And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
And they said to him, 'This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day of trouble, discipline, and disgrace. We are like a woman in labor who has no strength left to deliver her baby.'
King Hezekiah is telling God through his messengers that Jerusalem is in desperate trouble - like a mother too weak to give birth - and they need God's help urgently.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 2 Kings, King Hezekiah of Judah was facing a massive invasion by the Assyrian army led by King Sennacherib, who had already conquered much of the surrounding region and was now threatening Jerusalem. Hezekiah, in desperation, sent messengers to the prophet Isaiah to request prayer and divine help amid this crisis. This verse uses a vivid metaphor of a woman in labor who lacks the strength to deliver, symbolizing the Judahites' dire situation where they were on the brink of destruction but powerless to save themselves.
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