Deuteronomy 28:55

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.

Deuteronomy 28:55 (KJV)

Context

Deuteronomy 28 records blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Moses spoke these words to Israel before they entered the Promised Land. The curses grow more severe as the chapter continues, and verse 55 describes the deepest horror of a siege.

Meaning

This verse pictures a man so desperate from hunger that he eats his own children. Yet even then, he refuses to share that flesh with his brother, his wife, or his remaining children. The phrase “he hath nothing left him” shows total deprivation. The siege and distress press in on every gate, leaving no escape and no food.

Such extreme selfishness reveals how sin breaks the most basic human bonds. The family, meant to be a place of care, becomes a place of cruelty. This is not exaggeration; it is a warning of what happens when God’s protective hand is removed because of covenant unfaithfulness.

Biblical connections

The warning was fulfilled in Israel’s history. During the siege of Samaria, women ate their own children (2 Kings 6:28-29). In Lamentations, the prophet mourns that people were so hungry they ate their offspring (Lamentations 4:10). These events confirm that God’s word is true.

In the New Testament, Christ bore the curse of the law on the cross (Galatians 3:13). He suffered the full weight of judgment so that believers could be freed from it. This does not remove the warning, but it shows God’s grace in providing a way of deliverance.

Application

For believers today, this verse is a sober reminder of sin’s seriousness. It calls us to trust God’s provision even in trials, rather than turning to selfish and destructive behavior. It also urges us to pray for those who suffer and to show mercy in a broken world.

Reflection

Obedience to God is not a way to earn salvation, but a response to His covenant love. This verse warns of the consequences of turning away, yet it also points to the hope found in Christ, who delivers us from the curse and restores our broken bonds.