Isaiah 42 14

Isaiah 42:14 kjv

I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.

Isaiah 42:14 nkjv

"I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at once.

Isaiah 42:14 niv

"For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant.

Isaiah 42:14 esv

For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant.

Isaiah 42:14 nlt

He will say, "I have long been silent;
yes, I have restrained myself.
But now, like a woman in labor,
I will cry and groan and pant.

Isaiah 42 verses

Isaiah 42 14 Meaning

The Lord declares His intention to break forth like a mighty warrior, conquering His enemies and bringing about judgment. This outburst of divine power is likened to a victory cry, bringing relief and restoration to His people after a period of silence and distress.

Isaiah 42 14 Context

This verse appears in Isaiah chapter 42, which begins with the depiction of God's chosen Servant, characterized by gentleness and a commitment to justice. However, chapter 42:14 marks a shift. After the extended discourse on the Servant's mission and God's faithfulness to His people, there's an apparent interruption of silence or stillness regarding divine intervention on behalf of Zion. The Lord addresses Zion directly, describing a moment of fervent prayer and petition. This verse signifies God's response to that plea, breaking His quietude with the might of a warrior to enact judgment and deliver His people. The historical context involves the people of Judah likely enduring periods of hardship, oppression, or waiting for divine deliverance from foreign powers, perhaps during the Assyrian or Babylonian periods. The prophetic fulfillment is strongly linked to the victorious and conquering aspect of the Messiah's work.

Isaiah 42 14 Word Analysis

• מָתִתִי (matitī): "I will speak" or "I have spoken." This verb suggests vocalization, but in this context, it implies a declaration, an announcement of action or intention. The Septuagint (LXX) translates it with terms relating to giving voice or crying out, emphasizing the vocal aspect.
• קָלוֹל (qālôl): "weak," "feeble," or "faint." It describes a state of low strength, emotional weariness, or quietude.
• אֶפְקֹד (’eqod): "I will visit," "I will reckon with," or "I will punish." This is a strong term that can mean to look after, to care for, or to come upon someone to bring judgment or consequence.
• אֶשָּׂא (’esā’): "I will lift," "I will carry," or "I will bear." In the context of judgment and conquest, it implies bringing judgment to bear or enacting a significant action.
• עִקֵּשׁ (’iqqeš): "crooked," "perverse," "obstinate," or "stubborn." This refers to those who deliberately go against God's will or established order.
• גֵּיא־רִיב (gēy-rîḇ): "valley of contention" or "ravine of struggle." This imagery suggests a place of intense conflict, a battlefield where disputes are settled.

Word Group Analysis

• "I have been silent, I have been quiet, I have kept myself still.": This phrase establishes the preceding state of inaction or withheld response from God. It emphasizes a period of waiting from the perspective of the afflicted people. The silence is not a passive state but a deliberate restraint preceding a decisive action.
• "But now I will cry out like a woman in childbirth; I will gasp and pant.": This simile introduces a dramatic shift. The cry is not just any sound but one of intense effort, labor, and imminent breakthrough. It’s the sound of something powerful and new being brought forth. The repeated "gasp and pant" intensifies this imagery of strenuous effort and immediate consequence.
• "I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will turn the rivers into islands and dry up the pools.": This sequence describes the extensive and thorough nature of God's impending action. It employs powerful natural imagery of destruction and transformation to illustrate the scale of His judgment and reordering of the world to facilitate His purpose. It signifies the removal of all obstacles and the thoroughness of the victory.
• "I will bring the blind by a way that they do not know, and by paths that they have not known I will guide them.": This contrasts with the destruction. It signifies a gentle, guiding restoration for His people. Even though judgment is enacted, the ultimate purpose is the safe return and guidance of the blind (representing those spiritually lost or helpless) to a place of knowledge and safety. This highlights the dual nature of God’s action: judgment on His enemies and salvation for His people.
• "I will turn darkness before them into light, and rough places into level ground.": This further emphasizes the salvific aspect for the faithful. It's about transforming difficult circumstances into ease and clarity. Darkness represents ignorance, despair, and opposition, while light signifies knowledge, hope, and divine presence. Rough places are obstacles, made smooth by God's power.

Isaiah 42 14 Bonus Section

The imagery of God "crying out like a woman in childbirth" is profound. It underscores the deep maternal, protective love and the immense struggle involved in bringing forth salvation and victory. It's not an easy or effortless act of divine power but one of deep engagement and exertion. This aligns with the understanding of God's sovereignty being actively exercised, not passively maintained. Furthermore, the parallel between the destruction of natural elements (mountains, rivers) and the guiding of the blind by a new path speaks to the all-encompassing nature of God's work – both judgment upon the ungodly world and precise, tender care for His redeemed. The fulfillment of this verse is often seen in Christ's victory over sin and death, where the world's powers are judged and His people are guided into new life.

Isaiah 42 14 Commentary

This verse is a powerful declaration of God's decisive intervention after a period of apparent quiet. It shifts from the gentleness of the Servant in the earlier verses to the unbridled power of God as a warrior. The simile of a laboring woman signifies intense effort leading to a dramatic and decisive outcome. This action is destructive to the ungodly (laying waste, drying up) and salvific for the faithful (guiding the blind, turning darkness to light). It speaks of a judgment that clears the way for His people's restoration. This is not merely punitive but transformative, remaking the landscape for their benefit. The comprehensive destruction foreshadows the complete defeat of God’s enemies and the establishment of His righteous rule.