Yesaya 26:17

26:17 As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver

and strains and cries out because of her labor pains,

so were we because of you, O Lord.

Yesaya 42:14

42:14 “I have been inactive ¹  for a long time;

I kept quiet and held back.

Like a woman in labor I groan;

I pant and gasp. ² 

[42:14]  ¹ tn Heb “silent” (so NASB, NIV, TEV, NLT); CEV “have held my temper.”

[42:14]  ² sn The imagery depicts the Lord as a warrior who is eager to fight and can no longer hold himself back from the attack.