Deuteronomy 28:57
New International Version
the afterbirth from her womb and the children she bears. For in her dire need she intends to eat them secretly because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege of your cities.

New Living Translation
She will hide from them the afterbirth and the new baby she has borne, so that she herself can secretly eat them. She will have nothing else to eat during the siege and terrible distress that your enemy will inflict on all your towns.

English Standard Version
her afterbirth that comes out from between her feet and her children whom she bears, because lacking everything she will eat them secretly, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in your towns.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.

New King James Version
her placenta which comes out from between her feet and her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of everything in the siege and desperate straits in which your enemy shall distress you at all your gates.

New American Standard Bible
and toward her afterbirth that comes from between her legs, and toward her children to whom she gives birth, because she will eat them secretly for lack of anything else, during the siege and the hardship with which your enemy will oppress you in your towns.

NASB 1995
and toward her afterbirth which issues from between her legs and toward her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of anything else, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will oppress you in your towns.

NASB 1977
and toward her afterbirth which issues from between her legs and toward her children whom she bears; for she shall eat them secretly for lack of anything else, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy shall oppress you in your towns.

Legacy Standard Bible
and toward her afterbirth which issues from between her legs and toward her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of anything else, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will oppress you in your gates.

Amplified Bible
and toward her afterbirth that comes from between her legs and toward the children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of anything else, during the siege and the misery by which your enemy will oppress you in your cities.

Christian Standard Bible
the afterbirth that comes out from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else during the siege and hardship your enemy imposes on you within your city gates.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
the afterbirth that comes out from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else during the siege and hardship your enemy imposes on you within your gates.”

American Standard Version
and toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she shall bear; for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly, in the siege and in the distress wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.

English Revised Version
and toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear; for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly: in the siege and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall straiten thee in thy gates.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
She won't share with them the afterbirth from her body and the children she gives birth to. She will secretly eat them out of dire necessity, because of the hardships your enemies will make you suffer during the blockade of your cities.

International Standard Version
She will eat her afterbirth and her newborn children secretly—since there will be nothing left—on account of the siege and distress with which your enemy will oppress you in your cities."

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
and will secretly eat her afterbirth and her newborn children (since she has nothing else), because of the severity of the siege by which your enemy will constrict you in your villages.

New Heart English Bible
and toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she shall bear; for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly, in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy shall distress you in your gates.

Webster's Bible Translation
And towards her young one, her own offspring, and towards her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness with which thy enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.

World English Bible
toward her young one who comes out from between her feet, and toward her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of all things in the siege and in the distress with which your enemy will distress you in your gates.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and against her seed which comes out from between her feet, even against her sons whom she bears, for she eats them in secret, in the lacking of everything, in the siege and in the constriction with which your enemy constricts you within your gates.

Young's Literal Translation
and against her seed which cometh out from between her feet, even against her sons whom she doth bear, for she doth eat them for the lacking of all things in secret, in the siege and in the straitness with which thine enemy doth straiten thee within thy gates.

Smith's Literal Translation
And upon her afterbirth coming forth from between her feet, and upon her sons which she shall bear: for she will eat them in want of all things, in secret, in the distress and in the straitness which thine enemy shall press upon thee in thy gates.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the filth of the afterbirths, that come forth from between her thighs, and the children that are born the same hour. For they shall eat them secretly for the want of all things, in the siege and distress, wherewith thy enemy shall oppress thee within thy gates.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and over the filth of the afterbirth, which goes forth from between her thighs, and over the children who are born in the same hour. For they will eat them secretly, due to the scarcity of all things during the siege and the devastation, with which your enemy will oppress you within your gates.

New American Bible
the afterbirth that issues from her womb and the infants she brings forth because she secretly eats them for want of anything else—such the siege and distress to which your enemy will subject you in your communities.

New Revised Standard Version
begrudging even the afterbirth that comes out from between her thighs, and the children that she bears, because she is eating them in secret for lack of anything else, in the desperate straits to which the enemy siege will reduce you in your towns.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And toward the afterbirth that comes out from between her feet and toward her child whom she shall bear, when she eats them for want of all things in the siege and distress with which your enemy shall harass you in all your cities.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
At her afterbirth that goes out from between her legs and at her son whom she will bear when she will eat them, when she had nothing in the siege and in the affliction which your enemy will inflict on you in all your towns.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and against her afterbirth that cometh out from between her feet, and against her children whom she shall bear; for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly; in the siege and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall straiten thee in thy gates.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and her offspring that comes out between her feet, and the child which she shall bear; for she shall eat them because of the want of all things, secretly in thy straitness, and in thy affliction, with which thine enemy shall afflict thee in thy cities.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Curses of Disobedience
56The 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 embraces and her son and daughter 57the 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. 58If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God—…

Cross References
Leviticus 26:29
You will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters.

2 Kings 6:28-29
Then the king asked her, “What is the matter?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him, and tomorrow we will eat my son.’ / So we boiled my son and ate him, and the next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him.’ But she had hidden her son.”

Lamentations 4:10
The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

Ezekiel 5:10
As a result, fathers among you will eat their sons, and sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments against you and scatter all your remnant to every wind.’

Jeremiah 19:9
I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and distress inflicted on them by their enemies who seek their lives.’

2 Kings 17:6-7
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried away the Israelites to Assyria, where he settled them in Halah, in Gozan by the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes. / All this happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshiped other gods

2 Kings 25:1-3
So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it. / And the city was kept under siege until King Zedekiah’s eleventh year. / By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food.

Jeremiah 52:6
By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food.

Isaiah 49:26
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Hosea 13:16
Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open.

Matthew 24:19
How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!

Luke 21:23
How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people.

Mark 13:17
How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers!

Matthew 24:7-8
Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. / All these are the beginning of birth pains.

Luke 23:29
Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’


Treasury of Scripture

And toward her young one that comes out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and narrow place, with which your enemy shall distress you in your gates.

young one [heb] after-birth

Genesis 49:10
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Isaiah 49:15
Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

for she shall

Deuteronomy 28:53
And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:

Jump to Previous
Bear Bears Children Distress Eat Enemy Inflict Intends Issues Legs Offspring Oppress Secretly Siege Straitness Want Wherewith Womb Young
Jump to Next
Bear Bears Children Distress Eat Enemy Inflict Intends Issues Legs Offspring Oppress Secretly Siege Straitness Want Wherewith Womb Young
Deuteronomy 28
1. The blessings for obedience
15. The curses for disobedience














the afterbirth that comes from between her legs
This phrase refers to the placenta, a vital organ that nourishes the unborn child. In Hebrew, the term for "afterbirth" is "שליה" (shilyah), which signifies the physical and emotional connection between a mother and her child. The graphic imagery here underscores the severity of the curse and the desperation that will befall the people. Historically, the siege conditions described in this passage were not uncommon in the ancient Near East, where cities were often besieged for extended periods, leading to extreme famine and desperation.

and the children she bears
The Hebrew word for "children" is "בנים" (banim), which is a term of endearment and lineage. Children are seen as a blessing and a continuation of one's family line. The mention of children in this context highlights the tragic reversal of fortune where blessings become curses due to disobedience. The historical context of ancient Israelite society placed immense value on offspring, making this scenario particularly horrifying.

because she will secretly eat them
The act of eating one's own children is a shocking image meant to convey the utter desperation and moral collapse that can result from turning away from God. The Hebrew verb "אכל" (akal) means "to eat" and is used here to describe an act that is both physically and spiritually abhorrent. This phrase serves as a dire warning of the consequences of disobedience and the depths of depravity that can ensue.

for lack of anything else
This phrase indicates the extreme scarcity and famine that will occur during the siege. The Hebrew word "מחסור" (machsor) means "lack" or "deficiency," emphasizing the complete absence of sustenance. Historically, sieges were brutal, often leading to starvation and forcing people into unimaginable actions for survival. This serves as a stark reminder of the physical and spiritual consequences of straying from God's commandments.

during the siege and dire straits
The term "siege" in Hebrew is "מצור" (matsor), which refers to the military tactic of surrounding a city to cut off supplies. "Dire straits" translates to "מצוקה" (matzokah), meaning distress or anguish. Together, these words paint a picture of intense pressure and suffering. The historical context of ancient warfare often involved prolonged sieges, which were devastating for the inhabitants of the besieged city.

with which your enemy will distress you
The Hebrew word for "enemy" is "אויב" (oyev), and "distress" is "צר" (tsar), both of which convey hostility and oppression. This phrase highlights the role of external forces as instruments of divine judgment. In the biblical narrative, enemies often serve as a means for God to discipline His people, reminding them of their dependence on Him.

in your cities
The mention of "cities" underscores the communal aspect of the judgment. The Hebrew word "ערים" (arim) refers to urban centers, which were the heart of social, economic, and religious life in ancient Israel. The devastation of cities symbolizes the breakdown of society and the loss of security and prosperity. This serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of collective disobedience to God's covenant.

Verse 57. - Her young one; literally, her after-birth. The Hebrew suggests an extreme of horror beyond what the Authorized Version indicates.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
the afterbirth
וּֽבְשִׁלְיָתָ֞הּ (ū·ḇə·šil·yā·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7988: A fetus, babe

that comes
הַיּוֹצֵ֣ת ׀ (hay·yō·w·ṣêṯ)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

from between
מִבֵּ֣ין (mib·bên)
Preposition-m
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

her legs
רַגְלֶ֗יהָ (raḡ·le·hā)
Noun - fdc | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda

and the children
וּבְבָנֶ֙יהָ֙ (ū·ḇə·ḇā·ne·hā)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

she bears,
תֵּלֵ֔ד (tê·lêḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

because
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

she will secretly
בַּסָּ֑תֶר (bas·sā·ṯer)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5643: A covering, hiding place, secrecy

eat
תֹאכְלֵ֥ם (ṯō·ḵə·lêm)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 398: To eat

them for lack
בְּחֹֽסֶר־ (bə·ḥō·ser-)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2640: Want, lack

of anything else
כֹּ֖ל (kōl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

in the siege
בְּמָצוֹר֙ (bə·mā·ṣō·wr)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4692: Something hemming in, a mound, a siege, distress, a fastness

and dire straits
וּבְמָצ֔וֹק (ū·ḇə·mā·ṣō·wq)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4689: A narrow place, confinement, disability

your enemy
אֹיִבְךָ֖ (’ō·yiḇ·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

will impose
יָצִ֥יק (yā·ṣîq)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6693: To constrain, bring into straits, press upon

on you
לְךָ֛ (lə·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

in all your cities.
בִּשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ (biš·‘ā·re·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate


Links
Deuteronomy 28:57 NIV
Deuteronomy 28:57 NLT
Deuteronomy 28:57 ESV
Deuteronomy 28:57 NASB
Deuteronomy 28:57 KJV

Deuteronomy 28:57 BibleApps.com
Deuteronomy 28:57 Biblia Paralela
Deuteronomy 28:57 Chinese Bible
Deuteronomy 28:57 French Bible
Deuteronomy 28:57 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Deuteronomy 28:57 And toward her young one who comes (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 28:56
Top of Page
Top of Page