³For behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that ^aI will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. ^b‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’ ”

⁴Now these are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah.

⁵“For thus says the Lord:

‘We have heard a voice of trembling,

Of ¹fear, and not of peace.

⁶Ask now, and see,

Whether a ²man is ever in ³labor with child?

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

^cLike a woman in labor,

And all faces turned pale?

⁷^dAlas! For that day is great,

^eSo that none is like it;

And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,

But he shall be saved out of it.

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Footnotes

1dread
2Lit. male can give birth
3childbirth

Cross references

a Ps. 53:6; Jer. 29:14; 30:18; 32:44; Ezek. 39:25; Amos 9:14; Zeph. 3:20
b Jer. 16:15; Ezek. 20:42; 36:24
c Jer. 4:31; 6:24
d[Is. 2:12]; Hos. 1:11; Joel 2:11; Amos 5:18; Zeph. 1:14
e Lam. 1:12; Dan. 9:12; 12:1

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.”

These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah:

“Thus says the Lord:

We have heard a cry of panic,

of terror, and no peace.

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?

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.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.”

These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: “This is what the Lord says:

“ ‘Cries of fear are heard—

terror, not peace.

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?

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.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

for look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah,” says the Lord. “I will restore them to the land I gave to their ancestors and they will possess it.”

These are the words the Lord spoke to Israel and Judah. This is what the Lord says:

We have heard a cry of terror,

of dread—there is no peace.

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?

How awful that day will be!

There will be no other like it!

It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,

but he will be saved out of it.

NLTNew Living Translation

For the time is coming when I will restore the fortunes of my people of Israel and Judah. I will bring them home to this land that I gave to their ancestors, and they will possess it again. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

This is the message the Lord gave concerning Israel and Judah. This is what the Lord says:

“I hear cries of fear;

there is terror and no peace.

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?

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!

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

For look, days are coming,’ declares Yahweh, ‘when I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah,’ says Yahweh, ‘and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their ancestors and they will take possession of it.’ ”

Now these are the words that Yahweh spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah. “For thus says Yahweh:

‘We have heard a sound of trembling,

terror, and there is no peace.

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?

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.

KJV 1900King James Version

For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. And these are the words that the Lord spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus saith the Lord;

We have heard a voice of trembling,

Of fear, and not of peace.

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?

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.

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