Isaiah 26:18
New International Version
We were with child, we writhed in labor, but we gave birth to wind. We have not brought salvation to the earth, and the people of the world have not come to life.

New Living Translation
We, too, writhe in agony, but nothing comes of our suffering. We have not given salvation to the earth, nor brought life into the world.

English Standard Version
we were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind. We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.

Berean Standard Bible
We were with child; we writhed in pain; but we gave birth to wind. We have given no salvation to the earth, nor brought any life into the world.

King James Bible
We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

New King James Version
We have been with child, we have been in pain; We have, as it were, brought forth wind; We have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth, Nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

New American Standard Bible
We were pregnant, we writhed in labor, We gave birth, as it seems, only to wind. We could not accomplish deliverance for the earth, Nor were inhabitants of the world born.

NASB 1995
We were pregnant, we writhed in labor, We gave birth, as it seems, only to wind. We could not accomplish deliverance for the earth, Nor were inhabitants of the world born.

NASB 1977
We were pregnant, we writhed in labor, We gave birth, as it were, only to wind. We could not accomplish deliverance for the earth Nor were inhabitants of the world born.

Legacy Standard Bible
We were with child, we writhed in labor; We gave birth, as it seems, only to wind. We could not accomplish salvation for the earth, And the inhabitants of the world were not born.

Amplified Bible
We have been with child, we have twisted and struggled in labor; We gave birth, as it seems, only to wind. We could not accomplish salvation for the earth, Nor were inhabitants of the world born.

Christian Standard Bible
We became pregnant, we writhed in pain; we gave birth to wind. We have won no victories on earth, and the earth’s inhabitants have not fallen.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
We became pregnant, we writhed in pain; we gave birth to wind. We have won no victories on earth, and the earth’s inhabitants have not fallen.

American Standard Version
We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
We were pregnant and we were in labor as those who brought forth wind! Save us so that we will not be destroyed in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world will not fall!

Brenton Septuagint Translation
We have conceived, O Lord, because of thy fear, and have been in pain, and have brought forth the breath of thy salvation, which we have wrought upon the earth: we shall not fall, but all that dwell upon the land shall fall.

Contemporary English Version
But instead of having a child, our terrible pain produced only wind. We have won no victories, and we have no descendants to take over the earth.

Douay-Rheims Bible
We have conceived, and been as it were in labour, and have brought forth wind: we have not wrought salvation on the earth, therefore the inhabitants of the earth have not fallen.

English Revised Version
We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
We were pregnant; we writhed with labor pains only to give birth to the wind. We weren't able to bring salvation to the land, and no new people were born on earth.

Good News Translation
We were in pain and agony, but we gave birth to nothing. We have won no victory for our land; we have accomplished nothing.

International Standard Version
We were pregnant, writhing in pain, but we gave birth only to wind. We have not won your victory on earth, nor have the inhabitants of the world been born."

JPS Tanakh 1917
We have been with child, we have been in pain, We have as it were brought forth wind; We have not wrought any deliverance in the land; Neither are the inhabitants of the world come to life.

Literal Standard Version
We have conceived, we have been pained. We have brought forth, as it were, wind, | We do not work salvation in the earth, | Nor do the inhabitants of the world fall.

Majority Standard Bible
We were with child; we writhed in pain; but we gave birth to wind. We have given no salvation to the earth, nor brought any life into the world.

New American Bible
We conceived and writhed in pain, giving birth only to wind; Salvation we have not achieved for the earth, no inhabitants for the world were born.

NET Bible
We were pregnant, we strained, we gave birth, as it were, to wind. We cannot produce deliverance on the earth; people to populate the world are not born.

New Revised Standard Version
we were with child, we writhed, but we gave birth only to wind. We have won no victories on earth, and no one is born to inhabit the world.

New Heart English Bible
We have been with child. We have been in pain. We gave birth, it seems, only to wind. We have not worked any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

Webster's Bible Translation
We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance on the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

World English Bible
We have been with child. We have been in pain. We gave birth, it seems, only to wind. We have not worked any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

Young's Literal Translation
We have conceived, we have been pained. We have brought forth as it were wind, Salvation we do not work in the earth, Nor do the inhabitants of the world fall.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Song of Trust in God's Provision
17As a woman with child about to give birth writhes and cries out in pain, so were we in Your presence, O LORD. 18We were with child; we writhed in pain; but we gave birth to wind. We have given no salvation to the earth, nor brought any life into the world. 19Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For your dew is like the dew of the morning, and the earth will bring forth her dead.…

Cross References
Psalm 17:14
from such men, O LORD, by Your hand--from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children.

Isaiah 33:11
You conceive chaff; you give birth to stubble. Your breath is a fire that will consume you.

Isaiah 37:3
to tell him, "This is what Hezekiah says: Today is a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace; for children have come to the point of birth, but there is no strength to deliver them.

Isaiah 59:4
No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case honestly. They rely on empty pleas; they tell lies; they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity.


Treasury of Scripture

We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not worked any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

we have been in

Isaiah 37:3
And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

2 Kings 19:3
And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

Hosea 13:13
The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.

we have not

Exodus 5:22,23
And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? …

Joshua 7:7-9
And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! …

1 Samuel 11:13
And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.

the inhabitants

Psalm 17:14
From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

John 7:7
The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

1 John 5:19
And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

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Isaiah 26
1. Trust in God's Provision














(18) We have as it were brought forth wind.--Left to themselves, the longing expectations of Israel had been frustrated. It was, "as it were" (the words imply the prophet's consciousness of the boldness of the figure), like a false pregnancy, a disease with no birth as its outcome.

Neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.--Better, Neither were the inhabitants of the world brought to birth, the verb to "fall" being used, as in Wisdom Of Solomon 7:3; Hom., II., xix. 10, of the delivery of a woman with child. The words continue the picture of the fruitlessness of mere human strivings and expectations. The LXX., "They that are in the tombs shall rise," connects itself with John 5:28-29. (Comp. the like imagery in Isaiah 37:3.) The "creation" was "subject unto vanity," as in Romans 8:20-22.

Verse 18. - We have as it were brought forth wind. Our pains have been idle, futile - have effected nothing. We have not given deliverance (literally, "salvation") to our land; we have not effected the downfall of our heathen enemies. That downfall was God's work (Isaiah 24:16-20).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
We were pregnant,
הָרִ֣ינוּ (hā·rî·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 2030: Pregnant

we writhed in pain,
חַ֔לְנוּ (ḥal·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 2342: To twist, whirl, to dance, to writhe in pain, fear, to wait, to pervert

we gave birth to
יָלַ֣דְנוּ (yā·laḏ·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

wind.
ר֑וּחַ (rū·aḥ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

We have brought
נַ֣עֲשֶׂה (na·‘ă·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

no
בַּל־ (bal-)
Adverb
Strong's 1077: A failure, nothing, not at all, lest

salvation
יְשׁוּעֹת֙ (yə·šū·‘ōṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 3444: Something saved, deliverance, aid, victory, prosperity

to the earth,
אֶ֔רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

nor
וּבַֽל־ (ū·ḇal-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 1077: A failure, nothing, not at all, lest

brought
יִפְּל֖וּ (yip·pə·lū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

any life
יֹשְׁבֵ֥י (yō·šə·ḇê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

into the world.
תֵבֵֽל׃ (ṯê·ḇêl)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8398: The earth, the globe, its inhabitants, a particular land


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 26:18 We have been with child (Isa Isi Is)
Isaiah 26:17
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