And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:
What does Deuteronomy 28:53 mean?
If God inflicts vengeance, what miseries his curse can bring upon mankind, even in this present world! Yet these are but the beginning of sorrows to those under the curse of God.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Deuteronomy 28:49-53 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 28:53
And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:
Context in Deuteronomy 28
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Deuteronomy 28 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as the song of Moses, blessing of the tribes, and Moses’ death. Deuteronomy restates and interprets the law through a series of charged covenant sermons that call Israel to remember, love, obey, and choose life. Read this chapter with the wider themes of memory, covenant, and love of God in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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A guided collection of passages on God’s love, neighbor-love, steadfast covenant love, and the shape of love in Christian life.