Ezekiel 39:18 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Drink the blood of the princes of the earth— That is, the fowls and beasts mentioned before, shall drink, &c. There cannot be a greater instance of disingenuousness, and of inveterate malice to the Scriptures and the people of God, than Voltaire has shewn by his infamous misrepresentation of the passage before us; endeavouring to fix it as an opprobrium upon the Jews, that they sacrificed human beings to the Deity. After urging what he calls proofs, he adds, "Nay, Ezekiel himself, in order to encourage them [the Jews], promises them also that they shall eat of human flesh: Ye shall eat both the house and his rider, and drink the blood of princes." Can any person, with the least candour, conceive that this writer really mistook, or misrepresented this passage through downright ignorance?—The supposition is impossible; and in this view, what a heart must he have had, who could thus daringly traduce the sacred oracles of God; and on how wretched a master do they pin their faith, who blindly follow the delusive dictates of so vain and perverse a philosopher!