I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
I have kept quiet for a long time; I have been silent and held myself back. Now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will destroy and consume everything at once.
God is saying that after holding back His judgment for a long time, He will now act with sudden and powerful force, like the intense cries of a woman giving birth.
📚 Historical Context
Isaiah prophesied during a turbulent period in Judah's history in the 8th century BC, when the nation faced threats from powerful empires like Assyria and later Babylon, highlighting God's role as the sovereign judge and deliverer. In this verse, God expresses His long patience and silence toward Israel's sins and unfaithfulness, but now declares He will act with overwhelming force, using the metaphor of a woman in labor to convey intense, unstoppable delivery of judgment or redemption. This reflects the broader biblical theme of God's timing in fulfilling His promises to His people.
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