Isaiah 26:17

26:17 As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver

and strains and cries out because of her labor pains,

so were we because of you, O Lord.

Isaiah 39:7

39:7 ‘Some of your very own descendants whom you father ¹  will be taken away and will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”

Isaiah 42:14

42:14 “I have been inactive ²  for a long time;

I kept quiet and held back.

Like a woman in labor I groan;

I pant and gasp. ³ 

Isaiah 51:18

51:18 There was no one to lead her

among all the children she bore;

there was no one to take her by the hand

among all the children she raised.

Isaiah 66:7

66:7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth!

Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy!

¹ tn Heb “Some of your sons, who go out from you, whom you father.”

¹ tn Heb “silent” (so NASB, NIV, TEV, NLT); CEV “have held my temper.”

² sn The imagery depicts the Lord as a warrior who is eager to fight and can no longer hold himself back from the attack.