Isaiah 42:14

¹² Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the islands.

¹³ The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.

I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.

¹⁵ I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools.

¹⁶ And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “I have kept silent from ages past; I have remained quiet and restrained. But now I will groan like a woman in labor; I will at once gasp and pant.
KJV: I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.
WEB: “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.
ASV: 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 together.
DARBY: Long time have I holden my peace; I have been still, I have restrained myself: I will cry like a woman that travaileth; I will blow and pant at once.
BLB: “I have been silent from ages past; I have been still and restrained Myself; like a woman in labor I will groan; I will gasp and pant at once.

ÅB: Jeg har tidd fra eldgammel tid, jeg talte ikke, jeg holdt meg tilbake. Nå vil jeg skrike som den fødende kvinne, jeg vil puste og fnyse.
OTB: «Jeg har vært stille lenge; jeg har vært taus og holdt meg tilbake. Nå, som en kvinne i fødsel, vil jeg stønne, jeg vil både gispe og puste tungt.
B1930: Jeg har tidd fra eldgammel tid, jeg talte ikke, jeg holdt mig tilbake. Nu vil jeg skrike som den fødende kvinne, jeg vil puste og fnyse.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Psalms 83:1–2
Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.
Read in context
Luke 18:7
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Read in context
Jeremiah 44:22
So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.
Read in context
2 Peter 3:9–10
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Read in context
2 Peter 3:15
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
Read in context
Jeremiah 15:6
Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 8:11–12
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Read in context
Psalms 50:2
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
Read in context