Isaiah 21 3

Isaiah 21:3 kjv

Therefore 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.

Isaiah 21:3 nkjv

Therefore my loins are filled with pain; Pangs have taken hold of me, like the pangs of a woman in labor. I was distressed when I heard it; I was dismayed when I saw it.

Isaiah 21:3 niv

At this my body is racked with pain, pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor; I am staggered by what I hear, I am bewildered by what I see.

Isaiah 21:3 esv

Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman in labor; I am bowed down so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see.

Isaiah 21:3 nlt

My stomach aches and burns with pain.
Sharp pangs of anguish are upon me,
like those of a woman in labor.
I grow faint when I hear what God is planning;
I am too afraid to look.

Isaiah 21 verses

Isaiah 21 3 meaning

Isaiah the prophet, having received a divine revelation concerning the impending destruction of Babylon, describes a profound, visceral anguish that seizes him. This pain is not merely emotional but manifests physically, a deep internal distress akin to the excruciating and unavoidable contractions of a woman in labor. So overwhelming is this experience that it renders him physically incapacitated, unable to perceive or comprehend his surroundings due to the intensity of his horror and confusion. It underscores the prophet's identification with the suffering he foresees, experiencing in advance the terror of divine judgment.

Isaiah 21 3 Context

Isaiah 21, titled "The Oracle Concerning the Desert by the Sea," primarily foretells the fall of Babylon, an event that profoundly impacts surrounding nations, including Judah. The prophet takes on the role of a watchman, awaiting and then delivering a dire message (Isa 21:1-2). Immediately preceding verse 3, the prophet describes a "harsh vision" shown to him—treachery and destruction—leading to his personal suffering. This vision, likely experienced as a vivid revelation or dream, causes him intense physical and emotional agony, reflecting God's own grief and indignation over the pride and sin of Babylon and its ultimate judgment. The context also indirectly speaks to Judah, who suffered under various oppressors, including Assyria and eventually Babylon. The judgment against Babylon, while painful to witness in prophetic empathy, ultimately holds the promise of relief for God's people.

Isaiah 21 3 Word analysis

• Therefore (לָכֵן - lakhen): This word functions as a strong consequential connector. It links the prophet's personal distress directly to the preceding vision of destruction and betrayal described in verse 2, establishing a cause-and-effect relationship between divine revelation and human reaction.
• my loins (מָתְנַי - motnay): In Hebrew thought, the loins represented the seat of physical strength, procreative power, and the inner being or deepest emotions. When one's loins are affected, it signifies a total collapse of one's core stability and personal resilience. This indicates a deeply internal, gut-wrenching experience rather than superficial sorrow.
• are filled with anguish (מָלְאוּ נִחְלָעִים - mal'u nihla'im): Mal'u (filled) denotes completeness, while nihla'im (anguish) comes from a root often meaning twisted, writhing pain, dread, or a sickening sensation. The combination suggests that his entire being is saturated with a pervasive and consuming dread. It's an internal contortion, not merely discomfort.
• pangs (צִירִים - tzirim): This noun specifically refers to sharp, intense, seizing pains, most commonly associated with labor contractions. The term highlights the agonizing, repetitive, and ultimately unavoidable nature of the suffering.
• have seized me (אֲחָזֻנִי - achazuni): From the verb 'achaz, meaning to take hold, grasp, or grip. It conveys a sudden, powerful, and involuntary seizure of the prophet, indicating that this suffering is beyond his control and has forcefully overtaken him.
• like the pangs of a woman in labor (כְּצִירֵי יֹולֵדָה - k'tzirey yoledah): This is a powerful and widely understood metaphor for an inevitable, excruciating, and progressively intensifying pain that culminates in a new event. It implies a sense of both dread and expectation. Culturally, it denotes an agony so profound it makes one feel utterly helpless and without escape, much like the process of birth itself. It also signifies the severity and certainty of the judgment to come.
• I am bowed down (נִכְלֵיתִי - nichleiti): From a root meaning to be complete, to finish, to wear out, or to be consumed. Here, it indicates utter exhaustion, being completely spent, or brought low by suffering. It is a state of physical and emotional depletion.
• so that I cannot hear (מִשְׁמֹעַ - mishmo'a): His distress is so overwhelming that it prevents normal sensory perception. He cannot discern what is being said or what is happening around him; the intensity of his internal experience drowns out external reality. This is not about deafness but being mentally incapacitated.
• I am dismayed (נִבְהַלְתִּי - nivhalti): From the root bahal, meaning to be terrified, to be in a panic, confused, or suddenly agitated. It describes a state of profound shock and terror that scrambles rational thought and induces panic.
• so that I cannot see (מֵרְאֹות - me'ra'ot): His vision is metaphorically, or even literally, obscured by the magnitude of his distress. The terror of the vision's content or his reaction to it blinds him to his immediate surroundings, mirroring the psychological impact of overwhelming dread.

• "Therefore my loins are filled with anguish": This phrase encapsulates the deeply personal and all-encompassing nature of the prophet's suffering. It's a foundational agony originating from the very core of his being.
• "pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman in labor": This strong simile underscores the inescapable and physically excruciating quality of the prophet's emotional distress. It foreshadows the agonizing fate of those under divine judgment, emphasizing the certain and unavoidable nature of the impending doom.
• "I am bowed down so that I cannot hear, I am dismayed so that I cannot see": This pair of parallel phrases conveys the complete physical and mental incapacitation brought on by the prophetic burden. His senses are overwhelmed and effectively shut down by the intensity of the divine revelation and the terror it portends.

Isaiah 21 3 Bonus section

This prophetic experience reflects a deep theological truth: the weight of God's Word, particularly judgments, is not light or easy. Prophets often experienced the truths they proclaimed, carrying a burden that extended beyond mere verbal declaration into their very bodies and souls. This intimate identification with the divine message distinguishes genuine prophecy from mere speculation. It suggests that even the pronouncement of judgment on Babylon was experienced with a level of anguish that hints at the Creator's own sorrow over the fallen state of humanity and the necessary yet painful process of justice. This passage can be understood as an early example of "vicarious suffering" in a prophetic context, where the messenger bears a portion of the pain related to the message.

Isaiah 21 3 Commentary

Isaiah 21:3 powerfully illustrates the profound burden of a prophet called to announce divine judgment. His physical and psychological collapse reflects a deep empathy for the impending suffering of others, perhaps even those he views as enemies. The metaphor of labor pains highlights the intensity and inevitability of the catastrophe, suggesting it's a painful process but one leading to a predestined outcome. The prophet's sensory incapacitation signifies not just personal weakness but the overwhelming, disorienting nature of God's revealed truth. This is a prophet who truly "feels" God's judgment and its implications, offering a model of empathetic discernment rather than detached announcement. It underscores that God's justice is a matter of profound gravity, even to His messengers.