6 Ask and see:

Can a man bear children?

Then why do I see every strong man

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

every face turned deathly pale?

7 How awful that day will be!

No other will be like it.

It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,

but he will be saved out of it.

8 “ ‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty,

‘I will break the yoke off their necks

and will tear off their bonds;

no longer will foreigners enslave them.

9 Instead, they will serve the Lord their God

and David their king,

whom I will raise up for them.

10 “ ‘So do not be afraid, Jacob my servant;

do not be dismayed, Israel,’

declares the Lord.

‘I will surely save you out of a distant place,

your descendants from the land of their exile.

Jacob will again have peace and security,

and no one will make him afraid.

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.

10 “Then fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord,

nor be dismayed, O Israel;

for behold, I will save you from far away,

and your offspring from the land of their captivity.

Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,

and none shall make him afraid.

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.

10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord;

Neither be dismayed, O Israel:

For, lo, I will save thee from afar,

And thy seed from the land of their captivity;

And Jacob shall return,

And shall be in rest, and be quiet,

And none shall make him afraid.

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.

10 “So do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant;

do not be dismayed, Israel,”

says the Lord.

“For I will bring you home again from distant lands,

and your children will return from their exile.

Israel will return to a life of peace and quiet,

and no one will terrorize 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.

10 “So people of Jacob, my servants, don’t be afraid.

Israel, don’t be frightened,” says the Lord.

“I will soon save you from that faraway place where you are captives.

I will save your family from that land.

The people of Jacob will be safe and have peace again;

there will be no enemy to frighten 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. 10 Therefore fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith Jehovah; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

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.

10 And thou, my servant Jacob, fear not, saith Jehovah; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for behold, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

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. 

10 “Don’t be afraid, my servant Jacob,” declares the Lord. 

Don’t be terrified, Israel. 

I’m going to rescue you from a faraway place. 

I’m going to rescue your descendants from where they are captives. 

The descendants of Jacob will again have peace and security, 

and no one will frighten them. 

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.”

10 As for you, My servant Jacob,

do not be afraid—

this is the Lord’s declaration—

and do not be dismayed, Israel,

for without fail I will save you from far away,

your descendants, from the land of their captivity!

Jacob will return and have calm and quiet

with no one to frighten him.

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.

10 But as for you, have no fear, my servant Jacob, says the Lord,

and do not be dismayed, O Israel;

for I am going to save you from far away,

and your offspring from the land of their captivity.

Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,

and no one shall make him afraid.

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.

10 But you must not fear, my servant Jacob,’ declares Yahweh,

‘and you must not be dismayed, Israel,

for look, I am going to save you from far,

and your offspring from the land of their captivity.

And Jacob will return,

and he will be at rest,

and he will be at ease,

and there will be no one who makes him afraid.

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.

10 “ ‘People of Jacob, do not be afraid.

You are my servant.

Israel, do not be terrified,’ ”

announces the Lord.

“ ‘You can be sure that I will save you.

I will bring you out of a place far away.

I will bring your children back

from the land where they were taken.

Your people will have peace and security again.

And no one will make them afraid.

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.

10 ‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant,’ declares the Lord,

‘And do not be dismayed, O Israel;

For behold, I will save you from afar

And your offspring from the land of their captivity.

And Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease,

And no one will make him afraid.