Isaiah 66:8 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.
Isaiah 66:8 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.
Isaiah 66:8 niv
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.
Isaiah 66:8 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.
Isaiah 66:8 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.
Isaiah 66 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isaiah 66:7 | "Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child." | Fulfillment of prophecy |
| Romans 9:11 | "For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;" | God's sovereign purpose |
| Galatians 4:26 | "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." | Heavenly Jerusalem |
| Revelation 12:1-2 | "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in childbirth, and pained to be delivered." | Symbolic birth of a nation/people |
| Isaiah 54:1-3 | "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make desolate cities to be inhabited." | Expansion of God's people |
| John 16:21 | "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world." | Joy after suffering |
| Matthew 1:21 | "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins." | Savior's birth |
| Acts 2:41 | "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." | Rapid growth of the church |
| Romans 8:22 | "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." | Creation's groaning |
| Jeremiah 30:6 | "Ask 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?" | Describing deep distress |
| Genesis 3:16 | "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." | The nature of childbirth pain |
| Isaiah 45:7 | "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." | God's sovereignty |
| Isaiah 60:1 | "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee." | The dawning of a new era |
| Ephesians 3:10 | "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." | Church reveals God's wisdom |
| Zechariah 12:3 | "And in that day shall Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." | Jerusalem as a focus |
| Isaiah 62:5 | "As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee." | God's joy in His people |
| 1 Corinthians 12:12 | "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ." | Unity in Christ's body |
| Ephesians 2:15 | "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;" | Making one new man |
| John 10:16 | "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." | Unity of believers |
| Galatians 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." | Oneness in Christ |
| Romans 11:15 | "For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?" | Receiving Israel back |
Isaiah 66 verses
Isaiah 66 8 Meaning
The verse describes the immediate birth and protection of Zion and its people. As soon as Zion travailed, it gave birth to its children, signifying a sudden and complete restoration and proliferation. The nation, like a mother, would give birth before experiencing the pains of labor, highlighting God's swift and powerful intervention.
Isaiah 66 8 Context
This verse is the concluding statement of the book of Isaiah, a prophecy of comfort and restoration for Israel after their exile. The preceding verses (Isaiah 66:1-7) speak of God's rejection of hypocritical worship and his judgment on the wicked, contrasting it with the future glory of Zion. Isaiah 66:7-8 paints a picture of sudden, miraculous restoration and growth for God's people, depicted as a mother giving birth easily and instantly. This symbolizes the flourishing of a redeemed and renewed Jerusalem and its people, gathering in those who were formerly scattered or exiled, and receiving an abundance of new converts from all nations.
Isaiah 66 8 Word Analysis
"For": Indicates a cause or explanation for the preceding statement or the nature of the events that follow.
"as": A comparative conjunction, setting up an analogy.
"soon": Implies immediacy, haste, or swiftness.
"as Zion": Refers to Jerusalem, the holy city and a symbol of God's people and presence.
"travailed": Implies labor, especially the pains of childbirth. Here, it is presented as a state immediately preceding birth, but the "birth" is described as happening before significant "pain."
"she travailed": The subject is Zion, personified as a woman giving birth.
"she brought forth": The act of giving birth, producing offspring.
"her children": The people of Zion, a renewed and multiplied community.
"Words group analysis":
- "As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children": This is a remarkable statement contrasting with the usual experience of childbirth. It emphasizes the supernatural speed and ease of Zion's revival and expansion, meaning God's power makes the impossible possible, transforming barrenness into prolific life. It signifies a divine intervention where the anticipated suffering is bypassed by immediate fruitfulness, representing a sudden ingathering and a miraculous increase of God’s redeemed community.
Isaiah 66 8 Bonus Section
The imagery of birth, particularly a child born without significant travail, is unusual in earthly experience but aligns with God's power to supersede natural limitations. Scholars often connect this with the spiritual birth of the Church in the New Testament, where converts are added rapidly, and the spiritual community expands from a nucleus (like the apostles and early believers) to a global movement. It speaks to God's unfailing promise to bring forth a lasting kingdom through His chosen people, a kingdom that will ultimately encompass all nations, echoing the expansion described in Isaiah 54. This prophetic vision of swift and abundant growth anticipates a complete fulfillment in the New Jerusalem, where the Bride (the Church) rejoices with her eternal Bridegroom.
Isaiah 66 8 Commentary
This verse poetically depicts the swift and abundant restoration and expansion of God's people. Zion, the mother of believers, experiences an almost instantaneous birth of new spiritual offspring. This "birth" signifies a new era of God's favor, where the community expands rapidly and unexpectedly, receiving a multitude of people. It’s a testament to God’s power to overcome barrenness and sorrow, bringing forth joy and growth without the usual prolonged suffering, illustrating the miraculous nature of God's redemptive work and the flourishing of His kingdom. This new birth contrasts sharply with past struggles and dispersions.