Travailing
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Definition and Meaning:
The term "travailing" in the Bible often refers to the intense labor and pain associated with childbirth. However, it is also used metaphorically to describe deep spiritual or emotional anguish, struggle, or effort. The concept of travailing is frequently associated with the process of bringing forth something new, whether it be physical birth, spiritual renewal, or the fulfillment of God's purposes.

Biblical References:

1. Physical Childbirth:
Travailing is most commonly associated with the physical act of childbirth. In Genesis 3:16, God tells Eve, "I will greatly increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children." This verse establishes the connection between travailing and the labor pains experienced by women during childbirth.

2. Spiritual Travail:
The Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of childbirth to describe his spiritual labor for the Galatians. In Galatians 4:19, he writes, "My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you." Here, Paul expresses his deep concern and effort in nurturing the spiritual growth of the believers.

3. Prophetic Imagery:
The prophets often used the imagery of travailing to describe the intense experiences associated with God's judgment or the anticipation of deliverance. Isaiah 26:17-18 states, "As a pregnant woman about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pain, so were we in Your presence, O LORD. We were with child, we writhed in pain, but we gave birth to wind. We have not brought salvation to the earth, nor have the inhabitants of the world been born."

4. End Times and Creation:
In Romans 8:22, Paul speaks of creation itself as travailing: "We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time." This passage suggests that the entire creation is in a state of anticipation and longing for the ultimate redemption and renewal that will come with the return of Christ.

5. Prayer and Intercession:
Travailing is also associated with fervent prayer and intercession. In Colossians 4:12, Epaphras is described as "always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God." This laboring in prayer can be seen as a form of spiritual travail, where the intercessor experiences deep emotional and spiritual exertion on behalf of others.

Theological Significance:

Travailing, both in its literal and metaphorical senses, is a powerful image of the struggle and effort involved in bringing forth new life, whether physical or spiritual. It underscores the reality of suffering and pain as part of the human experience, yet it also points to the hope and joy that can emerge from such struggles. In the Christian life, travailing can be seen as a necessary process for spiritual growth, transformation, and the fulfillment of God's purposes. The imagery of travailing serves as a reminder of the cost of discipleship and the labor involved in advancing the Kingdom of God.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Travail.
Library

Travailing for Souls
... Travailing for Souls. A Sermon (No.1009). Delivered on Lord's-day Morning, September
3rd, 1871, by. CH SPURGEON,. At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/travailing for souls.htm

Travailing in Birth for Souls. Gal 4:19
... HYMNS after Sermons to young people, on new-years evenings, suited to the subjects.
Hymn 26 Travailing in birth for souls. ... Travailing in birth for souls. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 26 travailing in birth.htm

Psalm LIII.
... the end, for Maeleth, understanding to David himself." "For Maeleth," as we find
in interpretations of Hebrew names, seemeth to say, For one travailing, or in ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm liii.htm

From the Twelfth Chapter.
... And being with child, she cried out travailing, and bearing torments that she might
bring forth."] The woman clothed with the sun, and having the moon under ...
/.../commentary on the apocolypse of the blessed john/from the twelfth chapter.htm

A Confirmation of what Hath Been Said, Particularly of the ...
... to ransack thy conscience, for this will now but do thee harm, and either put thee
quite out of thy, way or at least unprofitably delay thy travailing in it. ...
/.../chapter vi a confirmation of.htm

Creation's Groans and the Saints' Sighs
... At this present time, the groaning and travailing which are general
throughout creation, are deeply felt among the sons of men. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 14 1868/creations groans and the saints.htm

Bear up the Hands that Hang Down, by Faith and Prayer...
... The joy of answered prayer is the joy of a travailing mother when a man child is
born in to the world, the joy of a slave whose chains have been burst asunder ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/purpose in prayer/chapter ix bear up the.htm

Even if the Permission had Been Given by St. Paul in the Sense ...
... [675] But so did circumstances require him to "become all things to all, in order
to gain all;" [676] "travailing in birth with them until Christ should be ...
/.../tertullian/on monogamy/chapter xiv even if the permission.htm

The Holy Communion.
... All creation was groaning and travailing in pain, and waiting for redemption, then
said He""Lo, I come." The souls of the faithful were in Hades, prophets ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/xxxix the holy communion.htm

The Genesis of Sanctifying Grace, or the Process of Justification
... maternal womb. Like physical birth, spiritual regeneration is preceded by
travailing, ie fear and painful contrition. The dogmatic ...
/.../pohle/grace actual and habitual/chapter i the genesis of.htm

Thesaurus
Travailing (16 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Travailing (16 Occurrences). ... Revelation 12:2 And she being
with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. ...
/t/travailing.htm - 11k

Pained (41 Occurrences)
... crimes): (ASV). Revelation 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing
in birth, and pained to be delivered. (KJV WBS YLT). Genesis ...
/p/pained.htm - 18k

Travail (54 Occurrences)
... Revelation 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained
to be delivered. ... Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. ...
/t/travail.htm - 26k

Travaileth (9 Occurrences)

/t/travaileth.htm - 9k

Seized (118 Occurrences)
... (WBS). Psalms 48:6 Trembling hath seized them there, Pain, as of a travailing
woman. (YLT NAS NIV). Psalms 56:1 For the Chief Musician. ...
/s/seized.htm - 34k

Seize (91 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 21:3 Therefore filled have been my loins 'with' great pain, Pangs have seized
me as pangs of a travailing woman, I have been bent down by hearing, I ...
/s/seize.htm - 34k

Nested (3 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 22:23 O dweller in Lebanon, making a nest among cedars, How gracious hast
thou been when pangs come to thee, Pain -- as of a travailing woman. ...
/n/nested.htm - 7k

Unwise (16 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Hosea 13:13 The sorrows of a travailing woman will come on him. He is an
unwise son; for when it is time, he doesn't come to the opening of the womb. ...
/u/unwise.htm - 10k

Gasping (2 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 42:14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained
myself: now will I cry out like a travailing woman; I will gasp and pant ...
/g/gasping.htm - 7k

Groan (32 Occurrences)
... Stephen calls the groaning of Israel in Egypt stenagmos (Acts 7:34), and the united
wail of the travailing creation is expressed by Paul by the word ...
/g/groan.htm - 21k

Resources
What is the meaning of travail in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Travailing: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Travailing (16 Occurrences)

Galatians 4:27
for it hath been written, 'Rejoice, O barren, who art not bearing; break forth and cry, thou who art not travailing, because many 'are' the children of the desolate -- more than of her having the husband.'
(YLT)

Revelation 12:2
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
(KJV ASV WBS YLT)

Psalms 48:6
Trembling hath seized them there, Pain, as of a travailing woman.
(YLT)

Isaiah 13:8
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!
(YLT)

Isaiah 21:3
Therefore filled have been my loins 'with' great pain, Pangs have seized me as pangs of a travailing woman, I have been bent down by hearing, I have been troubled by seeing.
(YLT)

Isaiah 42:14
"I have been silent a long time. I have been quiet and restrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT)

Jeremiah 6:24
We have heard its sound, feeble have been our hands, Distress hath seized us, pain as of a travailing woman.
(YLT)

Jeremiah 13:21
What dost thou say, when He looketh after thee? And thou -- thou hast taught them 'to be' over thee -- leaders for head? Do not pangs seize thee as a travailing woman?
(YLT)

Jeremiah 22:23
O dweller in Lebanon, making a nest among cedars, How gracious hast thou been when pangs come to thee, Pain -- as of a travailing woman.
(YLT)

Jeremiah 30:6
Ask, I pray you, and see, is a male bringing forth? Wherefore have I seen every man, His hands on his loins, as a travailing woman, And all faces have been turned to paleness?
(YLT)

Jeremiah 31:8
Lo, I am bringing them in from the north country, And have gathered them from the sides of the earth, Among them 'are' blind and lame, Conceiving and travailing one -- together, A great assembly -- they turn back hither.
(YLT)

Jeremiah 49:24
Feeble hath been Damascus, She turned to flee, and fear strengthened her, Distress and pangs have seized her, as a travailing woman.
(YLT)

Jeremiah 50:43
Heard hath the king of Babylon their report, And feeble have been his hands, Distress hath seized him; pain as a travailing woman.
(YLT)

Hosea 13:13
The sorrows of a travailing woman will come on him. He is an unwise son; for when it is time, he doesn't come to the opening of the womb.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT)

Micah 4:9
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?
(YLT)

Micah 4:10
Be pained, and bring forth, O daughter of Zion, As a travailing woman, For now, thou goest forth from the city, And thou hast dwelt in the field, And thou hast gone unto Babylon, There thou art delivered, There redeem thee doth Jehovah from the hand of thine enemies.
(YLT)

Subtopics

Travailing

Related Terms

Travailing (16 Occurrences)

Travel (25 Occurrences)

Travail (54 Occurrences)

Groans (9 Occurrences)

Throng (21 Occurrences)

Remote (17 Occurrences)

Expectant (1 Occurrence)

Disillusionment (1 Occurrence)

Suffers (17 Occurrences)

Groan (32 Occurrences)

Mothers (27 Occurrences)

Pregnant (33 Occurrences)

Falsehood (107 Occurrences)

Mischief (64 Occurrences)

Farthest (33 Occurrences)

Conceived (66 Occurrences)

Pain (172 Occurrences)

Lame (35 Occurrences)

Uttermost (48 Occurrences)

Present (577 Occurrences)

Creation (35 Occurrences)

Wickedness (232 Occurrences)

Ends (108 Occurrences)

Blind (91 Occurrences)

North (164 Occurrences)

Travaileth
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