Birth Pangs

Childbirth, God told us it would be painful, not only for the woman bearing, the child being born but also the husband who must watch (or know) of the pain, yet helpless to mitigate.

I'm still in Jeremiah and the phrase as a woman in pangs or travail caught my attention. Specifically because it isn't related to a child being born; rather, as a visual representative of what nations and mighty men experience as they are feebled before an Almighty God.

Jer 48:41 Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised, and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs (H6887).

Jer 49:22 Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs (H6887).

Pangs:

H6887 - A primitive root; to cramp, literally or figuratively, transitively or intransitively.

H6735 - From H6696; a hinge (as pressed in turning); also a throe (as a physical or mental pressure); also a herald or errand doer (as constrained by the principal).

• H6696 - A primitive root; to cramp, that is, confine (in many applications, literally and figuratively, formative or hostile).

H2256 - From H2254; a rope (as twisted), especially a measuring line; by implication a district or inheritance (as measured); or a noose (as of cords); figuratively a company (as if tied together); also a throe (especially of parturition); also ruin.

• H2254 - A primitive root; to wind tightly (as a rope), that is, to bind; specifically by a pledge; figuratively to pervert, destroy; also to writhe in pain (especially of parturition).

H2427 - From H2342; a throe (especially of childbirth).

• H2342 - A primitive root (apparently akin to H2707 through the idea of piercing); properly to adhere to; hence to await.

Jer 49:24 Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail (H3205).

Travail:

H3205 - A primitive root; to bear young; causatively to beget; medically to act as midwife; specifically to show lineage.

H8513 - From H3811; distress.

• H3811 - A primitive root; to tire; (figuratively) to be (or make) disgusted.

H6045 - From H6031; ado, that is, (generally) employment or (specifically) an affair.

• H6031 - A primitive root (possibly rather identical with H6030 through the idea of looking down or browbeating); to depress literally or figuratively, transitively or intransitively (in various applications). (sing is by mistake for H6030).

H5999 - From H5998; toil, that is, wearing effort; hence worry, whether of body or mind.

H2342 - See above.

H2470 - A primitive root (compare H2342, H2490); properly to be rubbed or worn; hence (figuratively) to be weak, sick, afflicted; or (causatively) to grieve, make sick; also to stroke (in flattering), entreat.

Okay, I didn't count 1 here, 1 there, but as a general overview of both pangs and travail most of the time it's NOT talking about actual childbirth. Rather how that searing memory or thought is imposed on another situation or circumstance to relate the depth of pain and anguish.

Just perusing travail - used 25x in 26 verses, I think once, maybe twice it is referring to actual childbirth. That's just looking at the word travail, not travaileth, travailing, etc. I didn't go back through pangs! or pangeth!

I'm using KJV, use whatever Bible the Lord places on your heart, just be a student and look at the words in the original language!

I'd never noticed before how many times the Lord used the graphic illustration of childbirth to give a visual illustration.  Simply amazing.