H2427a H2427a
Writhing pain, anguish, or birth-pangs — severe physical or emotional distress likened to labor.
A noun denoting sharp, convulsive pain — whether the physical contortions of fear or the anguish of labor. Its most vivid usage compares military or national dread to the pangs of a woman in childbirth (Ps 48:6; Mic 4:9; Jer 6:24; 50:43). In Exodus 15:14, it describes the writhing terror that seized the nations at news of Israel's deliverance. The birth-pang metaphor recurs so consistently that the word almost always evokes labor imagery.
Senses
1. pain, anguish, birth-pangs — Writhing pain, anguish, or birth-pangs — intense physical or emotional distress. Spanish 'dolor' and French 'angoisse' both capture the core sense of acute suffering. At the Exodus, peoples writhed in fear (Exod 15:14). Allied kings attacking Jerusalem seized up 'like a woman in labor' (Ps 48:6). Zion writhes before Assyria (Mic 4:9), and Judah and Babylon alike suffer anguish compared to childbirth (Jer 6:24; 22:23; 50:43). The simile 'like a woman giving birth' is almost formulaic with this noun. 6×
AR["أَلَمٌ", "مَخَاضٌ", "وَجَع", "وَجَعٌ"]·ben["কষ্ট", "প্রসববেদনা", "বেদনা", "ব্যথা", "যন্ত্রণা"]·DE["Heer", "[חיל]", "anguish"]·EN["anguish", "pain"]·FR["angoisse", "force", "mur", "vaillance"]·heb["חיל"]·HI["और-पीड़ा", "दर्द", "पीड़ा"]·ID["kengerian", "kesakitan", "penderitaan", "sakit", "sakit-bersalin"]·IT["[חיל]", "anguish", "esercito", "potenza"]·jav["kados-sakit", "kasakitan", "laran", "ngelu", "sakit", "sami-gumun"]·KO["고통이", "산고-가", "산고가", "진통이"]·PT["angústia", "dor", "dores"]·RU["боль", "муки", "ужас"]·ES["dolor"]·SW["maumivu", "uchungu"]·TR["acı", "ağrı", "sancı"]·urd["درد"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H2416a 1. alive, living (state/attribute) (146×)H2416e 1. life, lifespan, lifetime (145×)G2198 1. be alive, have life (133×)H8193 1. lip, lips (body part) (123×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חִיל n.m. Ex 15:14 a writhing, anguish;—ח׳ abs. Ex 15:14 + 5 times— 1. writhing (contortions of fear) Ex 15:14 (‖ vb. רָגַז). 2. anguish, always in sim. כַּיּוֹלֵדָה ψ 48:7 (allied kings against Jerus.); Zion, before Assyrians Mi 4:9; before Scythians or Chaldeans Je 6:24 (‖ צָרָה), = 50:43 (of king of Babylon; ‖ צָרָה); 22:23 (‖ חבלים q.v.)