Jeremiah 24:1-8

1 The LORD showed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the princes of Judah with the carpenters and smiths from Jerusalem, and had taken them to Babylon.

2 One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very evil figs, which could not be eaten, they were so evil.

3 Then the LORD said unto me, What dost thou see, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, so evil that they cannot be eaten.

4 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

5 Thus hath the LORD God of Israel said: Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.

6 For I will set my eyes upon them for good, and I will return them to this land, and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.

7 And I will give them a heart that they might know me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

8 And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil, surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah and his princes and the residue of Jerusalem that remained in this land and that dwell in the land of Egypt:

Jeremiah 24:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 24

This chapter contains a vision of two baskets of figs, representing the Jews both in captivity, and at Jerusalem. The vision is declared, Jer 24:1-3; where both time and place are pointed at, in which the vision was seen, and the nature of the figs described, and what passed between the Lord and the prophet concerning them. The explication of the vision begins, Jer 24:4; and continues to the end of the chapter. The good figs were an emblem of the good people that were carried captive with Jeconiah into Babylon, which the Lord says was for their good; and he promises to own them, and set his eyes upon them for good, and that they should return to their own land, and have a heart to know him as their God, and return unto him, Jer 24:5-7; the bad figs signify the people that were with Zedekiah at Jerusalem, and those that were in Egypt, who are threatened to be carried captive into all lands, and there live under the greatest reproach and disgrace; or be destroyed in their own land by the sword, famine, or pestilence, Jer 24:8-10.