Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah isn't just describing pain; he's highlighting the unnaturalness of it. The sheer terror is so profound that it forces strong men into the posture of a woman in labor, a physically impossible scenario that underscores the depth of their agony and the unexpectedness of this judgment.
Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale?
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is speaking through Jeremiah to describe an unprecedented, overwhelming terror that will soon grip the people. He contrasts the natural inability of men to bear children with the abject fear that will reduce them to the painful, posture of a woman in labor, their faces drained of color from sheer dread. This passage sets the stage for God's promise of future restoration and deliverance from this impending crisis.
Jeremiah asks a bizarre question: can a man bear a child? It's a rhetorical device that sounds almost comical, but it points to something profoundly disturbing.
A Cry Beyond Nature
Jeremiah uses the image of childbirth to describe the intense suffering of God's people. But he frames it with a question that highlights the unnaturalness of the situation: 'Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child?' (Jeremiah 30:6). The immediate answer is, 'No, of course not!' Men are not biologically equipped for childbirth.
This sets up the shock of what follows: 'Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor?' (Jeremiah 30:6). The prophet sees the strongest of men, the proudest of men, writhing in agony, holding their bellies, their faces pale with terror. It's a posture and a pain reserved for women in the throes of labor. This isn't just physical pain; it's a sign of complete devastation, a collapse of normalcy, an agony so profound it strips away their masculinity and leaves them vulnerable and weak.
Beyond the physical posture, Jeremiah notes a distinct visual cue: paleness. What does this 'turned pale' signify in the face of judgment?
The Blanching of Terror
The prophet doesn't just see men in pain; he observes their faces: 'Why has every face turned pale?' (Jeremiah 30:6). This paleness is not just a loss of color; it's a visceral reaction to overwhelming fear and dread.
Think about what happens when someone is intensely frightened – their blood seems to drain from their face. This isn't the pallor of sickness, but the sickly hue of sheer terror. It signifies the loss of strength, the draining of courage, and the stark realization of impending doom. It's the color of hope fading, replaced by the stark reality of God's judgment. This isn't just a physical symptom; it's a spiritual and emotional death knell, broadcasting their helplessness and the severity of their situation.
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This passage vividly describes the utter devastation and terror of the Babylonian conquest. The imagery of men in labor pains highlights the unnatural, overwhelming nature of the judgment, forcing even the strongest to endure agonizing pain and fear.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Captivity of Northern Kingdom
The Neo-Assyrian Empire conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many inhabitants and scattering them across its empire.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah, deporting a portion of the elite, including young men like Daniel, to Babylon.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar exiled more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon.
586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, deporting the majority of the remaining population to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian Exile.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian king Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, paving the way for the return of exiled peoples to their homelands.
c. 538 BC
Edict of Cyrus and Return of Exiles
Cyrus issued an edict allowing Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple.
This passage uses the same imagery of a woman in labor to describe intense distress and pain, directly paralleling the imagery used in Jeremiah 30:6 to depict overwhelming fear and suffering.
Jeremiah 13:21Here, the prophet asks if one can change their spots, but the context is about the overwhelming sorrow and distress, using the metaphor of a woman in labor to convey the depth of their anguish and coming judgment.
Isaiah 13:8This passage vividly describes the terror of the coming judgment on Babylon, stating that 'terror and anguish and pangs have seized them; they are in pain, like a woman in labor,' mirroring the extreme suffering depicted in Jeremiah 30:6.
Jeremiah 6:24This verse speaks of distress and the sound of a trumpet, and then describes the people's reaction: 'terror has seized us; anguish and the pangs of a woman in labor are upon us,' directly echoing the sentiment and imagery of Jeremiah 30:6.
Isaiah 66:7-9This passage describes the sudden and miraculous birth of Zion, likening it to a woman giving birth, which is a powerful contrast and theological parallel to the unnatural pains experienced by men in Jeremiah 30:6, highlighting God's power to bring forth life from desolate circumstances.
gillJeremiah 30:6: "Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?"
Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child?.... Look into the histories of former times, inquire of those most versed in them, whether ever there was such a thing in the world as that a man should travail with child; ask one and, another you see in distress, whether that is their case o…
calvinJeremiah 30:4-6: "And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah."
- Inquirite et aspicite an pariat masculus? quare video cunctos viros manibus suis super lumbos tanquam parturiens (solet mulier, subaudiendum est, vel, sicuti solet mulier parturiens) et conversae sunt omnes facies in pallorem (vel, in auriginem, ut alii vertunt, sed nomen palloris melius convenit?)
Both Jews and Christians pervert this passage, for they apply it to the time of the Messiah;…
Jeremiah isn't just describing pain; he's highlighting the unnaturalness of it. The sheer terror is so profound that it forces strong men into the posture of a woman in labor, a physically impossible scenario that underscores the depth of their agony and the unexpectedness of this judgment.
God is speaking through Jeremiah to describe an unprecedented, overwhelming terror that will soon grip the people. He contrasts the natural inability of men to bear children with the abject fear that will reduce them to the painful, posture of a woman in labor, their faces drained of color from sheer dread. This passage sets the stage for God's promise of future restoration and deliverance from this impending crisis.
God is speaking through Jeremiah to describe an unprecedented, overwhelming terror that will soon grip the people. He contrasts the natural inability of men to bear children with the abject fear that will reduce them to the painful, posture of a woman in labor, their faces drained of color from sheer dread. This passage sets the stage for God's promise of future restoration and deliverance from this impending crisis.
"Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale?" — Jeremiah isn't just describing pain; he's highlighting the unnaturalness of it. The sheer terror is so profound that it forces strong men into the posture of a woman in labor, a physically impossib…
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Last reviewed October 2026