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Sunday, April 27th, 2025
Second Sunday after Easter
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The NET Bible®

Isaiah 66:8

Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen this? Can a country 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!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Church;   Gentiles;   Israel, Prophecies Concerning;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Proselytes;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Birth;   Isaiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Micah, Book of;   Righteousness;   Servant of the Lord;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Born;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bring;   Hezekiah (2);  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Who has heard of such a thing?Who has seen such things?Can a land be born in one dayor a nation be delivered in an instant?Yet as soon as Zion was in labor,she gave birth to her sons.
Hebrew Names Version
Who has heard such a thing? who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Tziyon travailed, she brought forth her children.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children.
New American Standard Bible
"Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be given birth all at once? As soon as Zion was in labor, she also delivered her sons.
New Century Version
No one has ever heard of that happening; no one has ever seen that happen. In the same way no one ever saw a country begin in one day; no one has ever heard of a new nation beginning in one moment. But Jerusalem will give birth to her children just as soon as she feels the birth pains.
Amplified Bible
"Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Or can a nation be brought forth in a moment? As soon as Zion was in labor, she also brought forth her sons.
World English Bible
Who has heard such a thing? who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seene such things? shall ye earth be brought forth in one day? or shall a nation be borne at once? for assoone as Zion trauailed, she brought foorth her children.
Legacy Standard Bible
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?Can a land be brought forth through labor pains in one day?Can a nation be born all at once?As soon as Zion was in labor pains, she also gave birth to her sons.
Berean Standard Bible
Who has heard of such as this? Who has seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be delivered in an instant? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children.
Contemporary English Version
Who ever heard of such a thing or imagined it could happen? Can a nation be born in a day or come to life in a second? Jerusalem is like a mother who gave birth to her children as soon as she was in labor.
Complete Jewish Bible
Who ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen such things? Is a country born in one day? Is a nation brought forth all at once? For as soon as Tziyon went into labor, she brought forth her children.
Darby Translation
Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Can a land be made to bring forth in one day? shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her sons.
George Lamsa Translation
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born in an hour? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
Good News Translation
Has anyone ever seen or heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a day? Zion will not have to suffer long, before the nation is born.
Lexham English Bible
Who has heard anything like this? Who has seen anything like these things? Can a land be born in one day? Or can a nation be born in a moment? Yet when she was in labor, Zion indeed gave birth to her children.
Literal Translation
Who has heard a thing like this? Who has seen things like these? Shall the earth be brought forth in one day? Shall a nation be born in one step? For Zion travailed and also brought forth her sons.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Who euer herde or sawe soch thinges? doth the grounde beare in one daye? or are the people borne all at once, as Sion beareth his sonnes?
American Standard Version
Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
Bible in Basic English
When has such a story come to men's ears? who has seen such things? will a land come to birth in one day? will a nation be given birth in a minute? For when Zion's pains came on her, she gave birth to her children straight away.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Is a land born in one day? Is a nation brought forth at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
King James Version (1611)
Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seene such things? shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day, or shall a nation be borne at once? for as soone as Zion traueiled, shee brought foorth her children.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Who euer heard or sawe such thinges? doth the grounde beare in one day? or are the people borne all at once, as Sion trauayled in childe birth and bare her sonnes?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Who has heard such a thing? and who has seen after this manner? Has the earth travailed in one day? or has even a nation been born at once, that Sion has travailed, and brought forth her children?
English Revised Version
Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Who herde euere suche a thing, and who siy a thing lijk this? Whether the erthe schal trauele of child in o dai, ether whether a folk schal be childide togidere? For whi Sion trauelede of child, and childide hir sones.
Update Bible Version
Who has heard such a thing? who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her sons.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
New King James Version
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children.
New Living Translation
Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment? But by the time Jerusalem's birth pains begin, her children will be born.
New Life Bible
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be born all at once? As soon as Zion's pains came, she gave birth to her sons.
New Revised Standard
Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be delivered in one moment? Yet as soon as Zion was in labor she delivered her children.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Who hath heard the like of this? Who hath seen the like of these things? Can a land, be made to bring forth in one day? Or a nation, be born, at one time? As soon as she travaileth, Zion hath also given birth to her children.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Who hath ever heard such a thing? and who hath seen the like to this? shall the earth bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be brought forth at once, because Sion hath been in labour, and hath brought forth her children?
Revised Standard Version
Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her sons.
Young's Literal Translation
Who hath heard anything like this? Who hath seen anything like these? Is earth caused to bring forth in one day? Born is a nation at once? For she hath been pained, Zion also hath borne her sons.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.

Contextual Overview

5 Hear the word of the Lord , you who respect what he has to say! Your countrymen, who hate you and exclude you, supposedly for the sake of my name, say, "May the Lord be glorified, then we will witness your joy." But they will be put to shame. 6 The sound of battle comes from the city; the sound comes from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord paying back his enemies. 7 Before she goes into labor, she gives birth! Before her contractions begin, she delivers a boy! 8 Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has ever seen this? Can a country 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! 9 "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. 10 Be happy for Jerusalem and rejoice with her, all you who love her! Share in her great joy, all you who have mourned over her! 11 For you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished; you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts. 12 For this is what the Lord says: "Look, I am ready to extend to her prosperity that will flow like a river, the riches of nations will flow into her like a stream that floods its banks. You will nurse from her breast and be carried at her side; you will play on her knees. 13 As a mother consoles a child, so I will console you, and you will be consoled over Jerusalem." 14 When you see this, you will be happy, and you will be revived. The Lord will reveal his power to his servants and his anger to his enemies.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hath heard: Isaiah 64:4, 1 Corinthians 2:9

shall a nation: Isaiah 49:20-22, Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4, Acts 21:20, Romans 15:18-21

Reciprocal: Genesis 21:7 - Who Deuteronomy 33:26 - none Isaiah 60:22 - little Jeremiah 18:13 - who Micah 4:7 - I will Micah 5:3 - she Acts 9:35 - all Romans 11:12 - their Revelation 12:2 - travailing

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things?.... Such numerous conversions, as after related; suggesting that they were wonderful and surprising, unheard of, what had never been seen in the world before, and which were amazing and astonishing to the church herself; see Isaiah 49:21,

shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? as if it was said the thing about to be related was as wonderful as if all the women in the world should bring forth their children in one day, or bring forth as many at once as would fill the whole earth; or as surprising as if the earth should all at once send out its herbs, plants, and trees, as it did on the third day of the creation, Genesis 1:11 which now gradually spring up, some in one month, and some in another, and some are months in their production:

or shall a nation be born at once? was ever such a thing heard of? yet this will be the case of the Jews in the latter day, when they shall be all converted and saved; and which shall be done suddenly and at once; see Hosea 1:10, of which the conversion of them, in the first times of the Gospel, was an earnest and pledge, when three thousand were convinced, converted, and regenerated, in one day, under one sermon; and at another time, under the word, two thousand, if not five thousand: thus Christ had,

from the womb of the morning, or at the first break of the Gospel day, "the dew of his youth", or numbers of souls born again to him, like the drops of the morning dew; see Acts 2:41:

for as soon as Zion travailed she brought forth her children; this shows that the preceding verse must be understood of some travail and pain, though comparatively little, and so soon over, that it was as if none; and this is to be understood of the pains which Gospel ministers take in preaching the word, which is the means of regeneration, and they the instruments of it; and so are called fathers, who through the Gospel beget souls to Christ; and of their anxious concern for the conversion of sinners, and the formation of Christ in them, which is called a travailing in birth; see 1 Peter 1:23 Romans 8:22 and it may also design the earnest prayers of the church and its members, striving and wrestling with God, being importunate with him, that the word preached might be useful for the good of souls; and particularly their earnest and fervent prayers for the conversion of the Jews, which will soon be brought about, when a spirit of grace and supplication is not only poured on them, but upon the saints in general, to pray fervently and earnestly for it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who hath heard such a thing? - Of a birth so sudden. Usually in childbirth there are the pains of protracted parturition. The earth brings forth its productions gradually and slowly. Nations rise by degrees, and are long in coming to maturity. But here is such an event as if the earth should in a day be covered with a luxurious vegetation, or as if a nation should spring at once into being. The increase in the church would be as great and wonderful as if these changes were to occur in a moment.

Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? - That is, to produce its grass, and flowers, and fruit, and trees. The idea is, that it usually requires much longer time for it to mature its productions. The germ does not start forth at once; the flower, the fruit, the yellow harvest, and the lofty tree are not produced in a moment. Months and years are required before the earth would be covered with its luxuriant and beautiful productions But here would be an event as remarkable as if the earth should bring forth its productions in a single day.

Or shall a nation be born at once? - Such an event never has occurred. A nation is brought into existence by degrees. Its institutions are matured gradually, and usually by the long process of years. But here is an event as remarkable as if a whole nation should be born at once, and stand before the world, mature in its laws, its civil institutions, and in all that constitutes greatness. In looking for the fulfillment of this, we naturally turn the attention to the rapid progress of the gospel in the times of the apostles, when events occurred as sudden and as remarkable as if the earth, after the desolation of winter or of a drought, should be covered with rich luxuriance in a day, or as if a whole nation should start into existence, mature in all its institutions, in a moment. But there is no reason for limiting it to that time. Similar sudden changes are to be expected still on the earth; and I see no reason why this should not be applied to the spread of the gospel in pagan lands, and why we should not yet look for the rapid propagation of Christianity in a manner as surprising and wonderful as would be such an instantaneous change in the appearance of the earth, or such a sudden birth of a kingdom.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Isaiah 66:8. Who hath seen - "And who hath seen"] Twenty MSS., (four ancient,) of Kennicott's, and twenty-nine of De Rossi's, and two ancient of my own, and the two oldest editions, with two others, have umi, adding the conjunction vau; and so read all the ancient versions. AND who hath seen?


 
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