The Meaning of Isaiah 13:8 Explained

Isaiah 13:8

KJV: And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

YLT: And they have been troubled, Pains and pangs they take, As a travailing woman they are pained, A man at his friend they marvel, The appearance of flames -- their faces!

Darby: and they shall be terrified: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them, they shall writhe as a woman that travaileth; they shall be amazed one at another, their faces shall be as flames.

ASV: and they shall be dismayed; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them ; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail: they shall look in amazement one at another; their faces'shall be faces of flame.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they shall be afraid:  pangs  and sorrows  shall take hold  of them; they shall be in pain  as a woman that travaileth:  they shall be amazed  one  at another;  their faces  [shall be as] flames. 

What does Isaiah 13:8 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 13

1  God musters the armies of his wrath
6  He threatens to destroy Babylon by the Medes
19  The desolation of Babylon

What do the individual words in Isaiah 13:8 mean?

And they will be afraid Pangs and sorrows will take hold of [them] as a woman in childbirth they will be in pain one at another they will be amazed their faces [like] flames their faces [will be]
וְֽנִבְהָ֓לוּ ׀ צִירִ֤ים וַֽחֲבָלִים֙ יֹֽאחֵז֔וּן כַּיּוֹלֵדָ֖ה יְחִיל֑וּן אִ֤ישׁ אֶל־ רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ יִתְמָ֔הוּ פְּנֵ֥י לְהָבִ֖ים פְּנֵיהֶֽם

וְֽנִבְהָ֓לוּ ׀  And  they  will  be  afraid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּהַל  
Sense: to disturb, alarm, terrify, hurry, be disturbed, be anxious, be afraid, be hurried, be nervous.
צִירִ֤ים  Pangs 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: צִיר 
Sense: envoy, messenger.
וַֽחֲבָלִים֙  and  sorrows 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֶבֶל 
Sense: a cord, rope, territory, band, company.
יֹֽאחֵז֔וּן  will  take  hold  of  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: אָחוּז 
Sense: grasp, take hold, seize, take possession.
כַּיּוֹלֵדָ֖ה  as  a  woman  in  childbirth 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
יְחִיל֑וּן  they  will  be  in  pain 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: חוּל 
Sense: to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained.
אִ֤ישׁ  one 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶל־  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙  another 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֵעַ  
Sense: friend, companion, fellow, another person.
יִתְמָ֔הוּ  they  will  be  amazed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: תָּמַהּ  
Sense: to be astounded, be stunned, be amazed, be dumbfounded.
פְּנֵ֥י  their  faces 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
לְהָבִ֖ים  [like]  flames 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: לַהַב  
Sense: flame, blade.
פְּנֵיהֶֽם  their  faces  [will  be] 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.