While the verse details a devastating invasion, the most chilling part is that the invaders will "eat up your sons and your daughters." This isn't just about losing crops and livestock; it highlights the utter destruction of life itself, with the invaders devouring not just food but the future generation.
They shall eat up your harvest and your food; they shall eat up your sons and your daughters; they shall eat up your flocks and your herds; they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; your fortified cities in which you trust they shall beat down with the sword.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeremiah is describing a devastating future invasion by a foreign nation, emphasizing the totality of its destruction. This invader will not just take crops and livestock, but will also devour families and destroy the fortified cities where Judah placed its trust. The prophet paints a grim picture of utter desolation, a consequence of the people's persistent sin and their rejection of God's warnings.
Imagine everything you've worked for – your food, your family's future – being taken. Jeremiah 5:17 paints a stark picture of total devastation.
This verse isn't just about physical invasion; it's about the complete stripping away of God's provision for His people.
Devouring Harvest and Bread
The enemy first targets the harvest and bread – the very sustenance of life. This represents the loss of daily necessities and the fruits of labor. When God's people turned from Him, even the blessings He provided were turned into tools of judgment.
Consuming Sons and Daughters
The prophecy escalates to the unthinkable: 'they shall eat up your sons and your daughters.' While literal cannibalism is debated, the imagery powerfully conveys a total loss of future generations and the most precious part of life. It signifies the ultimate destruction of a people's hope and lineage.
Plundering Flocks, Vines, and Fig Trees
Further devastation is depicted through the loss of livestock ('flocks and herds') and the cherished fruit of the land ('vines and fig trees'). These were symbols of God's blessing and prosperity. Their destruction meant not only economic ruin but the eradication of signs of God's favor.
In ancient times, strong walls meant security. But Jeremiah warns that even these trusted defenses would crumble under God's judgment.
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Jeremiah 5:17 highlights the futility of relying on human strength and fortifications when God withdraws His protection.
The Illusion of Security
The verse mentions 'your fortified cities in which you trust.' These cities represented Israel's power, their military might, and their confidence in their own defenses. They had placed their security in walls and weapons, rather than in their covenant relationship with the Lord.
Shattered by the Sword
However, God declares that these very cities would be 'beat down with the sword.' The 'sword' here likely refers to the instruments of siege warfare, like battering rams and axes, used to destroy walls. This wasn't just a defeat; it was a complete dismantling of their security, showing that no human defense is impenetrable against God's sovereign judgment when He decides to act.
Jeremiah's vivid description of devastation paints a terrifying picture of the consequences of Judah's unfaithfulness, directly mirroring the brutal destruction of Jerusalem and the exile to Babylon.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many of its citizens and repopulating the land with foreigners. This event serves as a stark warning of what awaits the southern Kingdom of Judah.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, prince of Babylon, defeats the Egyptian and Assyrian forces at Carchemish and begins his rise to power. He then besieges Jerusalem and carries off Jehoiakim and a number of nobles and skilled workers to Babylon, including the prophet Daniel.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following a revolt by Jehoiakim, Nebuchadnezzar returns and deports King Jehoiachin, his family, and thousands more of Judah's elite to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel is among this group.
c. 588-586 BC— this verse
Destruction of Jerusalem
After a prolonged siege and further rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar's army breaches Jerusalem's walls. The city is utterly destroyed, the Temple is burned, and the remaining population is exiled to Babylon.
539 BC
Fall of Babylon
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus the Great, conquers Babylon. This marks a turning point, eventually leading to the decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to their homeland.
This passage directly parallels Jeremiah's prophecy, describing the horrifying siege warfare where enemies would attack from afar, and the devastating consequences of famine and war, even including the eating of one's own children.
Isaiah 5:8-10This poetic denunciation of greed and injustice shows a similar pattern of loss where the very things people possess and trust in (houses, fields, vineyards) are taken away, leading to a profound emptiness and lack of provision.
Lamentations 2:10-12This passage, likely written by Jeremiah himself, reflects the deep sorrow and desolation caused by the destruction of Jerusalem, echoing the imagery of loss, famine, and the profound grief of parents over their absent or destroyed children.
Psalm 89:30-35This psalm speaks of God's covenant faithfulness but also addresses the consequences of sin and disobedience, illustrating how God might discipline His people through hardship and invasion, even while maintaining His ultimate promise.
pulpitJeremiah 5:17: "And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword."
Verse 17. - Which thy sons and thy daughters, etc.; rather, they shall eat that sons and thy daughters. In the other clauses of the verse the verb is in the singular, the subject being the hostile nation. They s…
cambridgeJeremiah 5:17: "And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword."
17 . which thy sons and thy daughters should eat ] This is the rendering which the Heb. on the whole suggests, though the meaning may be, they shall eat thy sons and thy daughters . Seeing, however, that canniba…
While the verse details a devastating invasion, the most chilling part is that the invaders will "eat up your sons and your daughters." This isn't just about losing crops and livestock; it highlights the utter destruction of life itself, with the invaders devouring not just food but the future generation.
Jeremiah is describing a devastating future invasion by a foreign nation, emphasizing the totality of its destruction. This invader will not just take crops and livestock, but will also devour families and destroy the fortified cities where Judah placed its trust. The prophet paints a grim picture of utter desolation, a consequence of the people's persistent sin and their rejection of God's warnings.
Jeremiah is describing a devastating future invasion by a foreign nation, emphasizing the totality of its destruction. This invader will not just take crops and livestock, but will also devour families and destroy the fortified cities where Judah placed its trust. The prophet paints a grim picture of utter desolation, a consequence of the people's persistent sin and their rejection of God's warnings.
"They shall eat up your harvest and your food; they shall eat up your sons and your daughters; they shall eat up your flocks and your herds; they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; your fortified cities in w…" — While the verse details a devastating invasion, the most chilling part is that the invaders will "eat up your sons and your daughters." This isn't just about losing crops and livestock; it highlights…
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Last reviewed October 2026
