Infertility can be a painful and isolating experience. For those struggling with infertility who seek comfort and wisdom from the Bible, there are several verses that speak to this difficult situation.
Genesis 25:21 – Isaac prays for his wife Rebekah’s infertility
And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
This verse describes how Isaac pleaded with God to heal his wife Rebekah’s infertility. God heard Isaac’s prayer and allowed Rebekah to conceive. This demonstrates how we can cry out to God in our time of need and have faith that He hears our prayers.
1 Samuel 1:10-11 – Hannah grieves over her inability to have children
She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”
In her sorrow over being unable to have children, Hannah poured her heart out to the Lord. She made a vow that if God gave her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service. This passage reveals how we can honestly express our pain to God.
Psalm 113:9 – God gives the barren woman a home
He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!
This verse praises God for His compassion on barren women by giving them the joy of children and a family. It is a reminder of God’s concern for those who desire children but are unable to have them.
Isaiah 54:1 – God’s promise to the barren woman
“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord.
This powerful passage reassures barren women that God has not forgotten them. Though they have not borne children, God promises them a future family and lineage even greater than those who do not struggle with infertility. This is a prophetic word of hope.
Luke 1:7 – Elizabeth struggles with infertility
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Elizabeth was unable to conceive despite being married. This verse normalization the pain of infertility and shows that it has affected women throughout history, even righteous women like Elizabeth.
Luke 1:24-25 – God shows Elizabeth favor by removing her infertility
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
In her old age, God blessed Elizabeth by miraculously healing her infertility and enabling her to conceive. This served to fulfill His greater purpose of bringing about the birth of John the Baptist through this pregnancy.
Romans 4:18-21 – Abraham and Sarah’s faith through infertility
In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
Though Abraham and Sarah struggled with infertility due to old age, this passage celebrates their steadfast faith in God’s promise. They trusted God wholeheartedly, despite their circumstances, and God honored His word to them. Their story gives hope.
2 Corinthians 12:8-9 – God’s grace is sufficient in our weakness
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Paul shares of a struggle he pleaded for God to remove. God answers that His grace is enough to sustain him, and that God’s strength shines brightest in our weakest moments. This reminds us of God’s close presence with us in suffering.
Hebrews 11:11 – Sarah’s faith to conceive
By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.
Despite her old age, Sarah had faith in God to fulfill His promise that she would bear a child. Her story affirms that we can trust God to keep His word, even when it seems impossible.
Genesis 30:22-23 – God remembers Rachel and opens her womb
Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”
After being barren for years, God finally allowed Rachel to conceive by “opening her womb.” This demonstrates God’s compassion and His perfect timing.
1 Samuel 2:5-6 – The Lord both brings barrenness and fertility
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
This passage affirms God’s complete sovereignty over fertility and barrenness. It acknowledges that God withholds children from some, while allowing others to be fruitful. Ultimately, life and children are gifts from His hand.
Exodus 23:25-26 – God promises fertility and full lifespan to His people
You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.
As part of His covenant blessings to Israel, God promises fertility and health to His people. He pledges that none will miscarry or be barren, but will live out full lifespans.
Judges 13:2-3 – The birth of Samson is foretold to a barren woman
There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.
God sends an angel to announce the coming miraculous birth of Samson to Manoah’s barren wife. This foretelling demonstrates God’s plan at work through human infertility.
Psalm 128:3 – Children are a blessing from the Lord
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
This verse paints a beautiful picture of God’s design for marriage and family that includes children. It presents bearing children as a natural blessing and reward for following God.
Genesis 3:16 – Pain in childbirth came through the Fall
To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.
This verse establishes barrenness, miscarriages, and painful childbirth as some of the consequences of sin entering the world. However, it points ahead to the hope of eternal life restoring what was lost.
Matthew 19:26 – With God all things are possible
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
When speaking about salvation, Jesus acknowledges that some things are humanly impossible. But through God’s power, miracles can happen, against all odds. This applies to infertility.
Romans 8:18-25 – Present suffering and future glory
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God…For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves…groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Paul speaks of all creation awaiting the time when God’s children will be revealed. He compares this longing to the pains of childbirth. Though we struggle now, we have hope of future glory when our earthly brokenness will end.
3 John 1:2 – Praying for good health and fertility
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
John prays for his friend’s overall physical well-being and health, which would include fertility. We can pray these same blessings over loved ones struggling with infertility.
In conclusion, the Bible speaks to the grief, longing, and frustration of infertility in various ways. Stories of women struggling with and overcoming barrenness offer empathy and hope. Passages picturing children as blessings from God bring comfort, as do verses praising those who trusted in God’s promises despite their infertility. Other passages encourage looking to God for the impossible, affirming His sovereignty, and trusting in His larger eternal purposes during current suffering. For the Christian going through infertility, these verses offer empathy, perspective, and comfort in a painful season of life.