his adversaries; Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them.
• Jeremiah 10:19Woe to me, because of my injury! My wound is incurable. But I said, “This certainly is a sickness, And I must endure 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

• Birth
• Condescension of God
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• War

In the dictionaries

• Birth
• Bless
• Fallow
• Pain
• Wise
• Anguish
• Backslide
• Genesis
• Jeremiah (2)
• Zion

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