SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:21
La mujer cuando da a luz, tiene dolor, porque es venida su hora; pero despus que ha dado a luz un nio, ya no se acuerda de la apretura, por el gozo de que haya nacido un hombre en el mundo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 16:21
Verse 21. For joy that a man is born] anqrwpov is put here for a human creature, whether male or female; as homo among the Romans denoted either man or woman.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 21. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow , etc.] As was said she should have, ( Genesis 3:16); This is Gods ordination and appointment for sin: because her hour is come ; is at hand; the fixed time in nature is up, and there is no avoiding it: but as soon as she is delivered of the child ; for though the sorrow is great, yet there is a deliverance, and she is saved in child bearing: when she remembereth no more the anguish ; the sharp pains she has endured in her travail; for joy that a man is born into the world . Much such a way of speaking is used by the Jews f629 , who observe, if a woman brings forth a male child, all is forgot, and she repents (i.e. of her impatience, or any unbecoming expression in the time of labour), rkzh tjmb , for the joy of a man child. And our Lord seems to have respect to a prevailing notion among them, as well as many others, of the felicity of male children: it is a common saying with them f630 , blessed is he whose children are males, and woe to him whose children are females: for they say f631 , when lw[b rkz ab , that a man child comes into the world, peace comes into the world.
Now our Lord, by this instance, illustrates the sorrow his disciples should have by his departure, and the joy that they should be possessed of upon his return to them; that as the pains of a woman in travail are very sharp and severe, and the distress of her mind, about the issue of things respecting herself and offspring, is very great, so would be the grief and trouble of the disciples on account of the death of their Lord and master: but as when a woman is safely delivered of a man child, she is so filled with joy, that her sorrow is remembered no more so should it be with them, when Christ should appear to them; all their trouble, concern, anxiety of mind, and fears, that attended them, would all vanish away, and they be distressed with them no more.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-22 - It is good to consider how near our seasons of grace are to an end that we may be quickened to improve them. But the sorrows of the disciples would soon be turned into joy; as those of a mother, at the sight of her infant. The Holy Spirit would be their Comforter, an neither men nor devils, neither sufferings in life nor in death, woul ever deprive them of their joy. Believers have joy or sorrow, accordin to their sight of Christ, and the tokens of his presence. Sorrow i coming on the ungodly, which nothing can lessen; the believer is a heir to joy which no one can take away. Where now is the joy of the murderers of our Lord, and the sorrow of his friends?
Greek Textus Receptus
η 3588 T-NSF γυνη 1135 N-NSF οταν 3752 CONJ τικτη 5088 5725 V-PAS-3S λυπην 3077 N-ASF εχει 2192 5719 V-PAI-3S οτι 3754 CONJ ηλθεν 2064 5627 V-2AAI-3S η 3588 T-NSF ωρα 5610 N-NSF αυτης 846 P-GSF οταν 3752 CONJ δε 1161 CONJ γεννηση 1080 5661 V-AAS-3S το 3588 T-ASN παιδιον 3813 N-ASN ουκ 3756 PRT-N ετι 2089 ADV μνημονευει 3421 5719 V-PAI-3S της 3588 T-GSF θλιψεως 2347 N-GSF δια 1223 PREP την 3588 T-ASF χαραν 5479 N-ASF οτι 3754 CONJ εγεννηθη 1080 5681 V-API-3S ανθρωπος 444 N-NSM εις 1519 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM κοσμον 2889 N-ASM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
21. A woman (h gunh). Literally, the woman. The generic article marking the woman as representing her sex: woman as such.She is in travail. A common Old Testament image of sorrow issuing in joy. See Isa. xxi. 3; xxvi. 17; lxvi. 7; Hos. xiii. 13; Micah iv. 9, 10. The anguish (thv qliyewv). Commonly rendered affliction or tribulation in A.V. See on Matt. xiii. 21.
Joy (thn caran). Properly, the joy which answers to the anguish.
A man (anqrwpov). See on i. 30.
