Jeremiah 24 Commentary
The Lord shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord, after that 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 brought them to Babylon.
One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.
Then said the Lord unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.
For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
And I will give them an heart to 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.
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 remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:
And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.
And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.
Jeremiah 24 presents a powerful vision given to the prophet concerning the future of Judah, delivered after King Nebuchadnezzar exiled Jeconiah (also known as Jehoiachin), along with officials, craftsmen, and metalsmiths, to Babylon. This vision, using the imagery of two baskets of figs, served to challenge the false prophecies circulating among the people and their leaders.
The Vision of Two Baskets of Figs (Jeremiah 24:1-2)
Jeremiah saw two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the Lord. The figs in one basket were exceedingly good, like those that ripen early in the season. The figs in the other basket were so bad they could not be eaten. The sharp contrast between the two baskets immediately draws attention to the distinct destinies awaiting different groups within Judah.
The Good Figs: The Exiles in Babylon (Jeremiah 24:5-7)
Contrary to what many might have assumed, the "good figs" represented those who were exiled to Babylon. The Lord acknowledges that He sent them away, but with a purpose. Jeremiah 24:5 states, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans." This exile was not merely a punishment, but a divine intervention to refine and restore them. God promised to watch over them for their good, bring them back to their land, build them up, and not tear them down. Furthermore, He pledged to plant them and not uproot them (Jeremiah 24:6).
A key element of this restoration was a renewed heart. God declared, "I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart" (Jeremiah 24:7). This speaks of a profound spiritual transformation that would occur during their time in exile, leading them to a deeper understanding of God and a wholehearted return to Him. The "seventy years" of exile, as referenced elsewhere (see Jeremiah 25:1-14), would serve as a period of reflection, repentance, and spiritual renewal.
The Bad Figs: Zedekiah and Those Remaining in Judah and Egypt (Jeremiah 24:8-10)
The "bad figs," those that were rotten and inedible, symbolized King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, and those who remained in Judah or fled to Egypt. These individuals continued to disobey God and reject His warnings through Jeremiah. As a result, they would face severe consequences.
Jeremiah 24:8-10 describes their fate: "But thus says the Lord: Like the bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, so will I treat Zedekiah the king of Judah, his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who live in the land of Egypt. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a taunt and a curse in all the places where I drive them. And I will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, until they are utterly wiped out from the land that I gave to them and to their fathers."
Jeremiah had urged Zedekiah to surrender to Nebuchadnezzar (see Jeremiah 38:14-28) and advised those who rebelled against Babylon not to flee to Egypt (see Jeremiah 42:1–44:14). However, they stubbornly refused to heed God’s counsel. Consequently, they were destined to become objects of scorn, ridicule, and cursing among the nations. Their determination to act like rotten fruit would inevitably lead to them being treated as such.
Lessons and Applications
Jeremiah 24 offers several valuable lessons:
- God's Discipline is Purposeful: Even in exile and hardship, God's hand is at work, refining and restoring those who are willing to turn to Him.
- Obedience is Key: Disobedience and rejection of God's warnings lead to devastating consequences.
- True Repentance Brings Restoration: A genuine turning of the heart towards God is essential for experiencing His forgiveness and restoration.
- Appearances Can Be Deceiving: What might seem like a favorable situation (remaining in the land) may not always be God's best.
This chapter reminds us that God's plans are often different from our expectations. He uses trials and tribulations to draw us closer to Himself and to mold us into the people He desires us to be. Ultimately, Jeremiah 24 is a message of hope and warning, urging us to seek God's will and to obey His voice, so that we may experience His blessings and avoid His judgment.
The Lord shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord, after that 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 brought them to Babylon.
One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.
Then said the Lord unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.
For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
And I will give them an heart to 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.
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 remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:
And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.
And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.
Jeremiah 24 presents a powerful vision given to the prophet concerning the future of Judah, delivered after King Nebuchadnezzar exiled Jeconiah (also known as Jehoiachin), along with officials, craftsmen, and metalsmiths, to Babylon. This vision, using the imagery of two baskets of figs, served to challenge the false prophecies circulating among the people and their leaders.
The Vision of Two Baskets of Figs (Jeremiah 24:1-2)
Jeremiah saw two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the Lord. The figs in one basket were exceedingly good, like those that ripen early in the season. The figs in the other basket were so bad they could not be eaten. The sharp contrast between the two baskets immediately draws attention to the distinct destinies awaiting different groups within Judah.
The Good Figs: The Exiles in Babylon (Jeremiah 24:5-7)
Contrary to what many might have assumed, the "good figs" represented those who were exiled to Babylon. The Lord acknowledges that He sent them away, but with a purpose. Jeremiah 24:5 states, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans." This exile was not merely a punishment, but a divine intervention to refine and restore them. God promised to watch over them for their good, bring them back to their land, build them up, and not tear them down. Furthermore, He pledged to plant them and not uproot them (Jeremiah 24:6).
A key element of this restoration was a renewed heart. God declared, "I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart" (Jeremiah 24:7). This speaks of a profound spiritual transformation that would occur during their time in exile, leading them to a deeper understanding of God and a wholehearted return to Him. The "seventy years" of exile, as referenced elsewhere (see Jeremiah 25:1-14), would serve as a period of reflection, repentance, and spiritual renewal.
The Bad Figs: Zedekiah and Those Remaining in Judah and Egypt (Jeremiah 24:8-10)
The "bad figs," those that were rotten and inedible, symbolized King Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, and those who remained in Judah or fled to Egypt. These individuals continued to disobey God and reject His warnings through Jeremiah. As a result, they would face severe consequences.
Jeremiah 24:8-10 describes their fate: "But thus says the Lord: Like the bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, so will I treat Zedekiah the king of Judah, his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who live in the land of Egypt. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a taunt and a curse in all the places where I drive them. And I will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, until they are utterly wiped out from the land that I gave to them and to their fathers."
Jeremiah had urged Zedekiah to surrender to Nebuchadnezzar (see Jeremiah 38:14-28) and advised those who rebelled against Babylon not to flee to Egypt (see Jeremiah 42:1–44:14). However, they stubbornly refused to heed God’s counsel. Consequently, they were destined to become objects of scorn, ridicule, and cursing among the nations. Their determination to act like rotten fruit would inevitably lead to them being treated as such.
Lessons and Applications
Jeremiah 24 offers several valuable lessons:
- God's Discipline is Purposeful: Even in exile and hardship, God's hand is at work, refining and restoring those who are willing to turn to Him.
- Obedience is Key: Disobedience and rejection of God's warnings lead to devastating consequences.
- True Repentance Brings Restoration: A genuine turning of the heart towards God is essential for experiencing His forgiveness and restoration.
- Appearances Can Be Deceiving: What might seem like a favorable situation (remaining in the land) may not always be God's best.
This chapter reminds us that God's plans are often different from our expectations. He uses trials and tribulations to draw us closer to Himself and to mold us into the people He desires us to be. Ultimately, Jeremiah 24 is a message of hope and warning, urging us to seek God's will and to obey His voice, so that we may experience His blessings and avoid His judgment.