What is the meaning of travail in the Bible?

Answer

Travail is hard work, especially labor that causes discomfort or demands a significant amount of effort. The term travail is commonly found in various Bible translations like the King James Version, the English Revised Version, and the American Standard Version, to depict the toil and suffering a woman undergoes during childbirth (e.g., Genesis 38:27; Psalm 48:6; Jeremiah 22:23; John 16:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:3). Other translations may use terms like toil, labor, distress, or labor pains instead of travail.

Apart from its physical connotation, travail can also carry psychological significance, as seen in phrases like “the travail of the soul.” In Isaiah 53:11 (KJV), travail is used to describe the soul’s agony that the Messiah would endure while bearing the sins of the world. The anguish of Jesus is evident in the Garden of Gethsemane just before His arrest: “Being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” «And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. », (Luke 22:44).

Paul expressed spiritual and emotional travail in his letter to the Galatians, saying, “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you, I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you” (Galatians 4:19-20; BLB). Paul also mentioned his “labor and travail” when describing the hard work he did to support himself and not be a financial burden on anyone «neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail.»Night and day, so that we might not be a burden to any of you: », (2 Thessalonians 3:8, NHEB).

The psalmist portrays the wicked person as laboring to bring forth evil: “Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood” «Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, And hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. », (Psalm 7:14, KJV). However, all the hard work and scheming of the wicked will be in vain: “The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads” (verse 16).

When we fervently pray for something or someone, we are “travailing” in prayer «Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. », (James 5:16). It can be agonizing work to intercede for those in crisis, pray for the lost, or seek direction on critical decisions. God honors those who travail in prayer, as evidenced by His response to Daniel’s three weeks of seeking His answers (Daniel 10:1-14).

Travail, both physical and emotional, is part of living in this fallen world «For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. », (Ecclesiastes 2:23). Indeed, all of God’s creation suffers under the curse: “We know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” «For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. », (Romans 8:22, KJV). However, Jesus provided us with this reassurance in John 16:33: “I have revealed these things to you so that you may experience peace in me. In this world, you will face tribulation. But be courageous! I have conquered the world.”