TRAVAIL trăv’ āl (יָלַד, H3528, to bear a child; חִיל֒, H2655, to writhe; חָלָה֒, H2703, to be weak or sick, to suffer; עָמַל, H6661, labor, trouble, toil; μόχθος, G3677, labor, exertion, hardship; ὠδίν, G6047, birth-pain; ὠδινω, to suffer birthpains; συνωδίνω, G5349, to be in travail with, suffer agony together; τίκτω, G5503, bear, give birth to a child, bring forth a child).

1. The literal meaning appears when, at the birth of Benjamin, Rachel “travailed in hard labor” and died (Gen 35:16, 17). Most frequently the meaning of the term is fig.

2. Travail may portray the agonies of divine judgment on the wicked. The doomed Babylonians were to be in anguish like a woman in travail (Isa 13:8; Jer 50:43). The thought of it caused Isaiah anguish like the pains of a woman in travail (Isa 21:3). Similarly described judgment falls on Zion (Mic 4:9, 10), Israel (Jer 6:24), Judah (Jer 4:31; 13:21), Lebanon (Jer 22:23), and Damascus (Jer 49:24).

3. Travail may picture the painful exertion necessary to achieve satisfying goals. The suffering servant “who makes an offering for sin” shall “see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied” (Isa 53:10, 11). The Apostle Paul, in the Lord’s service, not only faced all sorts of dangers, but also “toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night” (2 Cor 11:27). He could not forget the “labor and toil” night and day to plant the church at Thessalonica (1 Thess 2:9). Later he wrote, “with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you” (2 Thess 3:8). The Galatians seemed to return to legalistic works, so Paul was “again in travail until Christ be formed” in them (Gal 4:19).

4. The figure of travail represents the disciples’ sorrow in a world that would crucify Christ. However, just as the anguish is forgotten by the mother rejoicing that a child is born, “So,” Jesus said, “you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:21, 22).

5. Travail also portrays the agony of the world until Christ returns. “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now” (Rom 8:22). At Christ’s return, furthermore, will come sudden destruction “as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape” (1 Thess 5:3).