Commentary for Isaiah 66:7

When she has not yet travailed When Zion has not yet travailed with birth pangs, she has borne her children; that is to say that her children will gather into her midst, which was desolate and bereft of them, and it is as though she bore them now without birth pangs, for all the nations will bring them into her midst.

תחיל She travailed. Comp. חיל trembling (Ps. 45:7). Before she travailed she brought forth. This is a figurative expression, indicating, that the Israelites will return to Zion, without any difficulty, like a woman, that bears children without troubles.

she has been delivered of a male child Heb. וְהִמְלִיטָה. Any emerging of an embedded thing is called הַמְלָטָה. And הַמְלָטָה is esmoucer, or eschamocier in O.F., to allow to escape.

והמליטה זכר She was delivered of a man child. Comp. תְּמַלֵּט she will lay eggs (34:15), though of a different conjugation.¹⁴המליט is Hiphil, תמלט Piel of מלט.—The Israelites will suddenly come together, without much exertion, from all quarters; it will be as though Zion had conceived and born her children in one day, and that is wonderful.¹⁵That is unusual, unheard of before; the questions of the prophet are therefore to be answered in the negative.