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

29The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein. 30And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou enlargest thine eyes with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life. 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.

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 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 fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
• Jeremiah 13:21What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?
• Jeremiah 22:23O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a woman in travail!
• Jeremiah 30:6Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
• Jeremiah 48:41Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised, and the mighty men’s hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
• Jeremiah 49:22Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
• Jeremiah 50:43The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.
• Isaiah 13:8And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
• Isaiah 21:3Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.
• Hosea 13:13The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
• Jeremiah 6:2I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.
• Matthew 21:5Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon a donkey, and a colt the foal of a donkey.
• Isaiah 1:15And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
• Lamentations 1:17Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her: Yhwh hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.
• Jeremiah 10:19Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must 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

• 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