Deuteronomy 28:49-57 You will eat the fruit of your womb...

[a believer]

Thoughts on one of the more graphic passages in the Bible? This is often used by atheists to justify their rejection of an Almighty God who would have His people eating their own flesh and blood.

The LORD will bring a nation from afar, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down upon you like an eagle—a nation whose language you will not understand, a ruthless nation with no respect for the old and no pity for the young. They will eat the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain or new wine or oil, no calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks, until they have caused you to perish. They will besiege all the cities throughout your land, until the high and fortified walls in which you trust have fallen. They will besiege all your cities throughout the land that the LORD your God has given you.

Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you.

The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children who have survived, refusing to share with any of them the flesh of his children he will eat because he has nothing left in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within all your gates.

The most gentle and refined woman among you, so gentle and refined she would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge the husband she embracese and her son and daughter the afterbirth that comes from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within your gates. —Deuteronomy 28:49-57 Berean Standard Bible

—Timothy,
a believer.

 

[Patricia]

Moses was telling the nation (ahead of time) that there would be unending blessings for keeping the commandments and statues of Jehovah but unending curses for failing to keep them.
The way I see it, when Israel failed to keep the commandments, Jehovah turned his back and allowed Israel's enemies to do whatever they could/would to His wayward people until they realized their sins and repented or until the extent of the punishment was appropriate to the sins.
It wasn't that Jehovah would cause them to eat their children but that the siege of their cities would last that long, that there would be nothing else to eat. There would be a choice though. They could surrender, whether they would be killed or taken captive, it's still a choice. Jehovah simply could foresee what would happen and was giving them fair warning.
Whether that would satisfy an atheist -- probably not-- but they typically look for any excuse to not believe.

 

[Watchman]

That was Jehovah's way of telling them that there was a downside to being Jehovah's organization if they didn't keep the covenant. Watchtower should take note.

 

[BARNABY THE DOG.]

Thoughts on one of the more graphic passages in the Bible? This is often used by atheists to justify their rejection of an Almighty God who would have His people eating their own flesh and blood.

The LORD will bring a nation from afar, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down upon you like an eagle—a nation whose language you will not understand, a ruthless nation with no respect for the old and no pity for the young. They will eat the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain or new wine or oil, no calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks, until they have caused you to perish. They will besiege all the cities throughout your land, until the high and fortified walls in which you trust have fallen. They will besiege all your cities throughout the land that the LORD your God has given you.

Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you.

The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children who have survived, refusing to share with any of them the flesh of his children he will eat because he has nothing left in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within all your gates.

The most gentle and refined woman among you, so gentle and refined she would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge the husband she embracese and her son and daughter the afterbirth that comes from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within your gates. —Deuteronomy 28:49-57 Berean Standard Bible

—Timothy,
a believer.

Well really!!! You could have given your own opinion first in such bloodthirsty rhetoric !

My opinion, having never considered its meaning before, is that the passage is a commentary upon the abandonment of Jehovah and His principles. A statement therefore upon the ruinous outcomes of turning away from what is good and wholesome - hence the degree of degradation that no one would consider in their right mind.

It may be directed at watchtower as Robert suggests, but I would think also that it is a commentary upon the state of mind that people have even in these days and Jehovah’s sense of loss.

It says something more too in that life and purpose when lost in their meaning also abandons any sense of morality and becomes entirely self centred. That what really strikes home to me. Eating the placenta of life says it all. It is written to disgust and revolt the very life support of the child - it is that in turning away from Jehovah that the essence of life in its true value is registered with the reader. They have no respect even for the organ of life itself. The placenta always used to be buried - even my sister and her husband did that when their child was born at home. The scripture seems very emotionally written by Jehovah, reflecting the way He feels rejected and the great loss He senses at man’s response to His gift of life.

 

[SusanB]

Thoughts on one of the more graphic passages in the Bible? This is often used by atheists to justify their rejection of an Almighty God who would have His people eating their own flesh and blood.

The LORD will bring a nation from afar, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down upon you like an eagle—a nation whose language you will not understand, a ruthless nation with no respect for the old and no pity for the young. They will eat the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain or new wine or oil, no calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks, until they have caused you to perish. They will besiege all the cities throughout your land, until the high and fortified walls in which you trust have fallen. They will besiege all your cities throughout the land that the LORD your God has given you.

Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you.

The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children who have survived, refusing to share with any of them the flesh of his children he will eat because he has nothing left in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within all your gates.

The most gentle and refined woman among you, so gentle and refined she would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge the husband she embracese and her son and daughter the afterbirth that comes from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within your gates. —Deuteronomy 28:49-57 Berean Standard Bible

—Timothy,
a believer.

I think these scriptures are more of a lesson on not believing in humans rather than not believing in an Almighty God. And, that is an important lesson most people must learn. Do not put 100% faith in anyone except Jehovah because many we think are the best, sometimes turn out to be the worst.

 

[a believer]

Well really!!! You could have given your own opinion first in such bloodthirsty rhetoric !

A valid point, although I have to admit that I hadn't given the passage much thought beyond the accounts recorded by Josephus of how bad things really did get inside the walls during the siege by Rome, including a woman who ate her child and when the thugs broke in to see what smelled so good, she invited them to have some, too. That being one of the more compellingly repugnant accounts he recorded.

It does call to my mind Romans 1:28, however:

And as they did not see fit to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do things not being proper... — Romans 1:28 Berean Literal Bible

Which itself calls to my mind Genesis 6:3:

Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever..." —Genesis 6:3 New International Version

Both which call to my mind:

For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness. —2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 Berean Standard Version

I even call to mind another account recorded by Josephus, of "a sound of a great multitude" :

So these publicly declared that the signal foreshowed the desolation that was coming upon them. Besides these, a few days after that feast, on the one and twentieth day of the month Artemisius, [Jyar], a certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared: I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before sunsetting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities. Moreover, at that feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the] temple, as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a great multitude, saying, “Let us remove hence.” But, what is still more terrible, there was one Jesus, the son of Ananus, a plebeian and a husbandman, who, four years before the war began, and at a time when the city was in very great peace and prosperity, came to that feast whereon it is our custom for everyone to make tabernacles to God in the temple, began on a sudden to cry aloud, “A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the holy house, a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides, and a voice against this whole people!” This was his cry, as he went about by day and by night, in all the lanes of the city. However, certain of the most eminent among the populace had great indignation at this dire cry of his, and took up the man, and gave him a great number of severe stripes; yet did not he either say anything for himself, or anything peculiar to those that chastised him, but still he went on with the same words which he cried before. Hereupon our rulers, supposing, as the case proved to be, that this was a sort of divine fury in the man, brought him to the Roman procurator, where he was whipped till his bones were laid bare; yet he did not make any supplication for himself, nor shed any tears, but turning his voice to the most lamentable tone possible, at every stroke of the whip his answer was, “Woe, woe to Jerusalem!” And when Albinus (for he was then our procurator) asked him, Who he was? and whence he came? and why he uttered such words? he made no manner of reply to what he said, but still did not leave off his melancholy ditty, till Albinus took him to be a madman, and dismissed him. Now, during all the time that passed before the war began, this man did not go near any of the citizens, nor was seen by them while he said so; but he every day uttered these lamentable words, as if it were his premeditated vow, “Woe, woe to Jerusalem!” Nor did he give ill words to any of those that beat him every day, nor good words to those that gave him food; but this was his reply to all men, and indeed no other than a melancholy presage of what was to come. This cry of his was the loudest at the festivals; and he continued this ditty for seven years and five months, without growing hoarse, or being tired therewith, until the very time that he saw his presage in earnest fulfilled in our siege, when it ceased; for as he was going round upon the wall, he cried out with his utmost force, “Woe, woe to the city again, and to the people, and to the holy house!” And just as he added at the last, “Woe, woe to myself also!” there came a stone out of one of the engines, and smote him, and killed him immediately; and as he was uttering the very same presages he gave up the ghost. — Josephus —War of the Jews, 6.296-6.309

All occasions which preceded the carrying out of sentencing for divine judgment.

—Timothy,
a believer.

 

[BARNABY THE DOG.]

A valid point, although I have to admit that I hadn't given the passage much thought beyond the accounts recorded by Josephus of how bad things really did get inside the walls during the siege by Rome, including a woman who ate her child and when the thugs broke in to see what smelled so good, she invited them to have some, too. That being one of the more compellingly repugnant accounts he recorded.

It does call to my mind Romans 1:28, however:

And as they did not see fit to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do things not being proper... — Romans 1:28 Berean Literal Bible

Which itself calls to my mind Genesis 6:3:

Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever..." —Genesis 6:3 New International Version

Both which call to my mind:

For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness. —2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 Berean Standard Version

I even call to mind another account recorded by Josephus, of "a sound of a great multitude" :



All occasions which preceded the carrying out of sentencing for divine judgment.

—Timothy,
a believer.

It’s a good topic to dwell on in my opinion because it’s a forewarning to us to dig deep for our spiritual resources lest we end up locked into Jerusalem.

I’ve not thought much about this scripture before and I didn’t know that it applies to those who mislead us. They should look to themselves quickly.

 

[SusanB]

A valid point, although I have to admit that I hadn't given the passage much thought beyond the accounts recorded by Josephus of how bad things really did get inside the walls during the siege by Rome, including a woman who ate her child and when the thugs broke in to see what smelled so good, she invited them to have some, too. That being one of the more compellingly repugnant accounts he recorded.

It does call to my mind Romans 1:28, however:

And as they did not see fit to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a depraved mind, to do things not being proper... — Romans 1:28 Berean Literal Bible

Which itself calls to my mind Genesis 6:3:

Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever..." —Genesis 6:3 New International Version

Both which call to my mind:

For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, in order that judgment may come upon all who have disbelieved the truth and delighted in wickedness. —2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 Berean Standard Version

I even call to mind another account recorded by Josephus, of "a sound of a great multitude" :



All occasions which preceded the carrying out of sentencing for divine judgment.

—Timothy,
a believer.

Oh my goodness. What an account. Thank you for that. I’m guessing that we could see/hear something similar.

 

[Paula]

The eletes, not all - are already cannabilising sacrifiecing, young babies and children. A young woman was murdered because she came out in the streets screaming of what she had seen. Absolute depravity.

 

[Dave Bannister]

The eletes, not all - are already cannabilising sacrifiecing, young babies and children. A young woman was murdered because she came out in the streets screaming of what she had seen. Absolute depravity.

I saw that about the young woman recently. The other is so cruel and evil.

 

[Nomex]

I think the passage is talking about the Roman siege, but that is the whole point of a siege, is to starve out the fortified city. Any fortified city that was laid under siege was starved out, like I said that's the point, so I don't really see how that is any kind of argument for atheists. I think it was more about the fact that the small nation of Israel could only exist with Jehovah's protection, form every would be world power. Which calls to mind something else. Israel came under Jehovah's judgement, and they REMAIN under Jehovah's judgement. What they have done, is equivalent the alliance King Zedekiah made with Egypt, I would not be surprised in the least, in fact I expect it, that Israel will be destroyed sometime prior to Armageddon, but perhaps after the fall of WT! In any case, I do not think the lesson for Israel is over! In any case, they will be destroyed at Armageddon if they survive that long.

 

[BARNABY THE DOG.]

I think the passage is talking about the Roman siege, but that is the whole point of a siege, is to starve out the fortified city. Any fortified city that was laid under siege was starved out, like I said that's the point, so I don't really see how that is any kind of argument for atheists. I think it was more about the fact that the small nation of Israel could only exist with Jehovah's protection, form every would be world power. Which calls to mind something else. Israel came under Jehovah's judgement, and they REMAIN under Jehovah's judgement. What they have done, is equivalent the alliance King Zedekiah made with Egypt, I would not be surprised in the least, in fact I expect it, that Israel will be destroyed sometime prior to Armageddon, but perhaps after the fall of WT! In any case, I do not think the lesson for Israel is over! In any case, they will be destroyed at Armageddon if they survive that long.

It’s certainly true that Isreal does not learn from history, or its lessons, or understand the irony of what it has committed of late, or mercy, or negotiation, or how to live peaceably, or without greed, or to practice mercy and over all, to understand the scripture.

 

[LuisMerino9412]

Thoughts on one of the more graphic passages in the Bible? This is often used by atheists to justify their rejection of an Almighty God who would have His people eating their own flesh and blood.

The LORD will bring a nation from afar, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down upon you like an eagle—a nation whose language you will not understand, a ruthless nation with no respect for the old and no pity for the young. They will eat the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain or new wine or oil, no calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks, until they have caused you to perish. They will besiege all the cities throughout your land, until the high and fortified walls in which you trust have fallen. They will besiege all your cities throughout the land that the LORD your God has given you.

Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you.

The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children who have survived, refusing to share with any of them the flesh of his children he will eat because he has nothing left in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within all your gates.

The most gentle and refined woman among you, so gentle and refined she would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge the husband she embracese and her son and daughter the afterbirth that comes from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within your gates. —Deuteronomy 28:49-57 Berean Standard Bible

—Timothy,
a believer.

From the point of view of interpreting, Jehovah would not do these things. He would allow them. Its simply a way of saying that if they stopped obeying Him, He would simply leave them without protection. So, Israel being a very small nation would suffer a lot being next to very powerful and big nations. Jehovah would simply let things happen, let nature follow its course, the law of the fittest where the strongest would survive. They wouldn't have Jehovah's protection, so they would live in a worse condition than the nations around them because they would not be protected from Satan either. So, they would have diseases just like all the other nations, they would be plunged, destroyed, etc. And Jehovah's spirit wouldn't be there to stop them from practicing terrible things like eating their own babies. Remember too that when Jehovah leaves a void, Satan occupies it. So, he can provoke people to do terrible things that they wouldn't do in normal conditions.

Its like when a woman has a protective rich and important husband that provides for her everything in a dangerous country, but that woman is unfaithful to him and he decides to leave her. She stops enjoying all the privileges she had one day. She is left vulnerable to other men and all the terrible things that country might have, even to the husband's enemies. But that was her decision. Her husband did not do anything.

The very strange thing about all this is that we know that Jehovah does not see Israel the same way He used to centuries ago, so it seems that the void Jehovah left was filled by Satan and that's just in some way very creepy. That's why some jews behave in very terrible and depraved ways now. Many members of the elite and billionaires call themselves jews and we know the horrendous things they do. Matthew 12:43-45 shows that in some way. Its just sinister.