Jeremiah 19:9

KJV

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 straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them.

KJV (with Strong's)

And I will cause them to eat {H398} the flesh {H1320} of their sons {H1121} and the flesh {H1320} of their daughters {H1323}, and they shall eat {H398} every one {H376} the flesh {H1320} of his friend {H7453} in the siege {H4692} and straitness {H4689}, wherewith their enemies {H341}, and they that seek {H1245} their lives {H5315}, shall straiten {H6693} them.

Complete Jewish Bible

I will cause them to eat the flesh of their own sons and daughters; everyone will be eating the flesh of his friends during the siege, because of the shortage imposed on them by their enemies and those set on killing them."'

Berean Standard Bible

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.’

American Standard Version

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 in the distress, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their life, shall distress them.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Jeremiah 19:9 delivers a chilling prophecy of the extreme suffering and moral collapse that will befall Judah during the impending siege by their enemies. As a direct consequence of their persistent idolatry and rebellion against God, the people will be driven to unimaginable desperation, leading to acts of cannibalism—eating the flesh of their own children and friends—due to the severe famine and "straitness" imposed by the siege. This verse serves as a stark and horrific depiction of divine judgment against profound national sin.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Jeremiah 19:9 is the climax of a dramatic prophetic act initiated by God in [Jeremiah 19](/jeremiah/19 "Jeremiah 19 - The Potter's Flask and Judah's Judgment"). The chapter begins with God instructing Jeremiah to take a potter's earthenware flask to the Valley of Hinnom, also known as Tophet, outside Jerusalem's Potsherd Gate. There, in the presence of elders and priests, Jeremiah was commanded to smash the flask as a vivid and irreversible symbol of God's impending judgment upon Jerusalem and Judah. This act, along with the accompanying prophecy, underscores the complete and utter destruction God would bring upon the city, mirroring the irreparable breaking of the flask. Verse 9 specifically details one of the most horrifying and desperate consequences of this divine wrath, directly following the enumeration of Judah's sins, particularly their child sacrifice in [Jeremiah 19:4-5](/jeremiah/19-4 "Jeremiah 19:4-5 - Judah's Idolatry and Child Sacrifice").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophecy in Jeremiah 19 was delivered during the tumultuous reign of King Jehoiakim (609-598 BC), a period marked by Judah's deep apostasy and the rising threat of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) was a notorious site where Judah had engaged in the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice to foreign deities like Baal and Molech, defiling the land and abandoning the covenant with Yahweh ([Jeremiah 7:31](/jeremiah/7-31 "Jeremiah 7:31 - The Valley of Hinnom and Child Sacrifice")). Ancient siege warfare was a brutal affair, characterized by prolonged blockades designed to starve out a city's inhabitants. Famine was a common and devastating weapon, often leading to extreme desperation, including cannibalism, as documented in various historical accounts and even earlier biblical prophecies. The "straitness" refers to the severe economic and physical constriction experienced when a city is cut off from all supplies.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several major theological and narrative themes found throughout Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it highlights the theme of **Divine Judgment for Persistent Sin**, demonstrating that God's patience has limits and His justice will inevitably prevail against unrepentant disobedience and idolatry. The severity of the punishment reflects the profound offense of Judah's sins, particularly their defilement of the land and their shedding of innocent blood through child sacrifice. Secondly, it vividly portrays the **Horrific Consequences of Siege Warfare**, illustrating the utter desolation, starvation, and moral collapse that would occur. This imagery of cannibalism speaks to a society pushed to its absolute limits, where the instinct for survival overrides all natural bonds and humanity, serving as a terrifying fulfillment of the covenant curses outlined in [Deuteronomy 28:53-57](/deuteronomy/28-53 "Deuteronomy 28:53-57 - Curses for Disobedience, Including Cannibalism"). Finally, the passage underscores God's **Holiness and Justice**, emphasizing that His character demands a response to such profound wickedness, even if that response involves terrifying judgment.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **eat (Hebrew, _ʼâkal'_):** From H398, a primitive root meaning "to eat (literally or figuratively)." In this context, it is used literally and with horrific implications, denoting the consumption of human flesh. The repetition of "eat" emphasizes the desperate and unavoidable nature of this act, driven by extreme hunger and the absence of any other sustenance. It signifies a complete breakdown of societal norms and natural human instincts.
* **flesh (Hebrew, _bâsâr'_):** From H1320, referring to "flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person." Here, "flesh" explicitly refers to human flesh, specifically that of one's own children and friends. The term highlights the raw, visceral reality of the prophecy, stripping away any euphemism and confronting the reader with the ultimate degradation of humanity under siege conditions.
* **straitness (Hebrew, _mâtsôwq'_):** From H4689, meaning "a narrow place, i.e. (abstractly and figuratively) confinement or disability; anguish, distress." This word powerfully conveys the extreme distress, confinement, and oppression experienced during a siege. It emphasizes the suffocating conditions and the tightening grip of the enemy, leading to unimaginable suffering and desperation within the besieged city, directly linking the physical constraints of the siege to the moral and physical collapse of the inhabitants.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons":** This clause directly attributes the horrific act to divine agency. God declares that He will be the one to bring about the circumstances so dire that parents will resort to consuming their own children. This is a profound statement of judgment, where the natural order is inverted, and the deepest human bonds are shattered by the severity of the famine.
* **"and the flesh of their daughters":** This expands the horror, explicitly including female offspring, reinforcing the comprehensive and indiscriminate nature of the impending suffering. The repetition underscores the complete breakdown of familial protection and the universal desperation that will grip Jerusalem.
* **"and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend":** Beyond the family unit, the prophecy extends to the broader community, indicating that even the bonds of friendship and neighborly trust will dissolve under the extreme pressure of starvation. "Every one" emphasizes the widespread nature of this depravity, suggesting that no individual will be exempt from witnessing or participating in such acts.
* **"in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them":** This final clause provides the context and cause for the cannibalism. The "siege" (H4692, _mâtsôwr'_) refers to the military encirclement of the city, and "straitness" (H4689, _mâtsôwq'_) describes the resulting anguish and confinement. The phrase "they that seek their lives" (H1245, _bâqash'_ for "seek"; H5315, _nephesh'_ for "lives") identifies the enemies as those intent on total destruction, further emphasizing the dire predicament of the besieged. The repetition of "straiten" (H6693, _tsûwq'_) underscores the relentless and suffocating pressure applied by the adversaries, leading to the ultimate desperation.

#### Literary Devices
Jeremiah 19:9 employs several potent literary devices to convey its terrifying message. The most prominent is **Hyperbole**, though in this case, it is a hyperbole that tragically became a literal reality, intensifying the shock and horror of the prophecy. The graphic imagery of cannibalism serves as a powerful **Symbolism** of utter desolation, the complete breakdown of societal order, and the extreme consequences of divine judgment. It signifies a return to a primal, animalistic state, where humanity is stripped of its dignity and moral compass. The verse also functions as **Foreshadowing**, anticipating the grim historical fulfillment recorded in [Lamentations 4:10](/lamentations/4-10 "Lamentations 4:10 - Mothers Eating Their Children During Siege"). Furthermore, the phrasing "I will cause them to eat" exemplifies the **Divine Passive** or divine agency, attributing the horrific circumstances directly to God's sovereign will in executing judgment, emphasizing His active role in bringing about the consequences of Judah's sin.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 19:9 is a stark and terrifying testament to the seriousness of sin and the unwavering justice of God. It reveals that persistent rebellion, particularly idolatry and the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice, incurs the most severe divine judgment. The prophecy underscores the covenant curses outlined in the Torah, demonstrating that God is faithful to His warnings as well as His promises. The horror described is not arbitrary but a direct, though extreme, consequence of Judah's profound spiritual adultery and defilement of the land. It highlights God's absolute holiness, which cannot tolerate such pervasive wickedness indefinitely, ultimately leading to a judgment that strips humanity of its most fundamental bonds and dignity. This passage serves as a sobering reminder that God's patience, while vast, is not infinite, and His justice demands a reckoning for unrepentant sin.

* [Deuteronomy 28:53](/deuteronomy/28-53 "Prophecy of Cannibalism in Siege")
* [Leviticus 26:29](/leviticus/26-29 "Consequences of Disobedience, Including Cannibalism")
* [Lamentations 4:10](/lamentations/4-10 "Historical Fulfillment of Cannibalism in Jerusalem")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the specific horrors of Jeremiah 19:9 are deeply disturbing and rooted in a particular historical context, the underlying principles hold profound relevance for contemporary reflection and application. This verse serves as a stark warning about the gravity of sin, particularly persistent rebellion against God and the insidious nature of idolatry. In our modern context, idolatry may not involve physical statues but can manifest as the worship of wealth, power, self, comfort, or any created thing placed above the Creator. Such misplaced allegiances, though not leading to physical cannibalism, can result in spiritual barrenness, moral decay, and a profound "straitness" of soul, where our spiritual lives are starved and our relationships with God and others are fractured. The passage calls us to soberly consider the long-term consequences of our choices and to recognize that God's justice is as real as His mercy. It compels us to examine our own hearts for any idols that might be subtly eroding our devotion to the one true God, urging us to heed His warnings and seek repentance before spiritual desolation sets in.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What "idols" might be present in my own life or in contemporary society that, if unaddressed, could lead to spiritual "straitness" or desolation?**
* **How does the severity of this prophecy deepen my understanding of God's holiness and His intolerance for sin?**
* **In what ways does this passage remind me of the importance of heeding God's warnings and seeking repentance proactively?**

### FAQ
**Was the prophecy in Jeremiah 19:9 literally fulfilled?**

Answer: Tragically, yes. The horrific prophecy of cannibalism during the siege was literally fulfilled during the Babylonian siege and subsequent destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The book of [Lamentations 4:10](/lamentations/4-10 "Lamentations 4:10 - Mothers Eating Their Children During Siege") vividly describes this very reality: "The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became food for them in the destruction of the daughter of my people." This historical account confirms the grim accuracy of Jeremiah's prophetic warning, underscoring the extreme famine and desperation experienced by the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

**Why would God allow such a horrific judgment as cannibalism?**

Answer: The allowance of such a horrific judgment, though deeply disturbing, is presented in scripture as a direct and extreme consequence of Judah's persistent and profound rebellion against God, particularly their engagement in child sacrifice to pagan deities in the very valley where Jeremiah delivered this prophecy ([Jeremiah 7:31](/jeremiah/7-31 "Jeremiah 7:31 - The Valley of Hinnom and Child Sacrifice")). This judgment was not arbitrary but was a fulfillment of the covenant curses warned about centuries earlier in [Deuteronomy 28:53-57](/deuteronomy/28-53 "Deuteronomy 28:53-57 - Curses for Disobedience"). It underscores the ultimate severity of God's justice against a people who had repeatedly rejected His mercy, defiled His name, and engaged in the most abhorrent practices, turning away from the source of life to worship death. It underscores that God's holiness demands a response to pervasive evil.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Jeremiah 19:9 paints a picture of humanity's utter degradation under divine judgment for sin, its Christ-centered fulfillment points to the ultimate solution to the human condition of rebellion and the "straitness" of sin. The horrific judgment described—the eating of one's own flesh and the flesh of friends due to siege and famine—is a stark image of the spiritual death and moral decay that sin brings. Humanity, cut off from God, experiences a spiritual "straitness" that leads to self-destruction and the breaking of all natural bonds. However, in Christ, we see the ultimate Lamb of God, who came not to bring judgment but to bear it ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")). Jesus endured the ultimate "straitness" on the cross, experiencing the full weight of God's wrath against sin, so that those who believe in Him might be delivered from the curse of the law and the spiritual famine of a life apart from God ([Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse")). He offers Himself as the true spiritual bread and living water, nourishing our souls and freeing us from the desperate hunger and moral collapse that sin brings ([John 6:35](/john/6-35 "John 6:35 - Jesus, the Bread of Life")). Through His sacrifice, the spiritual "siege" of sin is broken, and we are brought into a new covenant of life and abundance, where there is no longer condemnation but freedom in the Spirit ([Romans 8:1-2](/romans/8-1 "Romans 8:1-2 - No Condemnation in Christ Jesus")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Isaiah 9:20

And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:

Leviticus 26:29

And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.

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.

Ezekiel 5:10

Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.

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:

Deuteronomy 28:57

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.

Lamentations 2:20

Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom thou hast 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?