Isaiah 49:26
in Isaiah 49I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood, as with wine. Then all mankind will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I, Jehovah, am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
KJV
And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
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This verse in Isaiah 49
Commentary
10 notes on this verseWhoever suffers anything on account of me obtains help from me, the One who gives strength to you, Jacob, that is, all of you from the seed of Jacob. I have said how he sends them prophetic words in the mouth of the holy apostles and evangelists that they are from Jacob, which clearly relates to the flesh. And it is small wonder that Jacob was called the supplanter, that is, the supplanter of Satan and of those who casually and with youthful neglect rush into the noose of sins.
This site's exposition
Can the plunder be snatched from the mighty
on Isaiah 49:24-26
The LORD answers in his own name, “Even the captives of the mighty will be taken away”. The oppressors “eat their own flesh”. The chapter closes, “all mankind will know” the LORD as “the Mighty One of Jacob”, the title Jacob uses in blessing Joseph at Genesis 49:24.
This site's exposition
they will be drunk on their own blood
Barnes reads the figure as civil strife, the oppressors turning on each other until they are drunk with blood, as in Isaiah 9:20. Jerome has them sated with their own death and flesh. All mankind then learns that the Mighty One of Jacob is Savior.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 24 and following) Will the prey be taken from the mighty, or what is captured by the strong be saved? For thus says the Lord: Indeed, the captivity will be taken from the mighty, and what has been taken by the strong will be saved. But I will judge those who have judged you, and I will save your children. And I will feed your enemies with their own flesh, and they will be drunk with their own blood as with wine. And all flesh will know that I am the Lord, your Savior, and your strong Redeemer, Jacob.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And he sets out the determination of their punishment: and I will feed your enemies with their own flesh, either because of dissension, as above: every one shall eat the flesh of his own arm (Isa 9:20), or because of the multitude of the dead, …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the L ORD , and my work with my God. 5 And now, saith the L ORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the L ORD , and my God shall be my strength.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:92%@v4-5
They shall greedily and with delight prey upon those that are their own flesh and blood." God can make the oppressors of his church to be their own tormentors and their own destroyers. The New-Testament Babylon, having made herself drunk with the blood of the saints, shall have blood given her to drink, for she is worthy.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh - The language used here is that which appropriately describes the distresses resuiting from discord and internal strifes. Similar language occurs in Isa 9:20 (see the note on that verse). Their rage shall be excited against each other; and there shall be anarchy, internal discord, and the desire of mutual revenge. They shall destroy themselves by mutual conflicts, until they are gorged with slaughter, and drunk with blood.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
feed . . . own flesh--a phrase for internal strifes (Isa 9:20). own blood--a just retribution for their having shed the blood of God's servants (Re 16:6). sweet wine--that is, must, or new wine, the pure juice which flows from the heap of grapes before they are pressed; the ancients could preserve it for a long time, so as to retain its flavor.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהַאֲכַלְתִּ֤י | vehaakhalti | and I will cause to eat | H398 → | 810 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מוֹנַ֙יִךְ֙ | monayikh | [those who] maltreat you | H3238 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּשָׂרָ֔ם | besaram | own flesh their | H1320 → | 270 times |
| וְכֶעָסִ֖יס | vekheasis | and like <the> sweet wine | H6071 → | |
| דָּמָ֣ם | damam | own blood their | H1818 → | 360 times |
| יִשְׁכָּר֑וּן | yishkarun | they will become drunk ! | H7937 → | 19 times |
| וְיָדְע֣וּ | veyadeu | and they will know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כָל־ | khol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בָּשָׂ֗ר | basar | flesh | H1320 → | 270 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אֲנִ֤י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | [am] Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| מֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֔ךְ | moshiekh | deliverer your | H3467 → | 206 times |
| וְגֹאֲלֵ֖ךְ | vegoalekh | and redeemer your | H1350 → | 104 times |
| אֲבִ֥יר | ʾavir | [the] mighty one of | H46 → | 6 times |
| יַעֲקֹֽב׃ ס | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | 350 times |
וְהַאֲכַלְתִּ֤יand I will cause to eat
vehaakhaltiH398 →810 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מוֹנַ֙יִךְ֙[those who] maltreat you
monayikhH3238 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּשָׂרָ֔םown flesh their
besaramH1320 →270 times
וְכֶעָסִ֖יסand like <the> sweet wine
vekheasisH6071 →
דָּמָ֣םown blood their
damamH1818 →360 times
יִשְׁכָּר֑וּןthey will become drunk !
yishkarunH7937 →19 times
וְיָדְע֣וּand they will know
veyadeuH3045 →945 times
כָל־all
khol-H3605 →5413 times
בָּשָׂ֗רflesh
basarH1320 →270 times
כִּ֣יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אֲנִ֤יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
יְהוָה֙[am] Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
מֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֔ךְdeliverer your
moshiekhH3467 →206 times
וְגֹאֲלֵ֖ךְand redeemer your
vegoalekhH1350 →104 times
אֲבִ֥יר[the] mighty one of
ʾavirH46 →6 times
יַעֲקֹֽב׃ סJacob
yaakoH3290 →350 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 9:4For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 30:8
On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will break the yoke off their necks and tear off their bonds, and no longer will strangers enslave them.
- Isaiah 14:25
I will break Assyria in My land; I will trample him on My mountain. His yoke will be taken off My people, and his burden removed from their shoulders.”
- Isaiah 10:26–27
And the LORD of Hosts will brandish a whip against them, as when He struck Midian at the rock of Oreb. He will raise His staff over the sea, as He did in Egypt.
- Nahum 1:13
For I will now break their yoke from your neck and tear away your shackles.”
- Isaiah 54:14
In righteousness you will be established, far from oppression, for you will have no fear. Terror will be far removed, for it will not come near you.
- Jeremiah 30:8
Through
Psalms 9:16The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion Selah
it leads to
- Exodus 7:5
And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.”
- Exodus 7:5
Through
Revelation 16:6For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink, as they deserve.”
it leads to
- Revelation 6:10–11
And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?”
- Revelation 11:18
The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your…
- Revelation 6:10–11
Where this verse is studied
About Isaiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 4:4.49:25-26; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Isaiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.