New International Version
Deuteronomy 28:56
56The most gentle and sensitive woman among you—so sensitive and gentle that she would not venture to touch the ground with the sole of her foot—will begrudge the husband she loves and her own son or daughter
Deuteronomy 28:56 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,
- English Standard Version (ESV)The most tender and refined woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because she is so delicate and tender, will begrudge to the husband she embraces, to her son and to her daughter,
- New King James Version (NKJV)The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because of her delicateness and sensitivity, will refuse to the husband of her bosom, and to her son and her daughter,
- New Living Translation (NLT)The most tender and delicate woman among you—so delicate she would not so much as touch the ground with her foot—will be selfish toward the husband she loves and toward her own son or daughter.
Context of Deuteronomy 28:56
54Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will have no compassion on his own brother or the wife he loves or his surviving children, 55and he will not give to one of them any of the flesh of his children that he is eating. It will be all he has left because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege of all your cities. The most gentle and sensitive woman among you—so sensitive and gentle that she would not venture to touch the ground with the sole of her foot—will begrudge the husband she loves and her own son or daughter 57the 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. 58If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the Lord your God—
Read all of Deuteronomy 28Deuteronomy 28:56 word by word
הָרַכָּ֨ה בְךָ֜ וְהָעֲנֻגָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־נִסְּתָ֤ה כַף־רַגְלָהּ֙ הַצֵּ֣ג עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵהִתְעַנֵּ֖ג וּמֵרֹ֑ךְ תֵּרַ֤ע עֵינָהּ֙ בְּאִ֣ישׁ חֵיקָ֔הּ וּבִבְנָ֖הּ וּבְבִתָּֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The tenderרַךְrak · tenderH7390
- and delicateעָנֹג‛ânôg · daintyH6028
- woman among you, which would not adventureנָסָהnâsâh · to test: tryH5254
- to setיָצַגyâtsag · to setH3322
- the soleכַּףkaph · palm: soleH3709
- of her footרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
- upon the groundאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
- for delicatenessעָנֹג‛ânag · to delightH6026
- and tendernessרֹךְrôk · tendernessH7391
- her eyeעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- shall be evilיָרַעyâra‛ · quiverH3415
- toward the husbandאִישׁ'îysh · man: husbandH376
- of her bosomחֵיקchêyq chêq chôq · bosom: embraceH2436
- and toward her sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- and toward her daughterבַּתbath · daughterH1323
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 28:56
- Isaiah 3:16The Lord says, “The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, strutting along with swaying hips, with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
- Lamentations 4:3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert.
- Deuteronomy 28:54Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will have no compassion on his own brother or the wife he loves or his surviving children,
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 28:56
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 56The tender and delicate woman - This was literally fulfilled when Jerusalem was besieged by the Romans; a woman named Mary, of a noble family, driven to distraction by famine, boiled and ate her own child! See a similar case 2 Kings 6:29; (note); and Leviticus 26:29; (note).Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15-68Verses 15-68 The curses correspond in form and number Deuteronomy 28:15-19 to the blessings Deuteronomy 28:3-6, and the special modes in which these threats should be executed are described in five groups of denunciations Deuteronomy 28:20-26 First series of judgments. The curse of God should rest on all they did, and should issue in manifold forms of disease, in famine, and in defeat in war. Deuteronomy 28:20 Vexation - Rather, confusion: the word in the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 45-68Verses 45-68 If God inflicts vengeance, what miseries his curse can bring upon mankind, even in this present world! Yet these are but the beginning of sorrows to those under the curse of God. What then will be the misery of that world where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched! Observe what is here said of the wrath of God, which should come and remain upon the Israelites for their sins. It is amazing to think that a people so long the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 56not … set … on the ground: This woman was very delicate and careful. She would not even walk barefoot on the ground.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 53-5753-57. And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body--(See 2Ki 6:29; La 4:10). Such were the dreadful extremities to which the inhabitants during the siege were reduced that many women sustained a wretched existence by eating the flesh of their own children. Parental affection was extinguished, and the nearest relatives were jealously, avoided, lest they should discover and demand a share of the revolting viands.Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 28:56
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries