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Tuesday, December 23rd, 2025
the Fourth Week of Advent
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Contemporary English Version

Jeremiah 19:9

And while your enemies are trying to break through your city walls to kill you, the food supply will run out. You will become so hungry that you will eat the flesh of your friends and even of your own children.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Cannibalism;   Famine;   Instruction;   Prophecy;   Siege;   War;   Thompson Chain Reference - Cannibalism;   The Topic Concordance - Forsaking;   Idolatry;   Paganism;   Sacrifice;   Violence;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Murder;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Prophets;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Baal;   Hell;   Jerusalem;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bottle;   Famine;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Bottle;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hinnom;   Jeremiah;   Siege;   Tophet;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Hinnom, Valley of;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Obsolete or obscure words in the english av bible;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Moloch;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Mouth;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Bottle;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and their daughters, and they will eat each other’s flesh in the distressing siege inflicted on them by their enemies who intend to take their life.’
Hebrew Names Version
I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters; and they shall eat everyone the flesh of his friend, in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies, and those who seek their life, shall distress them.
King James 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 straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them.
English Standard Version
And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and their daughters, and everyone shall eat the flesh of his neighbor in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies and those who seek their life afflict them.'
New American Standard Bible
"And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they will eat one another's flesh during the siege and in the hardship with which their enemies and those who seek their life will torment them."'
New Century Version
An enemy army will surround the city and will not let anyone go out to get food. I will make the people so hungry that they will eat the bodies of their own sons and daughters, and then they will begin to eat each other.'
Amplified Bible
"And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and their daughters, and each one will eat one another's flesh during the siege and distress brought by their enemies and those who seek their lives."'
World English Bible
I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters; and they shall eat everyone the flesh of his friend, in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies, and those who seek their life, shall distress them.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And I will feede the with the flesh of their sonnes and with the flesh of their daughters, and euery one shall eate the flesh of his friende in the siege and straitnes, wherewith their enemies that seeke their liues, shall hold them strait.
Legacy Standard Bible
I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they will eat one another's flesh in the siege and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life will distress 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.'
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."'
Darby Translation
And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat everyone the flesh of his friend, in the siege and in the straitness wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them.
Easy-to-Read Version
The enemy will bring its army around the city. That army will not let people go out to get food, so the people in the city will begin to starve. They will become so hungry that they will eat the bodies of their own sons and daughters, and then they will begin to eat each other.'
George Lamsa Translation
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 neighbors in the siege and in the affliction with which their enemies and those who seek their lives shall inflict upon them.
Good News Translation
The enemy will surround the city and try to kill its people. The siege will be so terrible that the people inside the city will eat one another and even their own children."
Lexham English Bible
And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons, and the flesh of their daughters, and each one will eat the flesh of his neighbor in the siege and in the distress which their enemies and those who seek their life inflict on them."'
Literal Translation
And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters. And they shall each one eat the flesh of his friend in the siege and distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life shall distress them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I will fede them also wt the flesh of their sonnes & their doughters. Yee euery one shal eate vp another in the beseginge & straytnesse, wher wt their enemies (yt seke their lyues) shal kepe the in.
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.
Bible in Basic English
I will make them take the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters for food, they will be making a meal of one another, because of their bitter need and the cruel grip of their haters and those who have made designs against their life.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their life, shall straiten them.
King James Version (1611)
And I will cause them to eate the flesh of their sonnes and the flesh of their daughters, and they shal eate euery one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitnesse, wherewith their enemies, and they that seeke their liues, shall straiten them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I will feede them also with the flesh of their sonnes and their daughters, yea euery one shall eate vp another in the besieging & straytnesse wherewith their enemies [that seeke their liues] shall kepe them in.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they shall eat the flesh of their sons, and the flesh of their daughters; and they shall eat every one the flesh of his neighbour in the blockade, and in the siege wherewith their enemies shall besiege them.
English Revised 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 straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their life, shall straiten them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y schal feede hem with the fleischis of her sones, and with the fleischis of her douytris; and ech man schal ete the fleischis of his frend in the bisegyng and angwisch, in which the enemyes of hem, and thei that seken the lyues of hem, schulen close hem togidere.
Update Bible 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, with which their enemies, and those that seek their life, shall distress them.
Webster's Bible Translation
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 distress with which their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall distress them.
New English Translation
I will reduce the people of this city to desperate straits during the siege imposed on it by their enemies who are seeking to kill them. I will make them so desperate that they will eat the flesh of their own sons and daughters and the flesh of one another."'"
New King James Version
And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and everyone shall eat the flesh of his friend in the siege and in the desperation with which their enemies and those who seek their lives shall drive them to despair."'
New Living Translation
I will see to it that your enemies lay siege to the city until all the food is gone. Then those trapped inside will eat their own sons and daughters and friends. They will be driven to utter despair.'
New Life Bible
I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters. And they will eat each other's flesh when the armies shut them in, and when those who want to kill them bring much trouble to them."'
New Revised Standard
And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and all shall eat the flesh of their neighbors in the siege, and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life afflict them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And I will suffer them to eat the flesh of their sons, and the flesh of their daughters, yea every one - the flesh of his friend, will they eat, - in the siege and in the straitness, wherewith, their enemies, and they who seek their lives, will straiten them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will feed them with the flesh of their sons, and with 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 lives, shall straiten them.
Revised Standard Version
And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and their daughters, and every one shall eat the flesh of his neighbor in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies and those who seek their life afflict them.'
Young's Literal Translation
And I have caused them to eat the flesh of their sons, and the flesh of their daughters, and each the flesh of his friend they do eat, in the siege and in the straitness with which straiten them do their enemies, and those seeking their life.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they will eat one another's flesh in the siege and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life will distress them."'

Contextual Overview

1 The Lord said: Jeremiah, go to the pottery shop and buy a clay jar. Then take along some of the city officials and leading priests 2 and go to Hinnom Valley, just outside Potsherd Gate. Tell the people that I have said: 3 I am the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, and you kings of Judah and you people of Jerusalem had better pay attention. I am going to bring so much trouble on this valley that everyone who hears about it will be shocked. 4The people of Judah stopped worshiping me and made this valley into a place of worship for Baal and other gods that have never helped them or their ancestors or their kings. And they have committed murder here, burning their young, innocent children as sacrifices to Baal. I have never even thought of telling you to do that. 6 So watch out! Someday this place will no longer be called Topheth or Hinnom Valley. It will be called Slaughter Valley! 7 You people of Judah and Jerusalem may have big plans, but here in this valley I'll ruin those plans. I'll let your enemies kill you, and I'll tell the birds and wild animals to eat your dead bodies. 8 I will turn Jerusalem into a pile of rubble, and every passerby will be shocked and horrified and will make insulting remarks. 9 And while your enemies are trying to break through your city walls to kill you, the food supply will run out. You will become so hungry that you will eat the flesh of your friends and even of your own children.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

eat the: Leviticus 26:29, Deuteronomy 28:53-57, 2 Kings 6:26-29, Isaiah 9:20, Lamentations 2:20, Lamentations 4:10, Ezekiel 5:10

Reciprocal: Isaiah 36:12 - that they may Jeremiah 13:14 - I will dash Jeremiah 52:6 - the famine Lamentations 1:11 - seek Lamentations 3:51 - the daughters Lamentations 4:3 - the daughter Zechariah 11:9 - and let James 5:3 - and shall

Cross-References

Genesis 11:6
he said: These people are working together because they all speak the same language. This is just the beginning. Soon they will be able to do anything they want.
Genesis 13:12
Abram stayed in the land of Canaan. But Lot settled near the cities of the valley and put up his tents not far from Sodom,
Genesis 19:7
Then he said, "Friends, please don't do such a terrible thing!
Genesis 19:8
I have two daughters who have never been married. I'll bring them out, and you can do what you want with them. But don't harm these men. They are guests in my home."
Genesis 19:22
Hurry! Run! I can't do anything until you are safely there." The town was later called Zoar because Lot had said it was small.
Genesis 19:26
On the way, Lot's wife looked back and was turned into a block of salt.
Genesis 19:28
He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and saw smoke rising from all over the land—it was like a flaming furnace.
Exodus 2:14
The man answered, "Who put you in charge of us and made you our judge? Are you planning to kill me, just as you killed that Egyptian?" This frightened Moses because he was sure that people must have found out what had happened.
1 Samuel 2:16
Usually the people answered, "Take what you want. But first, let us sacrifice the fat to the Lord ." "No," the servant would reply. "If you don't give it to me now, I'll take it by force."
1 Samuel 17:44
and shouted, "Come on! When I'm finished with you, I'll feed you to the birds and wild animals!"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons, and the flesh of their daughters,.... For want of food; the famine should be so great and pressing. Jeremiah, that foretells this, was a witness of it, and has left it on record, Lamentations 4:10;

and they shall eat everyone the flesh of his friend. The Targum interprets it, the goods or substance of his neighbour; which is sometimes the sense of eating the flesh of another; but as it is to be taken in a literal sense, in the preceding clause, so in this: so it should be,

in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them; the siege of Jerusalem should be so close, that no provision could be got in to the relief of the inhabitants; which obliged them to take the shocking methods before mentioned. Jerom observes, that though this was fulfilled at the Babylonish captivity, yet more fully when Jerusalem was besieged by Vespasian and Titus, and in the times of Hadrian. Josephus q gives us a most shocking relation of a woman eating her own son.

q De Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 3. sect. 4.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 19:9. I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons — This was literally fulfilled when Jerusalem was besieged by the Romans. This also the prophet might have had in view.


 
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