Isaiah 66:7-8

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 66:5-14

The prophet, having denounced God's judgments against a hypocritical nation, that made a jest of God's word and would not answer him when he called to them, here turns his speech to those that trembled at his word, to comfort and encourage them; they shall not be involved in the judgments that are coming upon their unbelieving nation. Ministers must distinguish thus, that, when they speak terror to the wicked, they may not make the hearts of the righteous sad. Bone Christiane, hoc nihil ad... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 66:7

Before she travailed, she brought forth ,.... That is, Zion, as appears from the following verse: lest it should be thought that the interest of Christ would be swallowed up and lost in the destruction of the Jews, this, and what follows, are said concerning the conversion of many of that people, both in the first times of the Gospel, and in the latter day, as well as concerning the calling of the Gentiles, and the uniting of both in one church state. Zion, or the church of God, is here... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 66:8

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 ומי umi , adding the conjunction ו vau ; and so read all the ancient versions. And who hath seen? read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:5-14

THE GODLY EXILES ENCOURAGED . The scoffs which have long greeted those who believed God's promises and expected the restoration of Zion, will be put to shame. The silence in which Zion has lain will be broken; she will be once more a city "full of stirs, a tumultuous city" ( Isaiah 22:2 ). Suddenly, without any pains of travail, she will bring forth; and her offspring will be "a nation born at once" ( Isaiah 66:8 ). The godly exiles are called upon to rejoice at the prospect ( ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:6-9

The enemies of Jehovah and his people. I. HE IS HEARD FROM HIS TEMPLE . With "a sound of uproar, a sound from the temple." He is issuing forth to render their deserts to his foes. "He will render to every man according to his deserts" is a great leading word in religion. God must be feared as well as loved—nay, cannot be truly loved unless feared. From that same seat whence go forth the sweet sounds of reconciliation, the sound of the gospel's silver trumpet, go forth the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 66:7-8

Before she travailed , etc. Without any long delay, without any labour pains, Zion will bring forth a man-child—a whole nation, which wilt be born at once, and not grow up by slow degrees. The occupation of Jerusalem by the great body of the returned exiles ( Ezra 2:1 ; Ezra 3:1 ) is intended. Such a second birth of a nation was strange, and without precedent (comp. Isaiah 42:9 ; Isaiah 43:19 ). Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? rather, can a land be brought... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 66:7

Before she travailed, she brought forth - That is, Zion. The idea here is, that there would be a great and sudden increase of her numbers. Zion is here represented, as it often is, as a female (see Isaiah 1:8), and as the mother of spiritual children (compare Isaiah 54:1; Isaiah 49:20-21). The particular idea here is, that the increase would be sudden - as if a child were born without the usual delay and pain of parturition. If the interpretation given of Isaiah 66:6 be correct, then this... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 66:8

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... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 66:7-8

Isaiah 66:7-8. Here begins a new paragraph of the prophet’s discourse, containing a description of the sudden and great increase of the Christian Church, upon God’s rejecting the Jews, and destroying their temple and worship: “the very destruction of the Jewish polity making way for the reception and spread of the gospel, inasmuch as it abated that opposition which the Jewish zealots all along made to its progress; and the abolishing the Jewish worship contributed very much to the abrogating... read more

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