Deuteronomy 28:56
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse emphasizes the extreme degradation of society by depicting a woman so accustomed to luxury that she wouldn't even touch the ground, now driven by desperation to view her own family as sustenance, highlighting how dire circumstances can strip away even the most natural affections. This isn't just about physical hunger, but a profound spiritual and emotional brokenness that turns love into a perverse possessiveness over the very people she should cherish.
The most tender and refined woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because she is so delicate and tender, will begrudge to the husband she embraces, to her son and to her daughter,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse continues a terrifying list of curses that will fall upon the Israelites if they disobey God's covenant. Following descriptions of military defeat and widespread famine, the text now focuses on the extreme consequences of starvation, highlighting the breakdown of the most basic human bonds and the horrific lengths people will go to survive. The intensity of these curses underscores the gravity of breaking faith with the Almighty.
This verse paints a picture so stark, it's hard to fathom. What kind of disobedience could lead to such a devastating outcome?
Deuteronomy 28 lays out the consequences of Israel's disobedience. If they refused to listen to God's commands and statutes, a cascade of curses would fall upon them. This isn't just about minor slip-ups; it's about a fundamental turning away from God and His covenant.
The Covenant's Weight
Imagine a mother's heart turning against her own child. What brokenness does this reveal about the state of humanity under God's judgment?
This verse describes a curse so profound that it severs the most natural and powerful bonds of love and protection: those between a mother and her children.
From Delicacy to Depravity
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
rak · Hebrew Adjective
Describes someone who is dainty, pampered, or pampered due to wealth and social status; often implies a softness that lacks the resilience required for hardship.
ayin · Hebrew Verb
Refers to an action or intention of holding back something due to possessiveness or selfishness; in this context, it implies a desperate withholding out of starvation.
The chilling description of a mother consuming her own child was not a distant, theoretical curse. It was a horrific reality that tragically came to pass multiple times in Jewish history, most notably during the sieges of Samaria and Jerusalem. This verse brings home the devastating consequences of disobedience, painting a picture of starvation so extreme that it shattered the most fundamental human bonds and instincts.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Captivity
The Northern Kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, leading to the deportation of its population.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Southern Kingdom of Judah is conquered by the Neo-Babylonian Empire, its capital Jerusalem is destroyed, and a large part of its population is exiled to Babylon.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus, overthrows the Babylonians, allowing exiled peoples, including the Judeans, to return to their lands.
c. 458 BC - 432 BC
Ezra and Nehemiah's Reforms
The returned Jewish exiles, led by Ezra and Nehemiah, re-establish religious and social order in Jerusalem, reinforcing adherence to the Law.
c. 66-73 AD— this verse
First Jewish-Roman War
Widespread revolt against Roman rule culminates in the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple.
70 AD
Destruction of Jerusalem
Roman legions under Titus sack Jerusalem, destroying the Second Temple and causing immense suffering and death, fulfilling many of the curses in Deuteronomy 28.
This passage describes the horrific consequences of famine during the siege of Jerusalem, directly echoing the desperation seen in Deuteronomy 28, where even mothers turn on their children.
Jeremiah 52:6This verse recounts the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem and the subsequent scattering of the people, mirroring the fate described in Deuteronomy 28 as a consequence of disobedience.
2 Kings 6:28-29This passage vividly illustrates the extreme conditions of famine and desperation during the siege of Samaria, where cannibalism, including a mother eating her son, occurred, fulfilling the dire predictions in Deuteronomy 28.
Matthew 24:19Jesus references the hardship faced by women during times of siege, specifically mentioning the distress of nursing mothers, which directly connects to the intense suffering described in Deuteronomy 28.
calvinDeuteronomy 28:15-68: "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:"
- But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake th…
gillDeuteronomy 28:56: "The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,"
And the tender and delicate woman amongst you,.... Who is instanced in because of her sex, which is more pitiful and compassionate, and especially one that has been brought up genteelly, and has always lived deliciously, on the most d…
The verse emphasizes the extreme degradation of society by depicting a woman so accustomed to luxury that she wouldn't even touch the ground, now driven by desperation to view her own family as sustenance, highlighting how dire circumstances can strip away even the most natural affections. This isn't just about physical hunger, but a profound spiritual and emotional brokenness that turns love into a perverse possessiveness over the very people she should cherish.
This verse continues a terrifying list of curses that will fall upon the Israelites if they disobey God's covenant. Following descriptions of military defeat and widespread famine, the text now focuses on the extreme consequences of starvation, highlighting the breakdown of the most basic human bonds and the horrific lengths people will go to survive. The intensity of these curses underscores the gravity of breaking faith with the Almighty.
This verse continues a terrifying list of curses that will fall upon the Israelites if they disobey God's covenant. Following descriptions of military defeat and widespread famine, the text now focuses on the extreme consequences of starvation, highlighting the breakdown of the most basic human bonds and the horrific lengths people will go to survive. The intensity of these curses underscores the gravity of breaking faith with the Almighty.
"The most tender and refined woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because she is so delicate and tender, will begrudge to the husband she embraces, to her son and to her daughter," — The verse emphasizes the extreme degradation of society by depicting a woman so accustomed to luxury that she wouldn't even touch the ground, now driven by desperation to view her own family as suste…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
