Isaiah 66:7-11

Context

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

Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy!

66:8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?

Who has ever seen this?

Can a country¹ be brought forth in one day?

Can a nation be born in a single moment?

Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!

66:9 “Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?”

asks the Lord.

“Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?”

asks your God.²

66:10 Be happy for Jerusalem

and rejoice with her, all you who love her!

Share in her great joy,

all you who have mourned over her!

66:11 For³ you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished;⁴

you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts.⁵

[66:8] ¹tn Heb “land,” but here אֶרֶץ (’erets) stands metonymically for an organized nation (see the following line).

[66:9] ¹sn The rhetorical questions expect the answer, “Of course not!”

[66:11] ¹tn Or “in order that”; ASV, NRSV “that.”

[66:11] ²tn Heb “you will suck and be satisfied, from her comforting breast.”

[66:11] ³tn Heb “you will slurp and refresh yourselves from her heavy breast.”