New Living Translation
Isaiah 66:7
7“Before the birth pains even begin, Jerusalem gives birth to a son.
Isaiah 66:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child.
- New International Version (NIV)“Before she goes into labor, she gives birth; before the pains come upon her, she delivers a son.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Before she was in labor, she gave birth; Before her pain came, She delivered a male child.
Context of Isaiah 66:7
5Hear this message from the Lord, all you who tremble at his words: “Your own people hate you and throw you out for being loyal to my name. ‘Let the Lord be honored!’ they scoff. ‘Be joyful in him!’ But they will be put to shame. 6What is all the commotion in the city? What is that terrible noise from the Temple? It is the voice of the Lord taking vengeance against his enemies. “Before the birth pains even begin, Jerusalem gives birth to a son. 8Who 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. 9Would I ever bring this nation to the point of birth and then not deliver it?” asks the Lord. “No! I would never keep this nation from being born,” says your God.
Read all of Isaiah 66Isaiah 66:7 word by word
בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּחִ֖יל יָלָ֑דָה בְּטֶ֨רֶם יָב֥וֹא חֵ֛בֶל לָ֖הּ וְהִמְלִ֥יטָה זָכָֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Isaiah 66:7
- Isaiah 54:1“Sing, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labor. For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,” says the Lord.
- Galatians 4:26But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother.
- Revelation 12:1Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
Commentaries on Isaiah 66:7
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Before she travailed, she brought forth - That is, Zion. The idea here is, that there would be a great and sudden increase of her numbers. Zion is here represented, as it often is, as a female (see Isaiah 1:8), and as the mother of spiritual children (compare Isaiah 54:1; Isaiah 49:20-21). The particular idea here is, that the increase would be sudden - as if a child were born without the usual delay and pain of parturition. If the interpretation given of…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. 7in labor … delivered a boy: See Isaiah 9:6–7; 54:1–3.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. she--Zion. Before ... travailed ... brought forth--The accession of numbers, and of prosperity to her, shall be sudden beyond all expectation and unattended with painful effort (Is 54:1, 4, 5). Contrast with this case of the future Jewish Church the travail-pains of the Christian Church in bringing forth "a man child" (Re 12:2, 5). A man child's birth is in the East a matter of special joy, while that of a female is not so; therefore, it here means the…Read the comment
Topics related to Isaiah 66:7
In the dictionaries
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
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