18
We were pregnant,הָרִינוּwe writhed;חַלְנוּas it wereכְּמוֹwe gave birthיָלַדְנוּto wind.רוּחַActs of salvationיְשׁוּעֹתwe do notבַּלworkנַעֲשֶׂהfor the earth,אֶרֶץandוּthe inhabitantsיֹשְׁבֵיof the worldתֵבֵלdo notבַלfall.יִפְּלוּ
Isaiah 26:18
Study it in the app“We were pregnant, we writhed; as it were we gave birth to wind. Acts of salvation we do not work for the earth, and the inhabitants of the world do not fall.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Isaiah 26:18, word by word
- We were pregnantהָרִינוּharinu
conceive
Become pregnant, conceive; figuratively, conceive a plan.
Where else “harinu” appears- we writhedחַלְנוּchalnu
writhe
To twist and shudder from sharp pain or from fear.
Where else “chalnu” appears- we gave birthיָלַדְנוּyaladnu
bear
To bring a child into the world, giving birth after pregnancy.
Where else “yaladnu” appears- to windרוּחַruach
wind
Moving air; also the four quarters of the horizon.
Where else “ruach” appears- Acts of salvationיְשׁוּעֹתyeshuot
salvation
Salvation: the help with which God delivers from danger; also victory. The name "Jesus" (Yeshua) comes from the same root.
Where else “yeshuot” appears- we do notבַּלbal
not
Not: a negative proper to Hebrew poetry; it denies strongly ("it will not be moved").
Where else “bal” appears- workנַעֲשֶׂהnaase
do
To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.
Where else “naase” appears- for the earthאֶרֶץerets
earth
The whole world, everything under the sky.
Where else “erets” appears- the inhabitantsיֹשְׁבֵיyoshve
dwell
To make one's home in a place.
Where else “yoshve” appears- of the worldתֵבֵלtevel
world
The world: the inhabited earth.
Where else “tevel” appears- fallיִפְּלוּyiplu
fall
To fall to the ground, or for a city to fall.
Where else “yiplu” appears
Translation note
“Fall” can be understood here of being born: no new inhabitants are born.
The context
17As a pregnant woman who draws near to giving birth writhes and cries out in her labor pains, so were we before you, YHWH.
18 · This verse (above)
19Your dead will live; my corpse, they will rise. Awake and shout for joy, you who dwell in the dust! For your dew is a dew of lights, and the earth will cause to fall the shades.