Deuteronomy 28:55
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Deuteronomy 28:55
55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates.
Chapter Context
Deuteronomy 28 is a covenant blessing and curse chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of worship, redemption, grace. Written during the end of the wilderness wandering (c. 1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Moses delivered these speeches as Israel prepared to enter a land filled with different Canaanite city-states.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-68: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it foreshadows Christ's work through typology and prophetic elements. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Deuteronomy and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Deuteronomy 28:55
55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates.
Analysis
So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat—the repetition hammers home the horror: a man eating his own children and refusing to share. The phrase mibbǝśar bānāyw (מִבְּשַׂר בָּנָיו, 'from the flesh of his sons') is grammatically precise—Moses uses no euphemism. Because he hath nothing left him in the siege explains but doesn't excuse: starvation has made him subhuman.
This continues verse 54's description. The refined man becomes worse than an animal—animals feed their young; this man devours his. The threefold repetition ('his brother... wife... remnant of children') shows the complete breakdown of covenant, marriage, and family—all the fundamental structures of society collapse. Sin's ultimate end is self-cannibalization.
Historical Context
This verse didn't need multiple historical fulfillments—the fulfillments in 2 Kings 6, Lamentations 4, and Josephus's accounts are sufficient to demonstrate its prophetic accuracy. The Dead Sea Scrolls and Josephus confirm that first-century Jews knew these curses and feared their fulfillment under Rome.
Reflection
- How does sin ultimately consume everything it touches, including its own adherents?
- What does this passage teach about the logical endpoint of covenantal unfaithfulness?
- In what ways does Christ satisfy our deepest hungers so we don't turn to destructive alternatives?