Isaiah 42:14 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 42:14 mean?

Isaiah 42:14 presents God as speaking after a long period of restraint. The verse marks a decisive change: God will no longer remain quiet but will act with a force the KJV describes as destroying and devouring.

The image of a woman in labor gives the cry a sense of urgency and intense effort. After the warrior image in verse 13, this unexpected picture adds the sound and strain of childbirth to the portrayal of God’s action.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 42:14

• “cry” — פָּעָה (paʿah): This word can describe a loud cry or a gasp. In the picture of labor, the sound conveys physical strain as well as urgency.
• “refrained” — אָפַק (ʾafaq): This word carries the sense of holding oneself back. It portrays the earlier silence as restraint, rather than simply an absence of speech.
• “once” — יַחַד (yaḥad): This word can mean “together” or “at the same time.” The KJV’s “at once” brings the two forceful actions together.

Why Isaiah 42:14 matters

• The verse contrasts restraint with action, not weakness with strength. “I have been still” stands alongside the deliberate words “refrained myself.”
• The labor image sits beside language of destruction. The unusual combination gives the verse both a sound of intense effort and a picture of overwhelming action.
• The surrounding passage connects God’s action with clearing a way for people who cannot see. Verse 16 describes God leading the blind and turning darkness into light before them.