Micah 4:9

Douay-Rheims Bible

Now, why art thou drawn together with grief? Hast thou no king in thee, or is thy counselor perished, because sorrow hath taken thee as a woman in labour.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now, why are you shouting loudly?Is there no king with you?Has your counselor perishedso that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?

Hebrew Names Version
Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, That pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail?

King James Version (1611)
Now why doest thou cry out alowd? is there no king in thee? is thy counseller perished? for pangs haue taken thee, as a woman in trauell.

King James Version
Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.

English Standard Version
Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pain seized you like a woman in labor?

New American Standard Bible
"Now, why do you cry out loudly? Is there no king among you, Or has your counselor perished, That agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth?

New Century Version
Now, why do you cry so loudly? Is your king gone? Have you lost your helper, so that you are in pain, like a woman trying to give birth?

Amplified Bible
"Now, why do you cry out loudly? Is there no king among you? Has your counselor perished? For agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe why doest thou crie out with lamentation? is there no King in thee? is thy counseller perished? for sorowe hath taken thee, as a woman in trauaile.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Now, why do you cry out loudly? Is there no king among you, Or has your counselor perished, That agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth?

Legacy Standard Bible
"Now, why do you make a loud shout?Is there no king among you,Or has your counselor perished,That writhing has taken hold of you like a woman in childbirth?

Berean Standard Bible
Why do you now cry aloud? Is there no king among you? Has your counselor perished so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?

Contemporary English Version
Jerusalem, why are you crying? Don't you have a king? Have your advisors gone? Are you suffering like a woman in childbirth?

Complete Jewish Bible
Why are you now crying out? Don't you have a king? Has your counselor been destroyed, that you are seized with pain like a woman in labor?

Darby Translation
Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished, that pangs have seized thee as a woman in travail?

Easy-to-Read Version
Now, why are you crying so loudly? Is your king gone? Have you lost your wise leader? Is that why you are suffering like a woman in labor?

George Lamsa Translation
Now why do you commit iniquity? Is there no king in you? Or have your counsellors perished? For pangs have taken you like a woman in travail.

Good News Translation
Why do you cry out so loudly? Why are you suffering like a woman in labor? Is it because you have no king, and your counselors are dead?

Lexham English Bible
So then, why do you shout a loud shout? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished that pangs like a woman in labor have seized you?

Literal Translation
Now why do you cry aloud, an outcry? Is there not a king among you? Has your adviser perished? For pangs have seized you like one giving birth.

American Standard Version
Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee, is thy counsellor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail?

Bible in Basic English
Now why are you crying so loudly? is there no king in you? has destruction come on your wise helper? so that pains have taken you like the pains of a woman in childbirth:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no King in thee, is thy Counsellor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Why then doest thou crye and lament? is there no king in thee? are thy counsellers perished, that thou art so payned as a woman in her trauaile?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And now, why hast thou known calamities? was there not a king to thee? or has thy counsel perished that pangs as of a woman in travail have seized upon thee?

English Revised Version
Now why dost thou cry out aloud? Is there no king in thee, is thy counsellor perished, that pangs have taken hold of thee as of a woman in travail?

World English Bible
Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, That pains have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Now whi art thou drawun togidere with mournyng? whether a kyng is not to thee, ether thi counselour perischide? for sorowe hath take thee, as a womman trauelinge of child.

Update Bible Version
Now why do you cry out aloud? Is there no king in you, has your counselor perished, that pangs have taken hold of you as of a woman in travail?

Webster's Bible Translation
Now why dost thou cry aloud? [is there] no king in thee? hath thy counselor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.

New English Translation
Jerusalem, why are you now shouting so loudly? Has your king disappeared? Has your wise leader been destroyed? Is this why pain grips you as if you were a woman in labor?

New King James Version
Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in your midst? Has your counselor perished? For pangs have seized you like a woman in labor.

New Living Translation
But why are you now screaming in terror? Have you no king to lead you? Have your wise people all died? Pain has gripped you like a woman in childbirth.

New Life Bible
"Now why do you cry out in a loud voice? Is there no king among you? Has your wise man died, so that you have pains like a woman giving birth?

New Revised Standard
Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pangs have seized you like a woman in labor?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Meanwhile, wherefore shouldst thou cry out aloud? King, is there none within thee? or hath, thy counselor, perished? for labour, hath seized thee, as a woman in child-birth: -

Revised Standard Version
Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pangs have seized you like a woman in travail?

Young's Literal Translation
Now, why dost thou shout aloud? A king -- is there none in thee? Hath thy counsellor perished, That taken hold of thee hath pain as a travailing woman?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Why the art thou now so heuy? is there no kynge in the? are thy councelers awaye that thou art so payned, as a woman in hir trauayle?

THE MESSAGE
So why the doomsday hysterics? You still have a king, don't you? But maybe he's not doing his job and you're panicked like a woman in labor. Well, go ahead—twist and scream, Daughter Jerusalem. You are like a woman in childbirth. You'll soon be out of the city, on your way and camping in the open country. And then you'll arrive in Babylon. What you lost in Jerusalem will be found in Babylon. God will give you new life again. He'll redeem you from your enemies.

Contextual Overview

⁸ And thou, O cloudy tower of the flock, of the daughter of Sion, unto thee shall it come: yea the first power shall come, the kingdom to the daughter of Jerusalem. ⁹ Now, why art thou drawn together with grief? Hast thou no king in thee, or is thy counselor perished, because sorrow hath taken thee as a woman in labour. ¹⁰ Be in pain and labour, O daughter of Sion, as a woman that bringeth forth: for now shalt thou go out of the city, and shalt dwell in the country, and shalt come even to Babylon, there thou shalt be delivered: there the Lord will redeem thee out of the hand of thy enemies. ¹¹ And now many nations are gathered together against thee, and they say: Let her be stoned: and let our eye look upon Sion. ¹² But they have not known the thoughts of the Lord, and have not understood his counsel: because he hath gathered them together as the hay of the floor. ¹³ Arise, and tread, O daughter of Sion: for I will make thy horn iron, and thy hoofs I will make brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many peoples, and shalt immolate the spoils of them to the Lord, and their strength to the Lord of the whole earth.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

why: Jeremiah 4:21, Jeremiah 8:19, Jeremiah 30:6, Jeremiah 30:7

is there: Isaiah 3:1-7, Lamentations 4:20, Hosea 3:4, Hosea 10:3, Hosea 13:10, Hosea 13:11

for: Isaiah 13:8, Isaiah 21:3, Isaiah 26:17, Jeremiah 22:23, Jeremiah 30:6, Jeremiah 50:43

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:16 - in sorrow Isaiah 30:19 - thou shalt Jeremiah 6:24 - anguish Jeremiah 48:41 - as the heart Hosea 13:13 - sorrows Mark 13:8 - sorrows 1 Thessalonians 5:3 - as

Cross-References

Genesis 4:4
Abel also offered of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat: and the Lord had respect to Abel, and to his offerings.

Genesis 4:9
And the Lord said to Cain: Where is thy brother Abel? And he answered: I know not: am I my brother’s keeper?

Genesis 4:11
Now therefore cursed shalt thou be upon the earth, which hath opened her mouth and received the blood of thy brother at thy hand.

Genesis 4:13
And Cain said to the Lord: My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon.

Genesis 4:14
Behold thou dost cast me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face I shall be hid, and I shall be a vagabond and a fugitive on the earth: every one therefore that findeth me, shall kill me.

Genesis 37:32
Sending some to carry it to their father, and to say: This we have found: see whether it be thy son’s coat, or not.

Psalms 9:12
(9-13) For requiring their blood, he hath remembered them: he hath not forgotten the cry of the poor.

Proverbs 28:13
He that hideth his sins, shall not prosper: but he that shall confess, and forsake them, shall obtain mercy.

John 8:44
You are of your father the devil: and the desires of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning: and he stood not in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now why dost thou cry out aloud?.... Or "cry a cry" w; a vehement one, or set up a most lamentable cry, as if no help or hope were to be had, but as in the most desperate condition: here the prophet represents the Jews as if they were already in captivity, and in the utmost distress, and as they certainly would be; and yet had no reason to despair of deliverance and salvation, since the Messiah would certainly come to them, and his kingdom would be set up among them, The word used has sometimes the notion of friendship and association; hence the Targum renders it,

"now why art thou joined to the people?''

and so Jarchi,

"thou hast no need to seek friends and lovers, the kings of Egypt and Assyria, for help.''

And which sense of the word as approved by Gussetius x.

[Is there] no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? he it so that they were; as was the case when Zedekiah was taken and carried captive, and his princes, nobles, and counsellors killed; yet God, their King and Counsellor, was with them, to keep and preserve them, counsel, instruct, and comfort them, and at last to deliver and save them; and the King Messiah would be raised up, and sent unto them in due time, who is the Wonderful Counsellor Isaiah had prophesied of:

for pangs have taken thee as a worn an in travail; which is often expressive of great sufferings and sorrows; and yet, as the pangs of a woman in travail do not continue always, but have an end, so would theirs, and therefore there was no reason for despair; and as, when she brings forth her issue, her sorrow is turned into joy, this would be their case.

w למה תריעי רע "quid vociferabis vociferationem", Pagninus, Montanus. So Vatablus, Drusius. x Ebr. Comment. p. 789.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now - The prophet places himself in the midst of their deepest sorrows, and out of them he promises comfort. “Why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no King in thee? is thy Counsellor perished?” . Is then all lost, because thou hast no visible king, none to counsel thee or consult for thee? . Very remarkably he speaks of their “King and Counsellor” as one, as if to say, “When all beside is gone, there is One who abides. Though thou be a captive, God will not forsake thee. When thou hadst no earthly king, “the Lord thy God was thy King” 1 Samuel 12:12. He is the First, and He is the Last. When thou shalt have no other, He, thy King, ceaseth not to be.” Montanus: “Thou shouldest not fear, so long as He, who counselleth for thee, liveth; but He liveth forever.” Thy “Counsellor,” He, who is called “Counsellor” Isaiah 9:6, who counselleth for thee, who counselleth thee, will, if thou obey His counsel, make birth-pangs to end in joy.

For pangs have taken thee, as a woman in travail - Resistless, remediless, doubling the whole frame, redoubled until the end, for which God sends them, is accomplished, and then ceasing in joy. The truest comfort, amid all sorrow, is in owning that the travail-pains must be, but that the reward shall be afterward. Montanus: “It is meet to look for deliverance from God’s mercy, as certainly as for punishment from our guilt; and that the more, since He who foretold both, willingly saves, punishes unwillingly.” So the prophets adds.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 9. Is there no King in thee? — None. And why? Because thou hast rejected Jehovah thy king.

Is thy counsellor perished? — No: but thou hast rejected the words and advices of the prophets.

Pangs have taken thee — He is speaking of the desolations that should take place when the Chaldeans should come against the city; and hence he says, "Thou shalt go to Babylon;" ye shall be cast out of your own land, and sent slaves to a foreign country, He represents the people under the notion of a woman in travail.