Isaiah 26:18

Isaiah 26:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
• New International Version (NIV)We were with child, we writhed in labor, but we gave birth to wind. We have not brought salvation to the earth, and the people of the world have not come to life.
• English Standard Version (ESV)we were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind. We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.
• New King James Version (NKJV)We have been with child, we have been in pain; We have, as it were, brought forth wind; We have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth, Nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

Context of Isaiah 26:18

16O Lord, in distress they looked for you; they uttered incantations because of your discipline. 17As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver and strains and cries out because of her labor pains, so were we because of you, O Lord. We were pregnant, we strained, we gave birth, as it were, to wind. We cannot produce deliverance on the earth; people to populate the world are not born. 19Your dead will come back to life; your corpses will rise up. Wake up and shout joyfully, you who live in the ground! For you will grow like plants drenched with the morning dew, and the earth will bring forth its dead spirits. 20Go, my people! Enter your inner rooms! Close your doors behind you! Hide for a little while, until his angry judgment is over!

Isaiah 26:18 word by word

הָרִ֣ינוּ חַ֔לְנוּ כְּמ֖וֹ יָלַ֣דְנוּ ר֑וּחַ יְשׁוּעֹת֙ בַּל־נַ֣עֲשֶׂה אֶ֔רֶץ וּבַֽל־יִפְּל֖וּ יֹשְׁבֵ֥י תֵבֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• We have been with childהָרָהhârâh · to conceiveH2029
• we have been in painחוּלchûl chîyl · to twist: writh in painH2342
• we have as it wereכְּמוֹkemô kâmô · likeH3644
• brought forthיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307
• we have not wroughtעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• any deliveranceיְשׁוּעָהyeshû‛âh · salvationH3444
• in the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• neitherבַּלbal · notH1077
• have the inhabitantsיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• of the worldתֵּבֵלtêbêl · worldH8398
• fallenנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307

Cross-references for Isaiah 26:18

• Isaiah 37:3“This is what Hezekiah says: ‘This is a day of distress, insults, and humiliation, as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through.
• 2 Kings 19:3“This is what Hezekiah says: ‘This is a day of distress, insults, and humiliation, as when a baby is ready to leave the birth canal, but the mother lacks the strength to push it through.
• Hosea 13:13The labor pains of a woman will overtake him, but the baby will lack wisdom; when the time arrives, he will not come out of the womb!
• Exodus 5:22Moses returned to the Lord, and said, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me?
• Joshua 7:7Joshua prayed, “O, Master, Lord! Why did you bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites so they could destroy us?
• 1 Samuel 11:13But Saul said, “No one will be killed on this day. For today the Lord has given Israel a victory!”
• 1 Samuel 14:45But the army said to Saul, “Should Jonathan, who won this great victory in Israel, die? May it never be! As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of his head will fall to the ground! For it is with the help of God that he has acted today.” So the army rescued Jonathan from death.
• Psalms 17:14Lord, use your power to deliver me from these murderers, from the murderers of this world! They enjoy prosperity; you overwhelm them with the riches they desire. They have many children, and leave their wealth to their offspring.
• John 7:7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil.
• 1 John 5:19We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

Commentaries on Isaiah 26:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18We have - brought forth wind - The learned Professor Michaelis explains this image in the following manner: "Rariorem morbum describi, empneumatosin, aut ventosam molam, dictum; quo quae laborant diu et sibi et peritis medicis gravidae videntur,tandemque post omnes verae graviditatis molestias et labored ventum ex utero emittunt: quem morbum passim describunt medici. "Syntagma Comment., vol. ii., p. 165. The empneumatosis, or windy inflation of the womb…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18We have been … - This refers to sorrows and calamities which they had experienced in former times, when they had made great efforts for deliverance, and when those efforts had proved abortive. Perhaps it refers to the efforts of this kind which they had made during their painful captivity of seventy years. There is no direct proof indeed, that during that time they attempted to revolt, or that they organized themselves for resistance to the Babylonian…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-19Verses 12-19 Every creature, every business, any way serviceable to our comfort, God makes to be so; he makes that work for us which seemed to make against us. They had been slaves of sin and Satan; but by the Divine grace they were taught to look to be set free from all former masters. The cause opposed to God and his kingdom will sink at last. See our need of afflictions. Before, prayer came drop by drop; now they pour it out, it comes now like water…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Only God can give salvation and bring life (see Isaiah 59:9–15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. brought forth wind--Michaelis explains this of the disease empneumatosis. Rather, "wind" is a figure for that which proves an abortive effort. The "we" is in antithesis to "Thy," "my" (Is 26:19), what we vainly attempt, God will accomplish. not wrought ... deliverance in ... earth--literally, "the land (Judea) is not made security," that is, is not become a place of security from our enemies. neither ... world fallen--The "world" at large, is in…Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 26:18

• Character
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning

In the dictionaries

• Delivery
• Indignation
• Judgment
• Intercession
• Isaiah
• Pain
• Salvation

Commentaries on Isaiah 26

• 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