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Before she goes into labor, she gives birth!
Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy!
Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen this?
Can a country[a] be brought forth in one day?
Can a nation be born in a single moment?
Yet as soon as Zion goes into labor she gives birth to sons!
Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?”
asks the Lord.
“Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?”
asks your God.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 66:8 tn Heb “land,” but here אֶרֶץ (ʾerets) stands metonymically for an organized nation (see the following line).
  2. Isaiah 66:9 sn The rhetorical questions expect the answer, “Of course not!”

“Before she goes into labor,(A)
    she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
    she delivers a son.(B)
Who has ever heard of such things?
    Who has ever seen(C) things like this?
Can a country be born in a day(D)
    or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
    than she gives birth to her children.(E)
Do I bring to the moment of birth(F)
    and not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Do I close up the womb
    when I bring to delivery?” says your God.

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