Topical Bible: Cannibalism: General Scriptures Concerning

◄ Cannibalism: General Scriptures Concerning ►

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Cannibalism, the act of consuming human flesh, is a practice that is explicitly condemned and depicted as a sign of extreme depravity and divine judgment in the Bible. The Scriptures provide several instances where cannibalism is mentioned, often in the context of severe famine or as a curse for disobedience to God.

Leviticus 26:29
In the book of Leviticus, God warns the Israelites of the dire consequences of disobedience to His commandments. Among the curses for persistent rebellion, the Lord declares: "You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters." This passage underscores the severity of divine judgment, where cannibalism is portrayed as a last resort in times of extreme desperation and divine wrath.

Deuteronomy 28:53-57
Similarly, in Deuteronomy, Moses reiterates the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience. The text describes a scenario of siege and distress, where the Israelites, due to their unfaithfulness, would resort to eating their own offspring: "Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress with which your enemies will afflict you." This passage highlights the horror and unnaturalness of such acts, serving as a stark warning against turning away from God.

2 Kings 6:28-29
A historical account of cannibalism is recorded during the siege of Samaria by the Arameans. The famine was so severe that a woman approached the king of Israel, recounting a pact she made with another woman to eat their sons: "So we boiled my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him,’ but she had hidden her son." This narrative illustrates the extreme conditions and moral decay that can occur when a nation is under divine judgment and siege.

Lamentations 4:10
The book of Lamentations, traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, mourns the destruction of Jerusalem. It describes the tragic fulfillment of the curses warned in the Law: "The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people." This lamentation reflects the deep sorrow and horror of the situation, emphasizing the unnatural and grievous nature of cannibalism.

Ezekiel 5:10
The prophet Ezekiel, speaking of the judgment upon Jerusalem, conveys God's message: "Therefore fathers will eat their sons in your midst, and sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments against you and scatter all your remnant to every wind." This prophecy serves as a grim reminder of the consequences of persistent sin and rebellion against God.

Throughout the Scriptures, cannibalism is depicted as a consequence of severe judgment and a symbol of utter desolation and moral collapse. It serves as a powerful warning to remain faithful to God's commandments and to seek His mercy and guidance in times of distress.

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Leviticus 26:29
And you shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall you eat.
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Deuteronomy 28:53-57
And you shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters, which the LORD your God has given you, in the siege, and in the narrow place, with which your enemies shall distress you:
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2 Kings 6:28,29
And the king said to her, What ails you? And she answered, This woman said to me, Give your son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.
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Jeremiah 19:9
And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and narrow place, with which their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them.
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Lamentations 2:20
Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom you have done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?
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Lamentations 4:10
The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
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Ezekiel 5:10
Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the middle of you, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in you, and the whole remnant of you will I scatter into all the winds.
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