PART 5 of The Woman in Travail: How Birth Became the Bible’s Most Powerful End-Times Metaphor
Hebrew and Greek Terminology Deep Dive — Comparing MT and LXX Rendering Patterns
Hello brothers and sisters.
We’re tracing the “woman in travail” metaphor from its ancient origins through the Hebrew prophets and into the New Testament. By the end, you’ll understand why the early church saw all of history as a long labor, groaning for the final revelation of God’s kingdom.
By comparing the Masoretic Text and Septuagint, we’re not just studying translation differences; we’re watching how different communities of faith understood God’s word and passed it on. The LXX sometimes softens the Hebrew, sometimes sharpens it, and sometimes interprets it in ways that shaped early Christian theology.
Understanding both traditions deepens our reading of Scripture and enriches our grasp of how God’s people have wrestled with these texts across millennia.
In Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 we traced the birth pang metaphor from its ancient Near Eastern origins through Isaiah’s strategic deployment, Jeremiah’s intensive saturation, and Micah’s explicit messianic connection.
We saw the metaphor develop from a description of judgment to a promise of transformation: suffering that gives birth to redemption.
If you missed the earlier posts, you can get caught up below:
But now we need to step back and examine the actual words themselves. How did the Hebrew prophets express this imagery? Which terms did they use?
And— perhaps most importantly for understanding the New Testament —how did the Greek translators of the Septuagint render these Hebrew terms?
This installment is technical, but it’s foundational for understanding how Jesus and the apostles adopted prophetic language about labor pains and applied it to the last days.
Let’s dive in!
If you’re reading this in email, be aware that the text is likely to cut off without warning. For a smoother reading experience and all the features Substack has to offer (including audio voiceovers of my posts), you can go HERE or download the app.
Why Terminology Matters
Before we dive into lexicons and translation patterns, let me explain why this matters.
When Jesus says in Matthew 24:8 that wars, famines, and earthquakes are “the beginning of birth pangs” (ἀρχὴ ὠδίνων, archē ōdinōn), he’s not just creating a vivid metaphor out of thin air. He’s quoting a tradition. Specifically, the prophetic tradition we’ve been examining. But Jesus spoke Aramaic, taught in Hebrew contexts, and yet the Gospel writers recorded his words in Greek.
How did they know which Greek word to use?
They used the same Greek word that the Septuagint translators had already been using for centuries to translate the Hebrew prophets’ birth pang imagery.
The LXX translators created a standardized vocabulary for rendering Hebrew birth terminology into Greek. This vocabulary became so established that when the New Testament writers wanted to invoke prophetic birth pang imagery, they simply reached for the same Greek terms the LXX had already embedded in the tradition.
Understanding these translation patterns helps us see:
What Hebrew terms the prophets originally used (and what semantic ranges those terms carried)
How the LXX translators understood and rendered those terms (revealing their interpretive decisions)
Which Greek words the NT writers inherited (and how that shaped Christian eschatology)
So let’s get technical.
Part I: The Hebrew Vocabulary of Birth and Anguish
The Hebrew Bible uses several distinct terms to describe childbirth and the associated suffering. Let’s examine the three most important ones.
1. חוּל (chul) — H2342: “To Writhe, Twist, Whirl”
Root Meaning and Semantic Range:
The verb חוּל (chul, sometimes spelled chil) is a primitive root meaning “to twist or whirl in a circular or spiral manner.” It has a remarkably broad semantic range:
Primary meanings:
To writhe (especially in pain)
To twist (in circular motion)
To dance (whirling motion)
To tremble (with fear)
To wait anxiously (with writhing expectation)
Specific contexts:
Pain of childbirth — the writhing, twisting motions of labor (Isaiah 13:8; 26:17; Jeremiah 4:31)
Fear and terror — trembling, being gripped by dread (Exodus 15:14; Psalm 55:4)
Waiting/hoping — anxious expectation, sometimes translated “wait” or “hope” (Psalm 37:7)
Formation — occasionally used of God “forming” or “bringing forth” (Deuteronomy 32:18)
The Physical Picture:
Chul captures the physical writhing that characterizes labor. A woman in labor doesn’t lie still, she twists, turns, and writhes, trying to find a position that eases the pain. This is chul. It’s the involuntary, convulsive movement that seizes the body when pain overwhelms control.
Prophetic Usage:
When Isaiah and Jeremiah describe nations “writhing” (chul) in judgment, they’re evoking this visceral image of bodies twisting in agony, unable to escape the pain, unable to maintain composure or dignity.
Key Passages Using Chul:
Isaiah 13:8 — “They will writhe [yechilu, from chul] like a woman in labor”
Isaiah 26:17-18 — “Like a pregnant woman who writhes [tachil, from chul] and cries out in her pangs”
Jeremiah 4:31 — “I hear a cry as of a woman in labor, anguish as of one bearing her first child—the cry of Daughter Zion writhing [techoleli, from chul]”
Jeremiah 51:29 — “The land trembles [vatachol, from chul] and writhes”
Micah 4:10 — “Writhe [chuli, imperative from chul] and groan, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor”
2. יָלַד (yalad) — H3205: “To Bear, Bring Forth, Beget”
Root Meaning and Semantic Range:
The verb יָלַד (yalad) is the standard Hebrew term for giving birth. Unlike chul (which emphasizes the pain and writhing), yalad focuses on the act of bringing forth life.
Primary meanings:
To bear (a child) — give birth (Genesis 4:1, 25; countless other passages)
To beget (of fathers) — become the father of (Genesis 5:3; genealogies)
To act as midwife — assist in childbirth (Exodus 1:16)
To bring forth — more generally produce or generate (metaphorically)
The Theological Picture:
Where chul is about process (the labor itself), yalad is about product (the birth, the child). Yalad appears over 490 times in the Hebrew Bible—it’s everywhere. It’s the word used in genealogies (”Abraham begat Isaac”), in birth narratives (”Rachel bore Joseph”), and in prophetic metaphors about bringing forth something new.
Prophetic Usage:
When the prophets use yalad, they’re often making a point about what is being born through the suffering. The question becomes: Is this labor productive? Will something actually be born? Or is it futile labor?
Key Passages Using Yalad:
Isaiah 26:18 — “We were with child, we writhed in labor, but we gave birth [yaladnu, from yalad] to wind”
Isaiah 66:7-8 — “Before she was in labor she gave birth [yaladah, from yalad]; before her pain came upon her she delivered [himliṭah, from malaṭ] a son. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born [yuchol, from chul—note the verb switch!] in one day? Can a nation be brought forth [yivaled, from yalad] in a moment?”
Jeremiah 30:6 — “Can a male give birth [yoled, participle from yalad]?”
Micah 5:3 — “until the time when she who is in labor gives birth [yoledah, participle from yalad]”
Noteworthy Feature: Masculine Forms
In Jeremiah 30:6, Jeremiah uses a masculine participle of yalad to create shock value: “Can a man give birth?” (yoled is masculine). This is grammatically jarring and theologically profound. It clearly signals that something fundamentally unnatural is happening. For more on this issue, see my study on Jeremiah’s use of the metaphor in part 3 of this series.
3. חֶבֶל (chevel) — H2256: “Cord, Rope, Birth Pangs”
Root Meaning and Semantic Range:
The noun חֶבֶל (chevel) has a fascinating dual meaning:
Primary meanings:
Cord or rope — physical binding, measuring line (Joshua 2:15; Ezekiel 47:3)
Territory or district — measured land portion (Deuteronomy 3:4, 13)
Birth pangs, labor pains — contractions that bind and grip (Isaiah 13:8; 1 Samuel 4:19)
Snare or trap — cords that entangle (Psalm 18:4-5; “cords of death”)
The Metaphorical Connection:
Why does the same word mean both “rope” and “birth pangs”? Because labor contractions feel like being bound by ropes. The pain grips you, constricts you, binds you. You can’t escape. This is chevel: the tightening, gripping, constricting sensation of contractions.
Prophetic Usage:
When chevel appears in birth imagery, it emphasizes the inescapable, cyclical, tightening nature of labor pains. They come in waves. They grip. They release. They return stronger.
Key Passages Using Chevel:
Isaiah 13:8 — “Pangs [tzirim] and sorrows [cḥavalim, plural of chevel] will seize them; they will writhe like a woman in labor”
1 Samuel 4:19 — “Her labor pains [tzirim—different word, but context is chevel] came upon her”
Psalm 116:3 — “The cords [chavlei, from chevel] of death entangled me” (metaphorical but related)
Related Term: צִיר (tzir) — H6735
Often paired with chevel, tzir means “pang” or “labor pain.” It appears less frequently but intensifies the imagery:
Isaiah 13:8 — “Pangs [tzirim] and sorrows [chavalim] will seize them”
Isaiah 21:3 — “Pangs [tzirim] have seized me like the pangs [kitzirei, from tzir] of a woman in labor”
Part II: The Septuagint’s Translation Strategy
Now that we understand the Hebrew vocabulary, let’s examine how the Greek translators of the LXX rendered these terms along with how their choices created the vocabulary that the New Testament would inherit.
The Challenge Facing the LXX Translators
The Septuagint translators faced a significant challenge: Greek didn’t have perfect equivalents for the Hebrew birth terminology. They had to make choices about which Greek words best captured the semantic range of chul, yalad, and chevel.
Their choices were remarkably consistent, suggesting either:
A standardized translation manual or tradition
Strong linguistic intuition about which Greek terms fit best
Or both
Let’s examine the primary Greek terms they selected.
1. ὠδίνω (ōdinō) — G5605: “To Suffer Birth Pangs, Be in Labor”
Greek Meaning:
The verb ὠδίνω (ōdinō) means “to suffer the pains of childbirth” or “to be in labor.” It derives from the noun ὠδίν (ōdin), which means “birth pang” or “labor pain.”
LXX Translation Pattern:
The LXX translators used ὠδίνω as their primary equivalent for Hebrew chul when it appeared in birth contexts. This was an excellent choice because:
ὠδίνω specifically denotes birth labor, not just general pain
It carries connotations of intensity and involuntary suffering
It was already established in Greek literature as the standard term for labor pains
Key LXX Passages Using ὠδίνω:
Isaiah 13:8 (LXX) — “καὶ ὠδῖνες ὡς γυναικὸς τικτούσης” (kai ōdines hōs gynaikos tiktousēs): “and birth pangs as of a woman giving birth”
Hebrew: “כְּיוֹלֵדָה יְחִילוּן” (keyoleḏah yeḥilun): “like a woman in labor they will writhe”
Analysis: The LXX uses the noun ὠδῖνες (ōdines, “birth pangs”) related to the verb ὠδίνω. The Hebrew has yechilu (from chul, “writhe”).
Isaiah 26:17-18 (LXX) — “ὡς ἡ ὠδίνουσα ἐγγίζει τοῦ τεκεῖν” (hōs hē ōdinousa engizei tou tekein): “as the woman in labor draws near to give birth”
Hebrew: “כְּמוֹ הָרָה תַקְרִיב לָלֶדֶת תָּחִיל” (kemo harah taqriv lalereṯ tachil): “like a pregnant woman who draws near to give birth, she writhes [tachil, from chul]”
Analysis: LXX uses the participle ὠδίνουσα (ōdinousa, “being in labor”) to translate Hebrew tachil (from chul).
Jeremiah 4:31 (LXX) — “ὡς ὠδίνουσα ἤκουσα τοῦ στεναγμοῦ σου” (hōs ōdinousa ēkousa tou stenagmou sou): “as one in labor I heard your groaning”
Hebrew: “כִּי קוֹל כְּחוֹלָה שָׁמַעְתִּי” (ki qol kecholah shamati): “for I have heard a voice as of a woman in labor [cholah, participle from chul]”
Analysis: Again, the LXX renders cholah (from chul) with ὠδίνουσα (from ὠδίνω).
Pattern Recognition:
When the LXX translators encountered chul in a childbirth context, they almost invariably chose ὠδίνω or its related noun ὠδίν. This became the standard Greek vocabulary for prophetic birth pang imagery.
This matters immensely because when we get to the New Testament:
1 Thessalonians 5:3 — “ὥσπερ ἡ ὠδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ” (hōsper hē ōdin tē en gastri echousē): “just as labor pains [come] upon a pregnant woman”
Galatians 4:19 — “ὠδίνω ὑμᾶς” (ōdinō hymas): “I am in labor with you”
Revelation 12:2 — “ἔχουσα ἐν γαστρὶ καὶ κράζει ὠδίνουσα” (echousa en gastri kai krazei ōdinousa): “being with child, she cried out in labor”
Paul and John are using the exact same Greek terminology that the LXX translators established for rendering the Hebrew prophets’ birth imagery.
2. τίκτω (tiktō) — G5088: “To Give Birth, Bring Forth, Bear”
Greek Meaning:
The verb τίκτω (tiktō) is the standard Greek term for “giving birth” or “bringing forth.” It’s the functional equivalent of Hebrew yalad, focusing on the act of birth itself rather than the pain of labor.
LXX Translation Pattern:
The LXX translators used τίκτω as their primary equivalent for Hebrew yalad. This was natural and straightforward:
τίκτω = “to give birth”
יָלַד (yalad) = “to give birth”
The semantic overlap is nearly perfect.
Key LXX Passages Using τίκτω:
Isaiah 66:7 (LXX) — “πρὸ τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτὴν πρὸ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν πόνον τῶν ὠδίνων” (pro tou tekein autēn pro tou elthein ton ponon tōn ōdinōn): “before her giving birth, before the pain of birth pangs came”
Hebrew: “בְּטֶרֶם תָּחִיל יָלָדָה” (beterem tachil yaladah): “before she writhed [tachil, from chul] she gave birth [yaladah, from yalad]”
Analysis: The LXX uses τεκεῖν (aorist infinitive of τίκτω) to translate yaladah (from yalad). Notice the LXX also preserves the birth pang vocabulary with “τῶν ὠδίνων” (tōn ōdinōn, “of the birth pangs”).
Isaiah 66:8 (LXX) — “ὅτι ἔτεκεν Σιων τὰ παιδία αὐτῆς” (hoti eteken Siōn ta paidia autēs): “because Zion gave birth to her children”
Hebrew: “כִּֽי־חָ֥לָה גַּם־יָֽלְדָ֖ה צִיּ֥וֹן” (ki-chalah gam-yaleḏah tziyon): “as soon as Zion writhed [chalah, from chul], she also brought forth [yaleḏah, from yalad]”
Analysis: The LXX uses ἔτεκεν (aorist of τίκτω) to translate yaleḏah (from yalad).
Micah 5:3 (5:2 MT) (LXX) — “ἕως καιροῦ τικτούσης τέξεται” (heōs kairou tiktousēs texetai): “until the time when she who is giving birth gives birth”
Hebrew: “עַד־עֵ֥ת יֽוֹלֵדָ֖ה יָלָ֑דָה” (ad-et yoleḏah yalaḏah): “until the time when she who gives birth [yoleḏah, participle from yalad] has given birth [yalaḏah, perfect from yalad]”
Analysis: The LXX uses both the participle τικτούσης (tiktousēs, “the one giving birth”) and the future τέξεται (texetai, “will give birth”) to translate the Hebrew forms of yalad.
Pattern Recognition:
The LXX’s use of τίκτω for yalad is remarkably consistent. When the Hebrew text focuses on the birth itself rather than the labor pains, τίκτω appears.
This distinction carries over into the New Testament:
Matthew 1:21 — “τέξεται δὲ υἱόν” (texetai de huion) — “she will bear a son”
Luke 1:31 — “καὶ τέξῃ υἱόν” (kai texē huion) — “and you will bear a son”
Revelation 12:5 — “καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱόν” (kai eteken huion) — “and she bore a son”
The Gospel writers are using the same Greek term that the LXX established for translating Hebrew birth narratives.
3. ὠδίν (ōdin) — G5604: “Birth Pang, Labor Pain” (Noun)
Greek Meaning:
The noun ὠδίν (ōdin) means “birth pang” or “labor pain.” It’s the substantive form related to the verb ὠδίνω.
LXX Translation Pattern:
The LXX translators used ὠδίν as their primary equivalent for Hebrew chevel (when it meant “birth pangs”) and sometimes for tzir (”pang”).
Key LXX Passages Using ὠδίν:
Isaiah 13:8 (LXX) — “καὶ ὠδῖνες ὡς γυναικὸς” (kai ōdines hōs gynaikos): “and birth pangs as of a woman”
Hebrew: “וַחֲבָלִים” (vachavalim, plural of chevel): “and pains”
Analysis: The LXX uses ὠδῖνες (plural of ὠδίν) to translate chavalim (plural of chevel).
Isaiah 21:3 (LXX) — “ὠδῖνες ὡς τικτούσης” (ōdines hōs tiktousēs): “pangs as of a woman giving birth”
Hebrew: “צִירִים כְּצִירֵי יוֹלֵדָה” (tzirim ketzirrei yoleḏah): “pangs like the pangs of a woman in labor”
Analysis: The LXX uses ὠδῖνες to translate tzirim (plural of tzir).
New Testament Inheritance:
The noun ὠδίν appears in the most famous NT birth pang passage:
Matthew 24:8 — “πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἀρχὴ ὠδίνων” (panta de tauta archē ōdinōn): “all these are the beginning of birth pangs”
Mark 13:8 — “ἀρχὴ ὠδίνων ταῦτα” (archē ōdinōn tauta): “these are the beginning of birth pangs”
1 Thessalonians 5:3 — “ὥσπερ ἡ ὠδὶν” (hōsper hē ōdin): “just as the birth pang”
When Jesus speaks of “the beginning of birth pangs,” he uses the exact Greek term (ὠδίνων, genitive plural of ὠδίν) that the LXX had been using for centuries to translate the Hebrew prophets’ birth imagery.
This is not coincidence. This is deliberate invocation of prophetic tradition.
Part III: Translation Patterns Across Key Passages
Now let’s examine how these patterns play out across specific prophetic passages, comparing MT and LXX side by side.
Case Study 1: Isaiah 13:8 (Babylon’s Terror)
Masoretic Text:
וְנִבְהָ֓לוּ וְצִירִ֤ים וַֽחֲבָלִים֙ יֹֽאחֵז֔וּן כַּיּֽוֹלֵדָ֖ה יְחִיל֑וּן
veniḇhalu vetzirim vachavalim yochezun kayoleḏah yeḥilun
“And they will be dismayed, and pangs [tzirim] and pains [chavalim, from chevel] will seize them; like a woman in labor [yoleḏah, from yalad] they will writhe [yeḥilun, from chul].”
Septuagint (LXX):
καὶ ταραχθήσονται οἱ πρέσβεις, καὶ ὠδῖνες αὐτοὺς ἕξουσιν ὡς γυναικὸς τικτούσης
kai tarachthēsontai hoi presbys, kai ōdines autous hexousin hōs gynaikos tiktousēs
“And the elders will be troubled, and birth pangs [ōdines, from ōdin] will seize them as a woman giving birth [tiktousēs, from tiktō].”
Analysis:
Hebrew Term Greek Translation English Meaning צִירִים (tzirim, plural of tzir) ὠδῖνες (ōdines, from ōdin) pangs, birth pangs חֲבָלִים (chavalim, plural of chevel) [absorbed into ὠδῖνες] pains, labor pains יְחִילוּן (yeḥilun, from chul) [implied in context] they will writhe יוֹלֵדָה (yoleḏah, from yalad) τικτούσης (tiktousēs, from tiktō) woman giving birth
Key Observations:
The LXX consolidates the Hebrew’s double terminology (tzirim and chavalim) into a single Greek term (ὠδῖνες).
The LXX focuses on the birth pang noun (ὠδῖνες) rather than the writhing verb (chul).
The LXX uses τικτούσης (participle of τίκτω) to capture the sense of yoleḏah (participle of yalad).
Theological Implication:
The LXX’s choice to emphasize ὠδῖνες (”birth pangs”) over the writhing action creates a more standardized, recognizable formula: “birth pangs will seize them as a woman giving birth.” This formula becomes repeatable and recognizable—which is exactly what we see in the NT.
Case Study 2: Isaiah 26:17-18 (Israel’s Futile Labor)
Masoretic Text (v. 17):
כְּמ֤וֹ הָרָה֙ תַּקְרִ֣יב לָלֶ֔דֶת תָּחִ֖יל תִּזְעַ֣ק בַּֽחֲבָלֶ֑יהָ
kemo harah taqriḇ laleḏeṯ tachil tizaq baḥaḇaleha
“Like a pregnant woman [harah] who draws near to give birth [laleḏeṯ, from yalad], she writhes [tachil, from chul], she cries out in her pangs [chaḇaleha, from chevel].”
Septuagint (LXX) (v. 17):
ὡς ἡ ὠδίνουσα ἐγγίζει τοῦ τεκεῖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ πόνῳ αὐτῆς ἐκέκραξεν
hōs hē ōdinousa engizei tou tekein kai epi tō ponō autēs ekekraxen
“As the woman in labor [ōdinousa, from ōdinō] draws near to give birth [tekein, from tiktō] and in her pain [ponō] she cried out.”
Masoretic Text (v. 18):
הָרִ֣ינוּ חַ֔לְנוּ כְּמ֖וֹ יָלַ֣דְנוּ ר֑וּחַ
harinu chalnu kemo yalaḏnu ruach
“We were pregnant [harinu], we writhed [chalnu, from chul], we gave birth [yalaḏnu, from yalad] to wind [ruach].”
Septuagint (LXX) (v. 18):
ἐν γαστρὶ ἐλάβομεν καὶ ὠδινήσαμεν καὶ ἐτέκομεν πνεῦμα
en gastri elabomen kai ōdinēsamen kai etekomen pneuma
“We conceived [lit. “received in the womb”] and labored [ōdinēsamen, from ōdinō] and gave birth [etekomen, from tiktō] to wind [pneuma].”
Analysis:
Hebrew Term Greek Translation English Meaning תָּחִיל (tachil, from chul) ὠδίνουσα (ōdinousa, from ōdinō) she writhes / is in labor לָלֶדֶת (laleḏeṯ, from yalad) τοῦ τεκεῖν (tou tekein, from tiktō) to give birth חֲבָלֶיהָ (chaḇaleha, from chevel) πόνῳ (ponō, “pain”) her pangs / her pain חַלְנוּ (chalnu, from chul) ὠδινήσαμεν (ōdinēsamen, from ōdinō) we writhed / we labored יָלַדְנוּ (yalaḏnu, from yalad) ἐτέκομεν (etekomen, from tiktō) we gave birth
Key Observations:
The LXX consistently translates chul with ὠδίνω and yalad with τίκτω.
The LXX translates chaḇaleha (from chevel, “her pangs”) with the more generic πόνῳ (”pain”), showing some flexibility in vocabulary.
The theological point remains intact in both versions: the labor was futile—they gave birth to “wind” (רוּחַ/ruach in Hebrew; πνεῦμα/pneuma in Greek).
Theological Implication:
Both MT and LXX preserve the devastating image: Israel’s suffering was unproductive labor. They went through all the pain of childbirth but produced nothing of substance. This stands in stark contrast to Isaiah 66, where Zion gives birth before labor—sudden, miraculous, productive.
If you read part 2 of this series, which focuses on Isaiah’s use of the metaphor, you’ll recall that I don’t actually agree with this interpretation. I read the Septuagint version of Isaiah 26 very differently. If you missed that post or want a refresher on my interpretation, you can find it HERE. However, I focus on the traditional interpretation here primarily because it is the most accepted view and, honestly, I’m humble enough to admit that I’m probably wrong.
Case Study 3: Isaiah 66:7-8 (Zion’s Miraculous Delivery)
Masoretic Text (v. 7):
בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּחִ֖יל יָלָ֑דָה בְּטֶ֨רֶם יָב֥וֹא חֵ֛בֶל לָ֖הּ וְהִמְלִ֥יטָה זָכָֽר׃
beterem tachil yalaḏah beterem yaḇo cheḇel lah vehimliṭah zaḵar
“Before she writhed [tachil, from chul] she gave birth [yalaḏah, from yalad]; before pang [cheḇel] came to her, she delivered [vehimliṭah, from malaṭ] a male child.”
Septuagint (LXX) (v. 7):
πρὸ τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτὴν πρὸ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν πόνον τῶν ὠδίνων ἐξέφυγεν καὶ ἔτεκεν ἄρσεν
pro tou tekein autēn pro tou elthein ton ponon tōn ōdinōn exephygen kai eteken arsen
“Before her giving birth [tekein, from tiktō], before the pain of birth pangs [ōdinōn, from ōdin] came, she escaped and bore [eteken, from tiktō] a male.”
Masoretic Text (v. 8):
הֲשֻׁמַ֥ע כָּזֹ֖את הֲיֵֽרָאֶ֣ה כָּזֹ֑את הֲי֤וּחַל אֶ֨רֶץ֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד אִם־יִוָּ֥לֵֽד גּ֖וֹי פַּ֣עַם אֶחָ֑ת כִּי־חָ֥לָה גַם־יָֽלְדָ֖ה צִיּ֥וֹן אֶת־בָּנֶֽיהָ׃
hashuma kazot heyeraeh kazot hayuchal erets beyom echaḏ im-yivvaleḏ goy pa’am echat ki-chalah gam-yaleḏah tziyon et-baneha
“Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Can a land be born [hayuchal, niphal from chul—note: same root as writhing!] in one day? Or can a nation be brought forth [yivvaleḏ, from yalad] at once? For as soon as Zion writhed [chalah, from chul] she also brought forth [yaleḏah, from yalad] her children.”
Septuagint (LXX) (v. 8):
τίς ἤκουσεν τοιοῦτο καὶ τίς ἑώρακεν οὕτως εἰ ὤδινεν γῆ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ ἢ καὶ ἐτέχθη ἔθνος εἰς ἅπαξ ὅτι ὤδινεν καὶ ἔτεκεν Σιων τὰ παιδία αὐτῆς
tis ēkousen toiouto kai tis heōraken houtōs ei ōdinen gē en hēmera mia ē kai etechthē ethnos eis hapax hoti ōdinen kai eteken Siōn ta paidia autēs
“Who has heard such a thing and who has seen thus? If a land labored [ōdinen, from ōdinō] in one day, or if a nation was born [etechthē, passive of tiktō] at once? Because Zion labored [ōdinen, from ōdinō] and bore [eteken, from tiktō] her children.”
Analysis:
Hebrew Term Greek Translation English Meaning בְּטֶרֶם תָּחִיל (beterem tachil) πρὸ τοῦ τεκεῖν (pro tou tekein) before she writhed / before giving birth יָלָדָה (yalaḏah, from yalad) [implied in τεκεῖν] she gave birth חֵבֶל (cheḇel) τῶν ὠδίνων (tōn ōdinōn, “of birth pangs”) pang הֲיוּחַל אֶרֶץ (hayuchal erets) εἰ ὤδινεν γῆ (ei ōdinen gē) can a land be born / if a land labored יִוָּלֵד גּוֹי (yivvaleḏ goy) ἐτέχθη ἔθνος (etechthē ethnos) a nation be brought forth / a nation was born חָלָה (chalah, from chul) ὤδινεν (ōdinen, from ōdinō) she writhed / she labored יָלְדָה (yaleḏah, from yalad) ἔτεκεν (eteken, from tiktō) she brought forth / she bore
Key Observations:
The LXX maintains the reversal of the normal birth sequence in v. 7: birth before labor pangs.
In v. 8, the MT uses chul in a remarkable way: “Can a land be born [hayuchal]?” The verb chul here is used in the passive (niphal), meaning “be born” rather than “writhe.” This is unusual! The LXX translates this as ὤδινεν (ōdinen, “labored”), maintaining the birth imagery but shifting the focus slightly.
Both versions emphasize the suddenness and miraculous nature of the birth: it happens in one day, in one moment (פַּעַם אֶחָת/pa’am echat in MT; εἰς ἅπαξ/eis hapax in LXX).
Theological Implication:
Isaiah 66:7-8 represents the eschatological reversal of Isaiah 26:17-18:
Isaiah 26: Labor with no birth (futility)
Isaiah 66: Birth with no labor (miracle)
The LXX’s consistent translation vocabulary allowed Greek-speaking Jews and early Christians to recognize this contrast immediately. When they read ὠδίνω in Isaiah 26 and then read πρὸ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν πόνον τῶν ὠδίνων (”before the pain of birth pangs came”) in Isaiah 66, they saw the theological reversal: suffering that produces nothing contrasted with the effortless arrival of God’s kingdom.
Part IV: Theological Implications of Translation Patterns
What have we learned from comparing the MT and LXX translation patterns? Several crucial insights emerge:
1. The LXX Standardized the Vocabulary
The LXX translators created a remarkably consistent translation strategy:
חוּל (chul) → ὠδίνω (ōdinō) (to writhe → to be in labor)
יָלַד (yalad) → τίκτω (tiktō) (to give birth → to give birth)
חֶבֶל (chevel) → ὠδίν (ōdin) (birth pang → birth pang)
This consistency meant that Greek-speaking Jews reading the Prophets in the LXX would encounter the same Greek terms repeatedly across Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Micah. The birth pang imagery became a recognizable formula.
2. The NT Inherited This Vocabulary
When Jesus and the apostles wanted to invoke prophetic birth pang imagery, they didn’t need to invent new Greek terms. They simply used the vocabulary the LXX had already established:
Jesus (Matthew 24:8): “πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἀρχὴ ὠδίνων”: “all these are the beginning of birth pangs [ōdinōn]”
This echoes Isaiah 13:8 LXX: “ὠδῖνες” (ōdines, “birth pangs”)
And Isaiah 26:17 LXX: “ὡς ἡ ὠδίνουσα” (hōs hē ōdinousa, “as the woman in labor”)
Paul (1 Thessalonians 5:3): “ὥσπερ ἡ ὠδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ”: “just as the birth pang upon the pregnant woman”
This directly echoes the LXX prophetic formula
John (Revelation 12:2): “ἔχουσα ἐν γαστρὶ καὶ κράζει ὠδίνουσα”: “being with child, she cries out laboring”
This combines elements from Isaiah 26:17 LXX (ὡς ἡ ὠδίνουσα, “as the woman in labor”) and birth imagery from throughout the Prophets
3. The LXX Emphasized “Birth Pangs” Over “Writhing”
One notable pattern: the LXX often preferred noun forms (ὠδίν, “birth pang”) over verb forms (chul, “to writhe”). This had the effect of making the imagery more formulaic and recognizable.
Compare:
Hebrew emphasis: “They will writhe [yechilu] like a woman in labor”
LXX emphasis: “Birth pangs [ōdines] will seize them”
The LXX’s choice to emphasize the noun (”birth pangs”) over the verb (”writhe”) made it easier for the imagery to become a technical term for eschatological judgment. Instead of just describing what happens, it became a category: “the ὠδῖνες” (the birth pangs): a recognizable phase of eschatological history.
This is exactly what we see in Jesus’ teaching: “the beginning of ὠδῖνων” (the beginning of the birth pangs). It’s not just “some birth pang-like suffering.” It’s THE birth pangs, the specific eschatological labor that precedes the Kingdom’s arrival.
4. The Dual Meaning of Chul Was (Mostly) Lost
In Hebrew, חוּל (chul) carries a fascinating dual meaning:
To writhe in labor (Isaiah 13:8; Jeremiah 4:31)
To bring forth, give birth to (Deuteronomy 32:18; Psalm 90:2: ”before the mountains were born [chullalu]”)
This dual meaning created wordplay possibilities. In Isaiah 66:8, the MT uses chul in a remarkable way: “Can a land be born [hayuchal, niphal of chul]?” The same root that means “writhe” also means “be born.”
The LXX’s translation strategy, however, separated these meanings:
Chul as “writhe” → ὠδίνω (ōdinō, “be in labor”)
Chul as “bring forth” → τίκτω (tiktō, “give birth”)
This meant that Greek readers lost some of the Hebrew wordplay, but gained clarity and consistency in the birth imagery.
5. The LXX Preserved Theological Trajectories
Despite differences in vocabulary and occasional shifts in emphasis, the LXX faithfully preserved the theological movement of the birth pang metaphor:
Judgment: Birth pangs describe terror (Isaiah 13; Jeremiah)
Futility: Labor can be unproductive (Isaiah 26:17-18)
Hope: True labor will produce new life (Micah 4–5)
Miracle: God can give birth without labor (Isaiah 66:7-8)
Greek-speaking Jews and early Christians reading the LXX could trace the same theological arc that Hebrew readers saw in the MT. The translation preserved what mattered most: the prophetic vision of suffering that gives birth to redemption.
Part V: Why This Matters for Reading the New Testament
Now we can answer the question we started with: Why does terminology matter?
Because when we read the New Testament’s use of birth pang imagery, we’re not reading random metaphors. We’re reading deliberate invocations of established prophetic tradition.
Jesus’ Use of “The Beginning of Birth Pangs” (Matthew 24:8)
When Jesus says, “πάντα δὲ ταῦτα ἀρχὴ ὠδίνων” (panta de tauta archē ōdinōn, “all these are the beginning of birth pangs”), he’s using:
The exact Greek terminology (ὠδίνων, genitive plural of ὠδίν) that the LXX used for centuries to translate Hebrew birth pang imagery
The prophetic tradition of describing judgment and transformation as labor
The theological framework that sees suffering as productive—something is being born
Jesus’ disciples, hearing “ἀρχὴ ὠδίνων” (archē ōdinōn, “beginning of birth pangs”), would have immediately thought of:
Isaiah 13:8: Babylon’s terror described as birth pangs
Isaiah 26:17: Israel’s futile labor
Isaiah 66:7-8: Zion’s miraculous sudden delivery
Jeremiah 4:31; 6:24; etc.: Multiple passages using this imagery
Jesus is saying: “The wars, famines, earthquakes you’ll see, these are the prophetic birth pangs. History is in labor. The Kingdom is coming. The pain is real, but it’s productive pain. Something is being born.”
Paul’s Use in 1 Thessalonians 5:3
Paul writes: “ὥσπερ ἡ ὠδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ” (hōsper hē ōdin tē en gastri echousē, “just as the birth pang upon the pregnant woman”).
Paul is using:
The same vocabulary (ὠδίν) as the LXX prophets
The same formula (comparison to pregnant woman)
The same theological point: sudden, inescapable judgment
Paul’s Thessalonian readers, familiar with the LXX, would recognize this as prophetic language. When Paul says the Day of the Lord will come “like a birth pang,” he’s saying it will come with the inevitability, inescapability, and productive purpose that the prophets described.
John’s Use in Revelation 12
John writes: “ἔχουσα ἐν γαστρὶ καὶ κράζει ὠδίνουσα καὶ βασανιζομένη τεκεῖν” (echousa en gastri kai krazei ōdinousa kai basanizomenē tekein, “being with child, she cries out laboring and being tormented to give birth”) — Revelation 12:2.
John is using:
ὠδίνουσα (participle of ὠδίνω)—the standard LXX term for “being in labor”
τεκεῖν (infinitive of τίκτω)—the standard LXX term for “to give birth”
The complete birth formula: pregnant → labor → giving birth
John’s vision in Revelation 12 is saturated with LXX birth imagery. The woman clothed with the sun, about to give birth, echoes:
Isaiah 26:17: The woman writhing in labor
Isaiah 66:7: Zion giving birth
Micah 4:10; 5:3: The woman in labor connected to the Messiah
When John depicts cosmic history as a woman in labor, he’s placing the Christ-event within the prophetic birth pang framework: the Messiah’s coming is the birth that the prophets described, and the tribulation is the labor that precedes the Kingdom’s full arrival.
Conclusion: From Hebrew Prophets to Greek Gospel
What have we learned from this deep dive into terminology?
The birth pang metaphor has a vocabulary history:
Hebrew prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah) used specific terms— chul (writhe), yalad (give birth), chevel (birth pang) —to describe judgment, suffering, and eschatological transformation.
LXX translators created a standardized Greek vocabulary— ὠδίνω (ōdinō, be in labor), τίκτω (tiktō, give birth), ὠδίν (ōdin, birth pang) —that faithfully rendered the Hebrew terms and established a recognizable formula.
NT writers (Jesus, Paul, John) inherited and used this LXX vocabulary, deliberately invoking the prophetic tradition to describe the eschatological tribulation that would give birth to God’s Kingdom.
The continuity is remarkable:
8th–6th centuries BC: Hebrew prophets use birth imagery to describe judgment
3rd–2nd centuries BC: LXX translators standardize Greek birth terminology
1st century AD: NT writers use this established vocabulary to describe the last days
The woman in travail isn’t just a metaphor. It’s a theological tradition, passed down through centuries, preserved in translation, and fulfilled in the Gospel.
When you read “the beginning of birth pangs” in Matthew 24:8, you’re reading the end of a very long story. One that began with Isaiah describing Babylon’s terror, continued through Jeremiah’s laments and Micah’s messianic hope, was translated into Greek by the Septuagint, and culminated in Jesus’ teaching that history itself is in labor, and the Kingdom is about to be born.
The pain is real. The labor is long. But the birth is coming.
If you’ve found this helpful or insightful, please share it with a friend who loves Scripture as much as you do.
Coming Up Next
In Part 6, we’ll finally arrive at Jesus’ use of birth pang imagery in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:8; Mark 13:8). We’ll examine:
The specific context of the Olivet Discourse
How Jesus’ phrase “the beginning of birth pangs” connects to specific OT passages
The theological implications: What is being “born”? What do the birth pangs represent?
How the early church interpreted Jesus’ birth pang language
We’ll also compare the Synoptic accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke) to see how each Gospel writer presents the birth pang imagery.
Until then, remember: the vocabulary matters. When you read ὠδίνω and τίκτω in the NT, you’re not reading random Greek words. You’re reading centuries of prophetic tradition, carefully preserved and deliberately invoked to proclaim that the suffering of the last days is not meaningless—it’s labor. And labor, no matter how painful, always ends the same way:
With birth.
The LXX Scrolls is free to read and always will be. If this work has been worth something to you, there are a few ways to say so:
Buy the ebooks. Completed teaching series are available as polished ebooks under the Two Witnesses, One Truth series. Buying through Curios will support this work most directly but they’re also available on Amazon (and elsewhere) if you’re loyal to a particular ereader.
Become a supporter. A monthly or annual pledge through Substack helps me to bring the Septuagint to those who never knew they needed it.
Send a one-time tip. If this post has blessed you and you want to express that directly, you can Buy Me a Coffee.
Thank you for being part of this journey, your support makes this work possible.
© 2026 LXX Scrolls. All rights reserved.