Isaiah 66:8
in Isaiah 66Who has heard of such as this? Who has seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be delivered in an instant? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
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.
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This verse in Isaiah 66
Commentary
5 notes on this verseZion therefore gave birth, that is, the remnant of Israel and the faith of the believing apostles gave birth to the male Lord and Savior, who was generated at once throughout the entire universe. No one has either heard or told his story or taught it to anyone, so that all the nations might come to believe in a very short time and that there might be formed one Christian people from all the various peoples.
This site's exposition
Before she travailed, she brought forth
on Isaiah 66:7-9
Before she travailed, she brought forth reverses the ordinary order of childbirth, pain expected before delivery, and pictures Zion's restoration arriving without the labor that should have preceded it, a birth completed before the pangs even began. The image answers its own question, who hath heard such a thing, with the report that a nation is born at once, as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children, the whole nation's restoration compressed into a single moment rather than a gradual return. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth answers any doubt with the Lord's own character as the one who completes what he begins, Delitzsch reading the whole unit as a picture of national rebirth rather than a claim about any one woman's labor.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
on Isaiah 66:6-14
He that, &c. - Solomon, Prov. xv, 8, gives a full commentary on the whole verse; The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. As if - From hence it is plain, that the prophet is not here reflecting upon idolatrous worship, but formal worship: upon those who in a formality worshipped the true God, and by acts which he had appointed.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Who hath seen “And who hath seen” - Twenty MSS., (four ancient), of Kennicott’s, and twenty-nine of De Rossi’s, and two ancient of my own, and the two oldest editions, with two others, have ומי umi, adding the conjunction ו vau; and so read all the ancient versions. And who hath seen?
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
In English Version it means, The earth brings forth its productions gradually, not in one day (Mr 4:28). at once--In this case, contrary to the usual growth of the nations by degrees, Israel starts into maturity at once. for--rather, "is a nation born at once, that Zion has, so soon as she travailed, brought forth?" [MAURER].
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִֽי־ | mi- | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| שָׁמַ֣ע | shama' | has he heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| כָּזֹ֗את | kazot | like this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| מִ֤י | mi | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| רָאָה֙ | raah | has he seen | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| כָּאֵ֔לֶּה | kaeleh | like these | H428 → | 746 times |
| הֲי֤וּחַל | hayuchal | ¿ will it be brought forth | H2342 → | 58 times |
| אֶ֙רֶץ֙ | ʾeretz | a land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| בְּי֣וֹם | beyom | in a day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| אֶחָ֔ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | or? | H518 → | 1069 times |
| יִוָּ֥לֵֽד | yivaled | will it be born | H3205 → | 496 times |
| גּ֖וֹי | goy | a nation | H1471 → | 561 times |
| פַּ֣עַם | paam | a time | H6471 → | 118 times |
| אֶחָ֑ת | ʾechat | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| חָ֛לָה | chalah | she was in labor | H2342 → | 58 times |
| גַּם־ | gam- | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| יָלְדָ֥ה | yaldah | she gave birth to | H3205 → | 496 times |
| צִיּ֖וֹן | tziyon | Zion | H6726 → | 154 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בָּנֶֽיהָ׃ | baneiha | children her | H1121 → | 4930 times |
מִֽי־who?
mi-H4310 →423 times
שָׁמַ֣עhas he heard
shama'H8085 →1159 times
כָּזֹ֗אתlike this
kazotH2063 →603 times
מִ֤יwho?
miH4310 →423 times
רָאָה֙has he seen
raahH7200 →1300 times
כָּאֵ֔לֶּהlike these
kaelehH428 →746 times
הֲי֤וּחַל¿ will it be brought forth
hayuchalH2342 →58 times
אֶ֙רֶץ֙a land
ʾeretzH776 →2504 times
בְּי֣וֹםin a day
beyomH3117 →2304 times
אֶחָ֔דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
אִם־or?
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
יִוָּ֥לֵֽדwill it be born
yivaledH3205 →496 times
גּ֖וֹיa nation
goyH1471 →561 times
פַּ֣עַםa time
paamH6471 →118 times
אֶחָ֑תone
ʾechatH259 →971 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
חָ֛לָהshe was in labor
chalahH2342 →58 times
גַּם־also
gam-H1571 →769 times
יָלְדָ֥הshe gave birth to
yaldahH3205 →496 times
צִיּ֖וֹןZion
tziyonH6726 →154 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בָּנֶֽיהָ׃children her
baneihaH1121 →4930 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Corinthians 2:9Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 64:4
From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
- Psalms 31:19
How great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have bestowed before the sons of men on those who take refuge in You!
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
- Isaiah 65:17
For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
- Isaiah 64:4
Through
Isaiah 64:4From ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 2:9–10
Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
- James 5:7
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
- Isaiah 25:9
And in that day it will be said, “Surely this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited. Let us…
- 1 Corinthians 2:9–10
About Isaiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 18:23; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.