Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser, the king of Assyria. The message was: “I am your servant. I am like a son to you. Come and save me from the king of Aram and the king of Israel. They have come to fight me!”
Jeremiah 13:21 - Easy To Read Version What will you say when the Lord asks you\par to account for that flock?\par You were supposed to teach the people\par \{about God\}.\par Your leaders were supposed to lead the people.\par \{But they did not do their job!\}\par So you will have much pain and troubles.\par You will be like a woman having\par a baby.\par Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail? Amplified Bible - Classic Edition What will you say [O Jerusalem] when He [the Lord] sets over you as head those [tyrannical foreign nations] whom you yourselves [at intervals] have taught to be lovers (allies) with you [instructing them, even your friends, to be head over you]? Will not pangs take hold of you like that of a woman in travail? American Standard Version (1901) What wilt thou say, when he shall set over thee as head those whom thou hast thyself taught to be friends to thee? shall not sorrows take hold of thee, as of a woman in travail? Common English Bible What will you say when he appoints someone as head over you: your defenders, your trusted allies? Won’t pain grip you like that of a woman in labor? Catholic Public Domain Version What will you say when he visits upon you? For you have taught them against you, and you have instructed them with your own head. Will not pains take hold of you, as with a woman in labor? Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version What wilt thou say when he shall visit thee? For thou hast taught them against thee and instructed them against thy own head. Shall not sorrows lay hold on thee, as a woman in labour? |
Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath Pileser, the king of Assyria. The message was: “I am your servant. I am like a son to you. Come and save me from the king of Aram and the king of Israel. They have come to fight me!”
Lawmakers, you will have to explain the things you have done. What will you do at that time? Your destruction is coming from a faraway country. Where will you run for help? Your money and your riches will not help you.
Every person will be afraid. Their fear will cause their stomachs to hurt like a woman giving birth to a baby. Their faces will become red like fire. The people will be amazed because this look of fear will be on all their neighbors’ faces.
I saw those terrible things, and now I am scared. My stomach hurts because of my fear. That pain is like the pain of giving birth. The things I hear make me very afraid. The things I see make me shake with fear.
Judah, stop chasing after idols!\par Stop being thirsty for those other gods.\par But you say, ‘It is no use! I can’t quit!\par I love those other gods.\par I want to worship them.’\par
King, you live high on the mountain\par in your house made from cedar wood.\par It is almost like you live in Lebanon\par where that wood came from.\par \{You think you are safe,\par high on the mountain in your big house.\}\par But you will really groan\par when your punishment comes.\par You will hurt like a woman\par giving birth to a baby.”\par
“Ask this question, and consider it:\par Can a man have a baby? Of course not!\par Then why do I see every strong man\par holding his stomach\par like a woman having labor pains?\par Why is every person’s face turning white\par like a dead man?\par \{Why? Because the men are very scared.\}\par
All the women that are left in the house of the king of Judah will be brought out. They will be brought to the important officials of the king of Babylon. Your women will make fun of you with a song. This is what the women will say:
Judah, you have been destroyed.\par So what are you doing now?\par Why are you putting on your best red dress?\par Why are you putting on your gold jewelry?\par Why are you putting on your eye makeup?\par You make yourself beautiful,\par but it is a waste of time.\par Your lovers hate you.\par They are trying to kill you.\par
I hear a cry like a woman having a baby.\par It is a scream like a woman\par that is having her first baby.\par It is the cry of the Daughter of Zion. {\cf2\super [32]} \par She is lifting her hands in prayer, saying,\par “Oh! I am about to faint!\par Murderers are all around me!”\par
The towns of Moab will be captured.\par The strong hiding places will be defeated.\par At that time, Moab’s soldiers will be scared,\par like a woman that is having a baby.\par
The prophets tell lies.\par The priests will not do\par what they were chosen to do. {\cf2\super [36]} \par And my people love it this way!\par But what will you people do\par when your punishment comes?”\par
We have heard the news about that army.\par We are helpless from fear.\par We feel trapped by our troubles.\par We are like a woman that is having a baby.\par
That person will kill you.\par Will you still say, “I am a god”?\par No! He will have you in his power.\par You will see that you are a man, not God!\par
People will say, “We have peace and we are safe.” At that time destruction will come to them quickly. Destruction will come like the pains of a woman who is having a baby. And those people will not escape.