Isaiah 66:8

Isaiah 66:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment? But by the time Jerusalem’s birth pains begin, her children will be born.

Context of Isaiah 66:8

6Hear that uproar from the city, hear that noise from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord repaying his enemies all they deserve. 7“Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son. Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. 9Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God. 10“Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice greatly with her, all you who mourn over her.

Isaiah 66:8 word by word

מִֽי־שָׁמַ֣ע כָּזֹ֗את מִ֤י רָאָה֙ כָּאֵ֔לֶּה הֲי֤וּחַל אֶ֙רֶץ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד אִם־יִוָּ֥לֵֽד גּ֖וֹי פַּ֣עַם אֶחָ֑ת כִּֽי־חָ֛לָה גַּם־יָלְדָ֥ה צִיּ֖וֹן אֶת־בָּנֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Who hath heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• such a thing? who hath seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• such things? Shall the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• be made to bring forthחוּלchûl chîyl · to twist: writh in painH2342
• in oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• shall a nationגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• be bornיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• at onceפַּ֫עַםpa‛am pa‛ămâh · beatH6471
• for as soon asגַּםgam · alsoH1571
• Zionצִיּוֹןtsîyôn · ZionH6726
• her childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121

Cross-references for Isaiah 66:8

• Isaiah 64:4Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
• 1 Corinthians 2:9However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—
• Isaiah 49:20The children born during your bereavement will yet say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; give us more space to live in.’
• Acts 2:41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
• Acts 4:4But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
• Acts 21:20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.
• Romans 15:18I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done—

Commentaries on Isaiah 66:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Who hath seen "And who hath seen" - Twenty MSS., (four ancient), of Kennicott's, and twenty-nine of De Rossi's, and two ancient of my own, and the two oldest editions, with two others, have ומי umi, adding the conjunction ו vau ; and so read all the ancient versions. And who hath seen?Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Who hath heard such a thing? - Of a birth so sudden. Usually in childbirth there are the pains of protracted parturition. The earth brings forth its productions gradually and slowly. Nations rise by degrees, and are long in coming to maturity. But here is such an event as if the earth should in a day be covered with a luxurious vegetation, or as if a nation should spring at once into being. The increase in the church would be as great and wonderful as if…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-14Verses 5-14 The prophet turns to those that trembled at God's word, to comfort and encourage them. The Lord will appear, to the joy of the humble believer, and to the confusion of hypocrites and persecutors. When the Spirit was poured out, and the gospel went forth from Zion, multitudes were converted in a little time. The word of God, especially his promises, and ordinances, are the consolations of the church. The true happiness of all Christians is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Can a country be born in a day or a nation be delivered in an instant?: Zion is pictured as a woman giving birth to many children. This image shows that the city will quickly grow in population (see Isaiah 49:19–20; 54:1–3; compare 1:8–9).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. earth--rather, to suit the parallelism, "is a country (put for the people in it) brought forth in one day?" [Lowth]. In English Version it means, The earth brings forth its productions gradually, not in one day (Mr 4:28). at once--In this case, contrary to the usual growth of the nations by degrees, Israel starts into maturity at once. for--rather, "is a nation born at once, that Zion has, so soon as she travailed, brought forth?" [Maurer].Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 66:8

• Church
• Gentiles
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning

In the dictionaries

• Draw
• Extend
• Throne
• Bring
• Hezekiah (2)
• Isaiah

Commentaries on Isaiah 66

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings