Isaiah 42:14
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Isaiah 42:14
14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
Chapter Context
Isaiah 42 is a prophetic oracle chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of truth, redemption, judgment. Written during the Assyrian and pre-exilic periods (c. 740-680 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Addressed Judah during Assyria's rise, Babylon's threat, and anticipated restoration.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-25: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it demonstrates God's faithfulness despite human unfaithfulness. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Isaiah and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Isaiah 42:14
14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
Analysis
God's long silence ('been still' and 'refrained myself') has been deliberate patience, but now He will act like a woman in labor—crying out and panting. This striking feminine imagery conveys the intensity and inevitability of coming judgment/deliverance. What has been gestating must now be born.
Historical Context
God's apparent inactivity during the long exile tested faith. This assures that silence wasn't abandonment but patient waiting for the appointed time. When God acts, it will be with explosive, irresistible force.
Reflection
- How do you interpret God's silence in your life—as absence or as patient timing?
- What does the birthing imagery teach about the intensity of God's coming actions?