Isaiah 66 · Verse 9

Isaiah 66:9

Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.
Isaiah 66:9, King James Version

Isaiah 66:9 in other translations

BSBShall I bring a baby to the point of birth and not deliver it?” says the LORD. “Or will I who deliver close the womb?” says your God.
WEBShall I bring to the birth, and not cause to be delivered?” says the LORD. “Shall I who cause to give birth shut the womb?” says your God.
ASVShall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith Jehovah: shall I that cause to bring forth shut the womb? saith thy God.
YLT‘Do I bring to the birth, And not cause to bring forth?' saith Jehovah, ‘Am not I He who is causing to beget? I have also restrained,' said thy God.
DARBYShall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith Jehovah; I who cause to bring forth, shall I shut the womb? saith thy God.
BBEWill I by whom the birth was started, not make it complete? says the Lord. Will I who make children come to birth, let them be kept back? says your God.
WebsterShall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

What does Isaiah 66:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. cause to bring forth, and shut--rather, "Shall I who beget, restrain the birth?" [Lowth], (Is 37:3; Ho 13:13); that is, Shall I who have begun, not finish My work of restoring Israel? (1Sa 3:12; Ro 11:1; Php 1:6). shut--(compare Re 3:7, 8).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 Shall I bring to the birth - האני אשביר haani ashbir, num ego matricem frangam; Montanus. The word means that which immediately precedes the appearance of the fetus - the breaking forth of the liquor amnii. This also is an expression that should be studiously avoided in prayers and sermons.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 66:5-14

The prophet turns to those that trembled at God's word, to comfort and encourage them. The Lord will appear, to the joy of the humble believer, and to the confusion of hypocrites and persecutors. When the Spirit was poured out, and the gospel went forth from Zion, multitudes were converted in a little time. The word of God, especially his promises, and ordinances, are the consolations of the church. The true…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 66:5-14 →

Isaiah 66:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הַאֲנִ֥יha.'a.Ni¿ IH589
אַשְׁבִּ֛יר'ash.Birdo I bring to [the] birthH7665
וְלֹ֥אve.Lo'and notH3808
אוֹלִ֖יד'o.LidI cause to bring forthH3205
יֹאמַ֣רyo.Marhe saysH559
יְהוָ֑הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אִם\־'im-or?H518
אֲנִ֧י'a.Ni[am] IH589
הַמּוֹלִ֛ידha.mo.Lidthe [one who] causes to bring forthH3205
וְעָצַ֖רְתִּיve.'a.Tzar.tiand do I restrain?H6113
אָמַ֥ר'a.Marhe saysH559
אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ\׃\ \ס'e.lo.Ha.yikhGod yourH430

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 66:9

  • Isaiah 37:3

    And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

  • Genesis 18:14

    Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
bring to.
37:3; Ge 18:14
cause to bring forth. or, beget.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 66:8

    Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

  • Isaiah 66:9

    Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God.

  • Isaiah 66:10

    Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

Read all of Isaiah 66

Isaiah 66:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Yo que hago parir, no pariré? dijo Jehová. ¿Yo que hago engendrar, seré detenido? dice el Dios tuyo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Amènerais-je jusqu’au moment de l’enfantement, et je ne ferais pas enfanter? dit l’ Éternel. Moi, qui fais enfanter, je fermerais la matrice? dit ton Dieu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Sollte ich zum Durchbruch bringen und nicht gebären lassen? spricht Jehova; oder sollte ich, der gebären läßt, verschließen? spricht dein Gott.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Numquid ego qui alios parere facio, ipse non pariam? dicit Dominus. Si ego, qui generationem ceteris tribuo, sterilis ero? ait Dominus Deus tuus.