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Isaiah 26:17
ESV Like a pregnant woman who writhes and cries out in her pangs when she is near to giving birth, so were we because of you, O LORD;
NIV As a pregnant woman about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pain, so were we in your presence, LORD.
NASB As the pregnant woman approaches the time to give birth, She writhes and cries out in her labor pains; This is how we were before You, Lord.
CSB As a pregnant woman about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pains, so we were before you, Lord.
NLT Just as a pregnant woman writhes and cries out in pain as she gives birth, so were we in your presence, Lord.
KJV Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.

What does Isaiah 26:17 mean?

The narrative of the chapter has shifted to describing the Lord's discipline on His people Israel and Judah. The discipline was both painful and productive. The prophet has stated that their distress under the Lord's discipline is so intense that the people could only whisper a prayer to Him (Isaiah 26:16).

Now he compares that discipline to the pain suffered by a woman in childbirth. She cries out as each new contraction comes. Each breath brings more intense pain as the birth gets closer. Isaiah tells the Lord that the pain He has caused them is similar in that it became greater and greater with each new season of God's discipline.

Although Isaiah redirects the analogy in the following verse, he does describe something that still surprises many believers in Jesus: The Lord disciplines His children (Hebrews 12:9). God increases the painfulness of the discipline over time if His children don't respond by repenting and turning back to Him. Israel's distress grew with each passing day as they continued in their unfaithfulness to the Lord.

This does not mean that all pain in this life is discipline from God for specific sins or rebellion (John 9:1–3; 16:33). Life on earth is full of all kinds of distress, and that is experienced by everyone, including those who are living in faithfulness to the Father. A believer's response to trials and pain should be the same no matter what God may be doing in their life: Draw closer to the Lord. Turn from sin and seek comfort in Him alone.
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