Cannibalism in the Bible: From Covenant Curse to Final Fulfillment

Bible Believing Christian
Sep 16
3 min read

Cannibalism in the Bible: From Covenant Curse to Final Fulfillment

Cannibalism is one of the darkest images in Scripture. Far from sensationalism, the Bible uses it as a warning of covenant judgment. From the curses of Deuteronomy to the sieges of Samaria and Jerusalem, and even into prophetic and apocalyptic visions, the theme is tragically real. Tracing every occurrence shows how sin dehumanizes—and how Christ ultimately breaks the curse.

Deuteronomy’s Covenant Warning

The first explicit biblical reference is part of the covenant’s direst curses:

“Then you shall eat the offspring of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will oppress you.” (Deuteronomy 28:53 NASB; see also vv. 54–57)

Here God warns that rejecting His law will lead to siege conditions so desperate that parents will eat their own children. This is not hyperbole; it became grim history.

Fulfillment in Israel’s History

1. Siege of Samaria

During a Syrian siege, famine in Samaria led to literal cannibalism:

“There was a great famine in Samaria; and behold, they kept besieging it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver… As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, ‘Help, my lord the king!’… And she said, ‘This woman said to me, “Give your son so that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.” So we cooked my son and ate him…’” (2 Kings 6:25–29 NASB)

This chilling scene fulfills Deuteronomy’s warning.

2. Siege of Jerusalem (Babylonian Exile)

Jeremiah echoes the curse:

“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 lives will distress them.” (Jeremiah 19:9 NASB)

Lamentations confirms it happened:

“The hands of compassionate women boiled their own children; they became food for them because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.” (Lamentations 4:10 NASB)

3. Siege of Jerusalem (AD 70)

The Jewish historian Josephus records harrowing incidents of cannibalism during Rome’s siege of Jerusalem, mirroring Moses’ ancient prophecy.

Other Biblical Echoes

Leviticus and Prophetic Warnings

Leviticus 26:29 anticipates the same curse. Ezekiel dramatizes it symbolically (Ezekiel 5:10): “Therefore fathers will eat their sons among you, and sons will eat their fathers.”

Symbolic Cannibalism in Prophetic Imagery

Revelation uses devouring imagery for ultimate judgment (Revelation 17:16), where nations devour the harlot Babylon—human evil consuming itself.

Theological Reflection

Cannibalism in Scripture is not about dietary law but covenant breakdown. When people reject the God who gives life, they turn on one another—literally. The Hebrew verb for “eat,” אָכַל (akal), normally describes blessing and fellowship meals; under judgment it is twisted into horror.

Connection to Christ

Christ Became the Curse: Jesus bore every covenant curse, even the ones most unspeakable (Galatians 3:13).

True Food and Drink: He offers His own life as life-giving food (John 6:53–55)—a holy reversal of the cannibalistic curse.

New Jerusalem: In the final city of God, “there will no longer be any curse” (Revelation 22:3). All hunger and violence are gone.

Complete List of Biblical References to Cannibalism

For clarity, here are all direct or prophetic instances:

Deuteronomy 28:53–57 – Initial covenant curse.

Leviticus 26:29 – Early warning.

2 Kings 6:25–29 – Siege of Samaria.

Jeremiah 19:9 – Siege prophecy for Jerusalem.

Lamentations 2:20; 4:10 – Fulfillment during Babylonian siege.

Ezekiel 5:10 – Prophetic sign of Jerusalem’s coming judgment.

Josephus, Wars 6.3.4 (historical) – Roman siege of A.D. 70.

Revelation 17:16 – Symbolic self-devouring of the wicked.

Christ-Centered Conclusion

From Deuteronomy’s warning to the final downfall of the rebellious in Revelation, cannibalism symbolizes what sin ultimately does: it devours life. But Jesus, the Bread of Life, absorbs the curse and offers a feast of eternal fellowship. In Him, the story moves from eating one another in desperation to feeding on God’s love in everlasting joy.