15 Bible Verses about Barrenness

Most Relevant Verses

Psalm 107:34

and a fruitful land into a salty waste, due to the wickedness of its inhabitants.

Joel 2:20

"I will remove the northerners from you, driving them to a barren and desolate land the front toward the Dead Sea and the back toward the Mediterranean. Their stench will rise, and their stinking odor will ascend, because they have done great things."

Luke 13:6-9

Then Jesus told them this parable: "A man had a fig tree that had been planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it but didn't find any. So he told the gardener, "Look here! For three years I've been coming to look for fruit on this tree but I haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it waste the soil?' But the gardener replied, "Sir, leave it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and fertilize it. read more.
Maybe next year it will bear fruit. If not, then cut it down.'"

Genesis 16:2

So Sarai told Abram, "You are well aware that the LORD has prevented me from giving birth to a child. Go have sex with my servant, so that I may possibly bear a son through her."

2 Samuel 6:23

And Saul's daughter Michal bore no children from that day on until the day she died.

Exodus 23:26

No woman will miscarry or be barren in your land, and I'll make every day of your life complete.

Deuteronomy 7:14

You'll be blessed among all the nations. There'll be no infertility among you, not even among your herds.

Job 3:7

"Yes, let that night be barren; let it not appear with its joyful shout.

Isaiah 54:1

"Sing, you barren woman, even the one who never bore a child! Burst into song and shout for joy, even you who were never in labor! For the children of the desolate woman will be more than the children of her that is married," says the LORD.

Galatians 4:27

For it is written, "Rejoice, you childless woman, who cannot give birth to any children! Break into song and shout, you who feel no pains of childbirth! For the children of the deserted woman are more numerous than the children of the woman who has a husband."

From Thematic Bible


Barrenness » Barrenness of soil as a result of sin

Genesis 4:12

Whenever you work the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you, and you'll wander throughout the earth as a fugitive."

Leviticus 26:20

Your strength will be spent in vain, because your land won't yield its produce and the trees of the land won't yield their fruit.

Deuteronomy 11:17

The wrath of God will burn against you so that he will restrain the heavens and it won't rain. The ground won't yield its produce and you'll be swiftly destroyed from the good land that the LORD is about to give you.

Hosea 8:7

"Because they sow the wind, they will reap the wind storm. The plant has no stalk and its bud yields no grain. Even if there's a harvest, foreigners will gobble it up.

Barrenness » A reproach

Genesis 30:22-23

Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb, so she conceived, bore a son, and remarked, "God has removed my shame."

1 Samuel 1:6-7

Now the LORD had closed her womb. Her rival would provoke her severely so that she complained loudly because the LORD had closed her womb. Elkanah would do this year after year, as often as Hannah went up to the house of the LORD. Likewise, Peninnah would provoke her, and Hannah would cry and would not eat.

1 Samuel 2:1-11

Then Hannah prayed: "My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is increased by the LORD. I will open my mouth to speak against my enemies, because I rejoice in your deliverance. Indeed, there is no one holy like the LORD, indeed, there is no one besides you, there is no rock like our God. Don't continue to talk proudly, and don't speak arrogantly, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. read more.
The bows of warriors are shattered, but those who stumble are equipped with strength. Those who had an abundance of bread now hire themselves out, and those who were hungry hunger no more. While the barren woman gives birth to seven children, she who had many children languishes. The LORD kills and gives life, he brings people down to where the dead are and he raises them up. The LORD makes people poor and he makes people rich, he brings them low, and he also exalts them. He raises the poor up from the dust, he lifts up the needy from the trash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. Indeed the pillars of the earth belong to the LORD, and he has set the world on them. He guards the steps of his faithful ones, while the wicked are made silent in darkness. He grants the request of the one who prays. He blesses the year of the righteous. Indeed it's not by strength that a person prevails. The LORD will shatter his enemies those who contend against him. Who is holy? The one who will thunder against them in the heavens. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth, he will give strength to his king, and he will increase the strength of His anointed one." Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah, while the boy was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest.

Isaiah 4:1

"At that time, seven women will cling tightly to one man and will make him this offer: "We'll provide our own bread. We'll provide our own clothes. Just let us marry you so we won't be stigmatized anymore.'"

Luke 1:25

"This is what the Lord did for me when he looked favorably on me and took away my public disgrace."

Barrenness » Miraculously removed, instances of » Sarai

Genesis 17:15-21

God told Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are not to call her Sarai any longer, because her name is to be Sarah. I will bless her. Furthermore, I will give you a son from her. I will bless her, so that nations, kings, and people will come from her." Abraham fell to the ground, laughed, and told himself, "Can a child be born to a 100-year-old man? Can a 90-year-old Sarah give birth?" read more.
So Abraham responded to God, "If only Ishmael would live in constant awareness that you're always with him!" But God replied, "No, but your wife Sarah will give birth to your son, and you are to name him Isaac. I'll confirm my covenant with him as an eternal covenant for his descendants. And as for Ishmael, I've heard you. I'll bless him, and he'll have many descendants. I will multiply him greatly, he'll father twelve tribal leaders, and I'll cause his descendants to become a great nation. Now as to Isaac, I'll confirm my covenant with him, to whom Sarah will give birth as your son at this time next year."

Barrenness » Sent as a judgment

Genesis 20:17-18

Then Abraham interceded with God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants so they could bear children, since the LORD had made all the women barren in Abimelech's household on account of Abraham's wife Sarah.

Barrenness » Miraculously removed, instances of » Hannah

1 Samuel 1:6-20

Now the LORD had closed her womb. Her rival would provoke her severely so that she complained loudly because the LORD had closed her womb. Elkanah would do this year after year, as often as Hannah went up to the house of the LORD. Likewise, Peninnah would provoke her, and Hannah would cry and would not eat. Elkanah her husband told her, "Hannah, why are you crying and why don't you eat? Why are you upset? Am I not better to you than ten sons?" read more.
Hannah got up after she had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the chair by the doorpost of the tent of the LORD. Deeply distressed, she prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. Hannah made a vow: "LORD of the Heavenly Armies, if you just look at the misery of your maid servant, remember me, and don't forget your maid servant. If you give your maid servant a son, then I'll give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and a razor is never to touch his head." As she continued to pray in the LORD's presence, Eli was watching her mouth. Hannah was praying inwardly. Her lips were quivering, and her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. Eli told her, "How long will you stay drunk? Put away your wine!" "No, sir!" Hannah replied. "I'm a deeply troubled woman. I've drunk neither wine nor beer. I've been pouring out my soul in the LORD's presence. Don't consider your maid servant a worthless woman. Rather, all this time I've been speaking because I'm very anxious and distressed." "Go in peace," Eli answered. "May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him." She said, "Let your servant find favor in your eyes." Then she went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. They got up early the next morning and worshipped in the LORD's presence, and then they returned and came to their house at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. By the time of the next year's sacrifice, Hannah had become pregnant and had borne a son. She named him Samuel because she said, "I asked the LORD for him."

Barrenness » Miraculously removed, instances of » Elisabeth

Luke 1:5-25

During the reign of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous before God, having lived blamelessly according to all of the commandments and regulations of the Lord. They had no children because Elizabeth was barren and because both of them were getting old. read more.
When Zechariah was serving with his division of priests in God's presence, he was chosen by lot to go into the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense, according to the custom of the priests. And the entire congregation of people was praying outside at the time when the incense was burned. An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the incense altar. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled, and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel told him, "Stop being afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have great joy, and many people will rejoice at his birth, because he will be great in the Lord's presence. He will never drink wine or any strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring many of Israel's descendants back to the Lord their God. He is the one who will go before the Lord with the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and to prepare the people to be ready for the Lord." Then Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this, since I am an old man, and my wife is getting older?" The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. I have been sent to speak to you and to announce this good news to you. But because you did not believe my announcement, which will be fulfilled at its proper time, you will become silent and unable to speak until the day this happens." Meanwhile, the people kept waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed in the sanctuary so long. But when he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them but remained unable to speak. When the days of his service were over, he went home. After this, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and remained in seclusion for five months. She said, "This is what the Lord did for me when he looked favorably on me and took away my public disgrace."

Barrenness » Miraculously removed, instances of » Rebecca

Genesis 25:21

Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, since she was unable to conceive children, and the LORD responded to him his wife Rebekah became pregnant.

Barrenness » Miraculously removed, instances of » Manoah's wife

Deserts » Illustrative of » Barrenness

Psalm 107:33

He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into dry ground,

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