"the spasms or pains, of a woman in travail, a birth pang, 1 Thess. 5:3; pl. met. birth throes, preliminary troubles to the development of a catastrophe, Mt. 24:8; Mk. 13:8; from the Hebrew, a stringent band, a snare, noose, Acts 2:24*"
Definition and meaning
the spasms or pains, of a woman in travail, a birth pang, 1 Thess. 5:3; pl. met. birth throes, preliminary troubles to the development of a catastrophe, Mt. 24:8; Mk. 13:8; from the Hebrew, a stringent band, a snare, noose, Acts 2:24*
In the original Greek the word is written: ὠδίν
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of odin (G5604) across the King James Bible.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
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Common questions
Strong's G5604 (odin) is a Greek word that means: the spasms or pains, of a woman in travail, a birth pang, 1 Thess. 5:3; pl. met. birth throes, preliminary troubles to the development of a catastrophe, Mt. 24:8; Mk. 13:8; from the Hebrew, a stringen... It appears 4 times in the King James Bible.
The word odin (G5604) appears 4 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G5604 is odin, a Greek word defined as: the spasms or pains, of a woman in travail, a birth pang, 1 Thess. 5:3; pl. met. birth throes, preliminary troubles to the development of a catastroph. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
odin is a Greek word found in the New Testament.