Birth and Barrenness in the Bible

39 passages of the Berean Standard Bible, line by line, from Nave’s Topical Bible.

Births

A woman in labor forgets her pain for joy at the birthJohn 16:21
The verses
John 16:21A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.
The Hebrew midwives Shiphrah and Puah, and the birthstoolsExod 1:15–16
The verses
Exod 1:15–16Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”
Hebrew women “give birth before a midwife arrives”Exod 1:19
The verses
Exod 1:19The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”
Rachel’s labor is hard; the midwife says, “Another son”Gen 35:16–17
The verses
Gen 35:16–17Later, they set out from Bethel, and while they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel began to give birth, and her labor was difficult. During her severe labor, the midwife said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you are having another son.”
Rachel dies on the way to BethlehemGen 35:18–19
The verses
Gen 35:18–19And with her last breath—for she was dying—she named him Ben-oni. But his father called him Benjamin. So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
Phinehas’s wife gives birth on hearing the news and dies1 Sam 4:19–20
The verses
1 Sam 4:19–20Now Eli’s daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news of the capture of God’s ark and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband, she collapsed and gave birth, for her labor pains overtook her. As she was dying, the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay any heed.
After a son, a mother is unclean seven days, then waits to be purifiedLev 12:2–4
The verses
Lev 12:2–4“Say to the Israelites, ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be unclean for seven days, as she is during the days of her menstruation. And on the eighth day the flesh of the boy’s foreskin is to be circumcised. The woman shall continue in purification from her bleeding for thirty-three days. She must not touch anything sacred or go into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are complete.
After a daughter, two weeks unclean, then a longer purificationLev 12:5
The verses
Lev 12:5If, however, she gives birth to a daughter, the woman will be unclean for two weeks as she is during her menstruation. Then she must continue in purification from her bleeding for sixty-six days.
Then a lamb and a bird are offered, or two birds if she is poorLev 12:6, Lev 12:8
The verses
Lev 12:6When the days of her purification are complete, whether for a son or for a daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering.
Lev 12:8But if she cannot afford a lamb, she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. Then the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”
Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives rejoice with herLuke 1:57–58
The verses
Luke 1:57–58When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.

Nurses

Rebekah’s nurse goes with her to CanaanGen 24:59
The verses
Gen 24:59So they sent their sister Rebekah on her way, along with her nurse and Abraham’s servant and his men.
Sarah: “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?”Gen 21:7
The verses
Gen 21:7She added, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Moses: “Carry them … as a nurse carries an infant”Num 11:12
The verses
Num 11:12Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth, so that You should tell me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries an infant,’ to the land that You swore to give their fathers?
Paul: gentle, like a nursing mother caring for her children1 Thess 2:7
The verses
1 Thess 2:7On the contrary, we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother caring for her children.

Long without children

Sarai was barren; she had no childrenGen 11:30
The verses
Gen 11:30But Sarai was barren; she had no children.
Sarai gives her maidservant Hagar to Abram to build a familyGen 16:1–2
The verses
Gen 16:1–2Now Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
Sarah laughs: she is past the age of childbearingGen 18:11–14
The verses
Gen 18:11–14And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?” And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’ Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
Sarah bears Isaac; Abraham is a hundred years oldGen 17:17, Gen 21:2, Gen 21:5
The verses
Gen 17:17Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?”
Gen 21:2So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised.
Gen 21:5Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
Isaac prays for barren Rebekah, and she conceivesGen 25:21
The verses
Gen 25:21Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.
Rachel: “Give me children, or I will die!”Gen 30:1–2
The verses
Gen 30:1–2When Rachel saw that she was not bearing any children for Jacob, she envied her sister. “Give me children, or I will die!” she said to Jacob. Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
Rachel and Leah bargain over mandrakesGen 30:14–16
The verses
Gen 30:14–16Now during the wheat harvest, Reuben went out and found some mandrakes in the field. When he brought them to his mother, Rachel begged Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” But Leah replied, “Is it not enough that you have taken away my husband? Now you want to take my son’s mandrakes as well?” “Very well,” said Rachel, “he may sleep with you tonight in exchange for your son’s mandrakes.” When Jacob came in from the field that evening, Leah went out to meet him and said, “You must come with me, for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night.
Rachel bears Joseph: “God has taken away my shame”Gen 30:22–24
The verses
Gen 30:22–24Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. “God has taken away my shame,” she said. She named him Joseph, and said, “May the LORD add to me another son.”
Manoah’s wife, barren, gives birth to SamsonJudg 13:2–3, Judg 13:24
The verses
Judg 13:2–3Now there was a man from Zorah named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, whose wife was barren and had no children. The angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “It is true that you are barren and have no children; but you will conceive and give birth to a son.
Judg 13:24So the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson. The boy grew, and the LORD blessed him.
Elkanah gives childless Hannah a double portion1 Sam 1:2, 1 Sam 1:5
The verses
1 Sam 1:2He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
1 Sam 1:5But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb.
Peninnah taunts Hannah year after year1 Sam 1:6–7
The verses
1 Sam 1:6–7Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously. And this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not eat.
Hannah weeps and makes a vow; she bears Samuel1 Sam 1:10–11, 1 Sam 1:19–20
The verses
1 Sam 1:10–11In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. And she made a vow, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.”
1 Sam 1:19–20The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”
Hannah later has more children1 Sam 2:21
The verses
1 Sam 2:21So the LORD attended to Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.
The Shunammite, whose husband is old, has a son the next year2 Kgs 4:14–17
The verses
2 Kgs 4:14–17So he asked, “Then what should be done for her?” “Well, she has no son,” Gehazi replied, “and her husband is old.” “Call her,” said Elisha. So Gehazi called her, and she stood in the doorway. And Elisha declared, “At this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord,” she said. “Do not lie to your maidservant, O man of God.” But the woman did conceive, and at that time the next year she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.
Michal had no children to the day of her death2 Sam 6:23
The verses
2 Sam 6:23And Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.
Elizabeth, barren and old, conceives and stays secluded five monthsLuke 1:7, Luke 1:24–25, Luke 1:36
The verses
Luke 1:7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
Luke 1:24–25After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared, “The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
Luke 1:36Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.
He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful motherPs 113:9
The verses
Ps 113:9He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother to her children. Hallelujah!

Sources

From Nave’s Topical Bible (Orville J. Nave, 1896; public domain): subjects chosen, lines shortened and put into modern words, lines of interpretation left out; each verse checked.

Berean Standard Bible · Public domain