Parallel Verses

New American Standard Bible

‘Ask now, and see
If a male can give birth.
Why do I see every man
With his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth?
And why have all faces turned pale?

King James Version

Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

Holman Bible

Ask and see
whether a male can give birth.
Why then do I see every man
with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor
and every face turned pale?

International Standard Version

Ask about this and think about it Can a man give birth to a child? Why then do I see every strong man with his hands on his thighs like a woman giving birth, and all their faces have turned pale?

A Conservative Version

Ask ye now, and see whether a man travails with child. Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

American Standard Version

Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child: wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

Amplified


‘Ask now, and see
Whether a man can give birth [to a child].
Why then do I see every man
With his hands on his loins, as a woman in labor?
Why have all faces turned pale?

Bible in Basic English

Put the question and see if it is possible for a man to have birth-pains: why do I see every man with his hands gripping his sides, as a woman does when the pains of birth are on her, and all faces are turned green?

Darby Translation

Ask ye now, and see, whether a male doth travail with child? Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail; and all faces are turned into paleness?

Julia Smith Translation

Ask ye now, and see if a male brought forth? wherefore did I see every man his hands upon his loins as she bringing forth, and all faces were turned to paleness?

King James 2000

Ask you now, and see whether a man does travail with child? why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

Lexham Expanded Bible

Ask please and see whether a male can bear a child. Why [do] I see every strong man [with] his hands on his loins like a woman giving birth? And [why] are all [their] faces changed to paleness?

Modern King James verseion

Ask now, and see whether a man is giving birth? Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, like a woman in labor, and all faces are turned into paleness?

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

For what else doth this signify, that I see? Namely, that all strong men smite every man his hand upon his loins, as a woman in the pain of her travail. Who ever saw a man travail with child? Enquire thereafter, and see. Yea, all their faces are marvelous pale.

NET Bible

Ask yourselves this and consider it carefully: Have you ever seen a man give birth to a baby? Why then do I see all these strong men grabbing their stomachs in pain like a woman giving birth? And why do their faces turn so deathly pale?

New Heart English Bible

Ask now, and see whether a man does travail with child: why do I see every man with his hands on his waist, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

The Emphasized Bible

Ask, I pray you, and see, whether a male travaileth with child! Why have I seen Every man with his hands upon his loins like a woman in travail, and Every face turned into ghastliness?

Webster

Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

World English Bible

Ask now, and see whether a man does travail with child: why do I see every man with his hands on his waist, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

Youngs Literal Translation

Ask, I pray you, and see, is a male bringing forth? Wherefore have I seen every man, His hands on his loins, as a travailing woman, And all faces have been turned to paleness?

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
Ask
שׁאל שׁאל 
Sha'al 
Usage: 172

ye now, and see
ראה 
Ra'ah 
Usage: 1308

זכר 
Zakar 
Usage: 83

ילד 
Yalad 
Usage: 497

wherefore do I see
ראה 
Ra'ah 
Usage: 1308

גּבר 
Geber 
Usage: 65

with his hands
יד 
Yad 
Usage: 1612

on his loins
חלץ 
Chalats 
Usage: 10

as a woman in travail
ילד 
Yalad 
Usage: 497

and all faces
פּנים 
Paniym 
Usage: 2119

References

Morish

Context Readings

Israel And Judah Will Be Delivered From Their Distress

5 Jehovah said: We hear cries of fear. We hear cries of panic. But we do not hear cries of peace. 6 ‘Ask now, and see
If a male can give birth.
Why do I see every man
With his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth?
And why have all faces turned pale?
7 How terrible that day will be! There will be no other day like it. It will be a time of calamity for the descendants of Jacob, but they will be rescued from it.

Cross References

Jeremiah 4:31

I hear a woman in labor. I hear the woman cry with anguish as she gives birth to her first child. My people Zion gasp for breath. They stretch out their hands and say: How horrible it is for us! My life is exhausted by the presence of murderers!

Jeremiah 6:24

We have heard the report! Our hands are limp. Anguish has seized us! We have pain like a woman in childbirth.

Jeremiah 22:23

You who dwell in Lebanon nested in the cedars. How you will groan when pangs come upon you, Pain like a woman in childbirth!

Joel 2:6

At their presence the peoples are in anguish; all faces are waxed pale.

Nahum 2:10

She is empty and void, a city laid waste! The hearts melt and the knees knock together. There is pain in all the hips and their faces have all grown pale.

Psalm 48:6

Panic seized them there, Anguish, like a woman in childbirth.

Isaiah 13:6-9

Shout (wail) (howl) for the Day of Jehovah is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.

Isaiah 21:3

What I saw and heard in the vision has filled me with terror and pain. My hips are full of pain and convulsions like that of a woman in labor.

Isaiah 29:22

Jehovah said to the house of Jacob: I am the God of Israel, who rescued Abraham from trouble. My people will not be disgraced any longer. You will no longer be filled with shame.

Jeremiah 13:21

What will you say when God makes the people you thought were your friends your new masters? Will pain grip you like a woman in labor?

Jeremiah 49:24

The people of Damascus are weak and have fled in terror. They are in pain and misery like a woman in labor.

Jeremiah 50:43

The king of Babylon has heard reports about them, and he loses courage. Anguish will grip him as pain grips a woman in labor.

Daniel 5:6

Then the king's countenance (appearance) changed in him. His thoughts troubled him. The joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees struck one against the other.

Hosea 13:13

They have the opportunity to live again, but they are not smart enough to take it. They are like a baby who is about to be born but will not come out of its mother's womb.

Micah 4:9-10

Why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished? Has pain taken hold of you like a woman in childbirth?

John 16:21-22

A woman in tribulation has sorrow, because her hour to give birth has come. When she delivers the child, she remembers no more anguish, because of the joy that a man is born into the world.

1 Thessalonians 5:3

When they say, Peace and security! then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come to a pregnant woman. They will not escape.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain