King James Version

What Does Micah 4:10 Mean?

Micah 4:10 in the King James Version says “Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of t...” — study this verse from Micah chapter 4 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.”

Micah 4:10 · KJV

Salvation

Context

8

And thou, O tower of the flock , the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.

9

Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.

10

Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.

11

Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.

12

But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail (חוּלִי וָגֹחִי בַּת־צִיּוֹן כַּיּוֹלֵדָה, chuli va-gochi bat-Tsiyyon kayyoledah). The imperatives חוּל (chul, writhe/travail) and גָּחַה (gachah, labor/burst forth) command Jerusalem to embrace the painful process. This isn't permission but prophetic necessity—exile must come. Yet labor produces birth; suffering yields redemption. The comparison כַּיּוֹלֵדָה (kayyoledah, like one giving birth) reiterates verse 9's imagery.

For now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon (כִּי־עַתָּה תֵצְאִי מִקִּרְיָה וְשָׁכַנְתְּ בַּשָּׂדֶה וּבָאת עַד־בָּבֶל, ki-attah tetse'i miqqiryah we-shakhant bassadeh u-va't ad-Bavel). The threefold progression depicts exile stages: (1) יָצָא (yatsa, go out) from Jerusalem, (2) שָׁכַן (shakhan, dwell) in fields (temporary camps, vulnerability), (3) בּוֹא עַד (bo ad, go even to) Babylon. Remarkably, Micah names Babylon over a century before it became dominant power—stunning prophetic precision.

There shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies (שָׁם תִּנָּצֵלִי שָׁם יִגְאָלֵךְ יְהוָה מִכַּף אֹיְבָיִךְ, sham tinnatseli sham yig'alekh YHWH mikkaf oyevayikh). The repeated שָׁם (sham, there) emphasizes location—in Babylon itself, amid exile, deliverance comes. נָצַל (natsal, deliver/rescue) and גָּאַל (ga'al, redeem) promise salvation in the place of bondage. This parallels the Exodus—Israel enslaved in Egypt, redeemed from there. Exile isn't abandonment but redemptive discipline; Babylon becomes unlikely location for divine deliverance. God saves not by preventing exile but through it—refining, purifying, then restoring (Jeremiah 29:10-14; Isaiah 48:10).

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Historical & Cultural Context

Micah prophesied circa 740-700 BC when Assyria was the dominant threat. Babylon was merely an Assyrian vassal. Yet Micah specifically named Babylon as Israel's future captor—fulfilled over a century later when Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem (605, 597, 586 BC) and exiled Jews to Babylon. This prophetic precision demonstrates divine inspiration; Micah couldn't have guessed Babylon's rise to superpower status or Jerusalem's eventual fall to them.

The exile lasted 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11-12, 29:10). Cyrus the Persian conquered Babylon (539 BC) and issued an edict allowing Jews to return (538 BC—Ezra 1:1-4). Thus "there"—in Babylon—God redeemed them through a pagan king (Isaiah 44:28-45:1 calls Cyrus God's "anointed"). The pattern reveals God's sovereignty over history—He orchestrates even pagan empires to accomplish redemptive purposes (Proverbs 21:1; Daniel 2:21, 4:34-35). The ultimate exodus came through Christ, who descended into death (our Babylon) and emerged victorious, redeeming His people from sin's captivity (Ephesians 4:8-10; Colossians 1:13).

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the command to 'labour to bring forth' like a woman in travail reframe suffering as redemptive process rather than meaningless tragedy?
  2. What does Micah's specific naming of Babylon (over a century before it conquered Judah) demonstrate about biblical prophecy's divine origin?
  3. In what ways does God's promise to redeem 'there'—in Babylon itself—illustrate His power to save through circumstances, not merely from them?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 21 words
ח֧וּלִי1 of 21

“Be in pain”

H2342

properly, to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e., (specifically) to dance, to writhe in pain (especially of parturition) or fear; fi

וָגֹ֛חִי2 of 21

“and labour to bring forth”

H1518

to gush forth (as water), generally to issue

בַּת3 of 21

“O daughter”

H1323

a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)

צִיּ֖וֹן4 of 21

“of Zion”

H6726

tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of jerusalem

כַּיּֽוֹלֵדָ֑ה5 of 21

“like a woman in travail”

H3205

to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage

כִּֽי6 of 21
H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

עַתָּה֩7 of 21
H6258

at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletive

תֵצְאִ֨י8 of 21

“for now shalt thou go forth”

H3318

to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim

מִקִּרְיָ֜ה9 of 21

“out of the city”

H7151

a city

וְשָׁכַ֣נְתְּ10 of 21

“and thou shalt dwell”

H7931

to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively)

בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה11 of 21

“in the field”

H7704

a field (as flat)

וּבָ֤את12 of 21

“and thou shalt go”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

עַד13 of 21
H5704

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

בָּבֶל֙14 of 21

“even to Babylon”

H894

babel (i.e., babylon), including babylonia and the babylonian empire

שָׁ֣ם15 of 21
H8033

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

תִּנָּצֵ֔לִי16 of 21

“there shalt thou be delivered”

H5337

to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense

שָׁ֚ם17 of 21
H8033

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

יִגְאָלֵ֣ךְ18 of 21

“shall redeem”

H1350

to redeem (according to the middle eastern law of kinship), i.e., to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative's property, marry his wido

יְהוָ֔ה19 of 21

“there the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

מִכַּ֖ף20 of 21

“thee from the hand”

H3709

the hollow hand or palm (so of the paw of an animal, of the sole, and even of the bowl of a dish or sling, the handle of a bolt, the leaves of a palm-

אֹיְבָֽיִךְ׃21 of 21

“of thine enemies”

H341

hating; an adversary

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Micah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Micah 4:10 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Micah 4:10 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isaiah 48:20Hosea 13:13Isaiah 43:14Isaiah 52:9-12Isaiah 45:13Hosea 2:14

Places in This Verse

Babylon 1Settlement · Modern: Babylon · 32.54°N, 44.42°E296 verses across 15 books
ZionSettlement · Modern: Jerusalem · 31.78°N, 35.23°E148 verses across 19 books
View all places in Micah 4 →

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