Deuteronomy 28:55

55 for feare of geuynge vnto any of them of the flesh of hys childern, whiche he eateth, because he hath noughte lefte him in that straytenesse and sege wherewith thyne enemye shall besege the in all thy cytyes.

Deuteronomy 28:55 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:55

So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his
children whom he shall eat
Neither give to a brother, nor to a wife, nor to any of his remaining children, the least bit of the flesh of a child he has killed and dressed for his own food; which adds to the barbarity of his action:

because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness
wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates;
every creature being eaten up, dogs, cats and whatsoever else could be any ways made food of; as the dung of beasts, belts, shoes, the leather on shields as Josephus ^F4 says they did eat; and this being the case, nothing eatable remaining, therefore his heart would be hardened against his nearest relations, and not allow them the least part with him, even of what was so shocking and unnatural.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 De Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 3. sect. 3.

Deuteronomy 28:55 In-Context

53 And thou shalt eate the frute of thyne awne bodye: the flessh of thy sonnes and off thy doughters which the Lorde thy God hath geuen the, in that straytenesse and sege wherewith thyne enemye shall besege the:

54 so that it shall greue the man that is tender and exceadynge delycate amonge you, to loke on his brother and vppon his wife that lyeth in hys bosome ad on the remnaunte of his childern, which he hath yet lefte,

55 for feare of geuynge vnto any of them of the flesh of hys childern, whiche he eateth, because he hath noughte lefte him in that straytenesse and sege wherewith thyne enemye shall besege the in all thy cytyes.

56 Yee and the woman that is so tender and delycate amonge you that she dare not auenture to sett the sole of hyr foote vppon the grounde for softnesse and tendernesse, shalbe greued to loke on the husbonde that leyeth in hir bosome and on hyr sonne and on hyr doughter:

57 euen because of the afterbyrthe that ys come oute from betwene hyr legges, and because of hyr childern whiche she hath borne, because she wolde eate them for nede off all thynges secretly, in the straytenesse and sege wherewith thine enemye shall besege the in thy cities.