For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed {are} the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: {body: Heb. belly}

But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people {is become} cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. {sea...: or, sea calves}

Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son {that was} lame of {his} feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name {was} Mephibosheth. {Mephibosheth: or, Meribbaal}

Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that {were} therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not {to him}, therefore he smote {it; and} all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.

For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed {are} the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

Yea, better {is he} than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.

I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, {I say}, that {it is} good for a man so to be. {distress: or, necessity}

And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: {body: Heb. belly}

And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. {miscarrying: Heb. that casteth the fruit}

But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place.