6 Ask now, and see,

can a man bear a child?

Why then do I see every man

with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor?

Why has every face turned pale?

7 Alas! That day is so great

there is none like it;

it is a time of distress for Jacob;

yet he shall be saved out of it.

8 “And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I will burst your bonds, and foreigners shall no more make a servant of him. 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

6 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?

7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it:

It is even the time of Jacob’s trouble;

But he shall be saved out of it.

8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts,

That I will break his yoke from off thy neck,

And will burst thy bonds,

And strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:

9 But they shall serve the Lord their God,

And David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

6 Now let me ask you a question:

Do men give birth to babies?

Then why do they stand there, ashen-faced,

hands pressed against their sides

like a woman in labor?

7 In all history there has never been such a time of terror.

It will be a time of trouble for my people Israel.

Yet in the end they will be saved!

8 For in that day,”

says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies,

“I will break the yoke from their necks

and snap their chains.

Foreigners will no longer be their masters.

9 For my people will serve the Lord their God

and their king descended from David—

the king I will raise up for them.

6 Ask now, and see,

Whether a man is ever in labor with child?

So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins

Like a woman in labor,

And all faces turned pale?

7 Alas! For that day is great,

So that none is like it;

And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,

But he shall be saved out of it.

8 ‘For it shall come to pass in that day,’

Says the Lord of hosts,

‘That I will break his yoke from your neck,

And will burst your bonds;

Foreigners shall no more enslave them.

9 But they shall serve the Lord their God,

And David their king,

Whom I will raise up for them.

6 Ask this question, and consider it:

A man cannot have a baby.

So why do I see every strong man

holding his stomach in pain like a woman having a baby?

Why is everyone’s face turning white like a dead man’s face?

7 This will be a terrible day!

There will never be another time like this.

This is a time of great trouble for the people of Jacob,

but they will be saved from it.”

8 The Lord All-Powerful says, “At that time

I will break the yoke from their necks

and tear off the ropes that hold them.

Foreign people will never again make my people slaves.

9 They will serve the Lord their God

and David their king,

whom I will send to them.

6 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? 7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. 8 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds; and strangers shall no more make him their bondman; 9 but they shall serve Jehovah their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

6 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? 7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. 8 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more reduce him to servitude. 9 But they shall serve Jehovah their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

6 Ask now, and see: Can a man give birth to a child? 

Why, then, do I see every strong man holding his stomach in pain 

like a woman giving birth to a child? 

Why has every face 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. 

8 “On that day,” declares the Lord of Armies, “I will break the yokesoff your necks and tear off your ropes. Foreigners will no longer make you serve them. 9 You will serve the Lord your God and David your king. I will establish him for you. 

6 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?

7 How awful that day will be!

There will be none like it!

It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,

but he will be delivered out of it.

8 “On that day”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“I will break his yoke from your neck and tear off your chains so strangers will never again enslave him. 9 They will serve the Lord their God and I will raise up David their king for them.”

6 Ask now, and see,

can a man bear a child?

Why then do I see every man

with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor?

Why has every face turned pale?

7 Alas! that day is so great

there is none like it;

it is a time of distress for Jacob;

yet he shall be rescued from it.

8 On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will break the yoke from off his neck, and I will burst his bonds, and strangers shall no more make a servant of him. 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

6 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?

7 Alas! For that day is great,

there is none like it.

And it is a time of distress for Jacob,

yet from it he will be delivered.

8 And it will happen on that day,’ declares Yahweh of hosts,

‘I will break his yoke from your neck

and your bonds I will tear to pieces.

And strangers will no longer let him work as a slave.

9 But they will serve Yahweh their God,

and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

6 Ask and see.

Can a man give birth to children?

Then why do I see every strong man

with his hands on his stomach?

Each of them is acting like a woman having a baby.

Every face is as pale as death.

7 How awful that day will be!

No other day will be like it.

It will be a time of trouble for the people of Jacob.

But they will be saved out of it.

8 “ ‘At that time I will break the yoke off their necks,’

announces the Lord who rules over all.

‘I will tear off the ropes that hold them.

People from other lands will not make them slaves anymore.

9 Instead, they will serve me.

And they will serve David their king.

I will raise him up for them.

I am the Lord their God.

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 ‘Alas! for that day is great,

There is none like it;

And it is the time of Jacob’s distress,

But he will be saved from it.

8 ‘It shall come about on that day,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘that I will break his yoke from off their neck and will tear off their bonds; and strangers will no longer make them their slaves.

9 ‘But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.