Bible Strands

Isaiah 42:14

“I have kept silent from ages past; I have remained quiet and restrained. But now I will groan like a woman in labor; I will at once gasp and pant.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — YHWH addresses Israel, marking the transition from His long-term restraint to immediate intervention, directly following His declaration of going forth like a warrior in verse 13 and preceding His announcement of judgment on the nations in verse 15.

The words — The terms הֶחֱשֵׁיתִי (heḥeshēṯî) and אֶתְאַפֵּק (et'apēq) describe prolonged silence and self-restraint, while אֶפְעֶה ('epe'eh) and אֶשְׁאָף ('esh'af) denote the involuntary groaning and panting of labor.

The thread — The pattern of divine silence giving way to active judgment connects to Psalms 83:1, where the psalmist pleads for God to stop being still, and Jeremiah 15:6, which links God’s outstretched hand of judgment to the people turning their backs on Him.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that divine patience is not indifference, but a deliberate delay before decisive action, requiring the reader to abandon assumptions about God’s timing and submit to His sovereign intervention.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

הֶחֱשֵׁ֙יתִי֙he.che.Shei.tiI have been silentמֵֽעוֹלָ֔םme./'o.Lamfrom/ a long timeאַחֲרִ֖ישׁ'a.cha.RishI have kept silentאֶתְאַפָּ֑ק'et.'a.PakI have restrained myselfכַּיּוֹלֵדָ֣הka/i.yo.le.Dahlike <the>/ [woman] giving birthאֶפְעֶ֔ה'ef.'EhI groanאֶשֹּׁ֥ם'e.ShomI puffוְאֶשְׁאַ֖ףve./'esh.'Afand/ I may pantיָֽחַד׃Ya.chadtogether

King James Version

I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.

Cross-references