Deuteronomy 28:56

Verse

The most gentle and refined woman among you, so gentle and refined she would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge the husband she embraces and her son and daughter

American Standard Version (1901)

The tender and delicate woman among you, who 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,

Bible in Basic English

The most soft and delicate of your women, who would not so much as put her foot on the earth, so delicate is she, will be hard-hearted to her husband and to her son and to her daughter;

Douay-Rheims 1899

The tender and delicate woman, that could not go upon the ground, nor set down her foot for over much niceness and tenderness, will envy her husband who lieth in her bosom, the flesh of her son, and of her daughter,

Free Bible Version

The kindest and most sensitive woman among you, so kind and sensitive she wouldn't ever go barefoot on the ground, will refuse to share her food, a baby and its afterbirth, with the husband she loves and her own son and daughter.

Geneva Bible 1599

The tender and deintie woman among you, which neuer woulde venture to set the sole of her foote vpon the grounde (for her softnesse and tendernesse) shalbe grieued at her husband that lieth in her bosome, and at her sonne, and at her daughter,

King James (Authorized) Version

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,

One Unity Resource Bible

The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye will be evil toward the husband that she loves, toward her son, toward her daughter,

Translation for Translators

Even the most gentle and sensitive/kind women among you, who are very refined/rich with the result that they have never had to walk anywhere [HYP], will do the same thing. When your enemies have surrounded your towns, those women will be extremely hungry, with the result that after they give birth to a baby, they will secretly kill it and eat its flesh and also eat its afterbirth. And they will not share any of it with their husbands whom they love very much or with any of their other children.

Unlocked Literal Bible

The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to put the bottom of her foot on the ground for delicateness and tenderness—she will be envious of her own dear husband, of her son, and of her daughter,

Noah Webster Bible

The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil towards the husband of her bosom, and towards her son, and towards her daughter,

World English Bible

Young's Literal Translation

'The tender woman in thee, and the delicate, who hath not tried the sole of her foot to place on the ground because of delicateness and because of tenderness — her eye is evil against the husband of her bosom, and against her son, and against her daughter,

Context

The Curses of Disobedience

⁵⁵refusing to share with any of them the flesh of his children he will eat because he has nothing left in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within all your gates. ⁵⁶The most gentle and refined woman among you, so gentle and refined she would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge the husband she embraces and her son and daughter⁵⁷the afterbirth that comes from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within your gates.

Summary

This verse is part of Moses' warning to the Israelites about the consequences of disobedience to God's commands. It describes the extreme hardships that the people will face, including the distress of seeing their children taken away to be enslaved by foreign nations. The verse underscores the severity of God's judgment upon those who turn away from Him, emphasizing the importance of obedience and faithfulness. It serves as a sobering reminder of the repercussions of straying from God's path and the need for repentance and returning to Him.

Commentary

John Gill
Tyndale

John Gill Bible Commentary

Moreover, he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt,.... All that in a way of judgment were brought upon the Egyptians for refusing to let Israel go; or all such diseases as were peculiar to them, and common among them, as the leprosy, the itch, ulcers, &c. which thou wast afraid of; when living among them, lest they should catch them of them, or they should be inflicted on them by the hand of God: and they shall cleave unto thee; not only should come upon them, but continue with them; they should not easily get rid of them, or be cured of them.