Jeremiah 24 10

Jeremiah 24:10 kjv

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 24:10 nkjv

And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence among them, till they are consumed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers.' "

Jeremiah 24:10 niv

I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.'?"

Jeremiah 24:10 esv

And I will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, until they shall be utterly destroyed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers."

Jeremiah 24:10 nlt

And I will send war, famine, and disease until they have vanished from the land of Israel, which I gave to them and their ancestors."

Jeremiah 24 verses

Jeremiah 24 10 meaning

This verse pronounces a severe and absolute divine judgment upon the rebellious inhabitants of Judah, specifically King Zedekiah and his supporters remaining in Jerusalem, as well as those who had fled to Egypt. God explicitly states He will orchestrate warfare, starvation, and disease to utterly eradicate them from the land promised to their ancestors. It signifies a complete and final removal from their covenantal heritage due to their persistent disobedience, rejection of God's counsel, and unrepentant rebellion.

Jeremiah 24 10 Context

Jeremiah 24 presents a vivid vision from God to the prophet, contrasting two baskets of figs: one containing very good figs, and the other very bad figs, unfit for eating. This vision is delivered shortly after the first Babylonian deportation in 597 BC, when King Jeconiah, many skilled workers, and leading citizens were exiled. The "good figs" represent these exiles, whom God pledges to restore and ultimately use to renew His covenant. In sharp contrast, the "bad figs" represent King Zedekiah, his corrupt officials remaining in Jerusalem, and those who fled to Egypt, persistently resisting God's word and refusing to humble themselves under Babylonian rule (which was God's decreed punishment). Verse 10 specifically articulates the irreversible, comprehensive judgment awaiting these "bad figs"—a culmination of divine wrath against their entrenched idolatry, covenant breaking, and stubborn defiance. Historically, Judah was rapidly approaching its final destruction by Babylon in 586 BC, caught in political intrigue and spiritual apostasy.

Jeremiah 24 10 Word analysis

• And I will send (וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי, wĕšillaḥtî): The prefixed waw joins this declaration of judgment to the earlier pronouncements about the "bad figs." The verb from šālaḥ ("to send") emphasizes God's active agency and sovereign hand in bringing these calamities. It underscores that these are not random occurrences but intentional divine instruments of justice, a direct challenge to any contemporary belief in mere chance or other deities.
• sword (חֶרֶב, ḥerev): Refers to war and violent death, particularly as inflicted by the conquering Babylonian armies, but ultimately commissioned by God. It signifies the direct execution of judgment through military might.
• famine (רָעָב, rāʿāv): Denotes extreme food scarcity, leading to widespread starvation. This was a common and horrific consequence of prolonged sieges, highlighting the total deprivation of sustenance due to divine judgment.
• and pestilence (וְדֶבֶר, wĕdever): Implies widespread epidemic disease or plague. Often a swift, indiscriminate killer that frequently accompanies warfare and famine, exacerbated by unsanitary conditions and weakened populations. This triad of "sword, famine, and pestilence" is a classic biblical motif signifying comprehensive and inescapable divine judgment found throughout prophetic and legal literature.
• among them (בָּהֶם, bāhem): Identifies the specific recipients of this dire fate: King Zedekiah's faction in Jerusalem and the escapees in Egypt. It highlights the contrast with the good figs, marking a distinct destiny for each group.
• until they are utterly destroyed (עַד כְּלֹתָם, ʿad kĕlōtām): "Until their end," or "their complete annihilation." This signifies a total and decisive end for this particular group in this context. It indicates the eradication of their presence, influence, and national hope within the land, distinguishing their fate from the exiles (the good figs) who would eventually experience restoration.
• from the land (מֵעַל הָאֲדָמָה, mēʿal hāʾădāmāh): Specifies their removal from the geographical territory that served as the focal point of God's covenant with Israel. Their expulsion from "the land" represented the ultimate loss of covenantal blessing and identity.
• that I gave to them (אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָהֶם, ʾăšer nāṯattî lāhem): This clause emphasizes God's sovereign ownership of the land and His divine prerogative to both bestow and withdraw it. It underlines that the land was a gift, given conditionally, making their removal an act of just judgment for violating those conditions.
• and their fathers (וְלַאֲבוֹתֵיהֶם, wĕlaʾăvōṯêhem): Connects the present generation's judgment to the long history of God's covenant with Israel, from Abraham onward. It highlights the weight of their transgression against generations of divine promise and their failure to uphold a long-established heritage.

Jeremiah 24 10 Bonus section

• Theological Irony of the Land: The profound tragedy is rooted in the fact that the very "land that I gave to them and their fathers"—the symbol of God's covenant faithfulness and their blessed heritage—becomes the stage for their utter annihilation. This stark irony underscores the severity of spurning divine grace and persistently breaking covenant stipulations.
• Polemic against False Security: This verse directly counters the false hopes harbored by many of Zedekiah's faction, who perhaps trusted in Jerusalem's supposed invulnerability due to the Temple (Jer 7:4) or sought salvation through alliances with Egypt. Jeremiah shatters these illusions, unequivocally stating that God's judgment is absolute for the disobedient, regardless of their perceived security or political maneuvering.
• Discrimination in Judgment: This passage highlights a crucial aspect of God's justice: it is not indiscriminate. He distinguishes clearly between those facing severe, permanent destruction ("bad figs") and those facing disciplinary exile with a promise of future restoration ("good figs"). This demonstrates His nuanced approach, where both discipline and final judgment are tailored to the spiritual state and actions of the people.
• Fulfillment of Covenant Curses: The sword, famine, and pestilence are precisely the forms of punishment outlined centuries earlier in the covenant curses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, acting as a clear fulfillment of warnings given if Israel failed to obey. This illustrates God's long-suffering nature, His clear prior communication of consequences, and ultimately, His fidelity to His own declared word, even in judgment.

Jeremiah 24 10 Commentary

Jeremiah 24:10 delivers a sobering message of decisive divine judgment, demonstrating God's unwavering resolve against persistent rebellion. The grim triad of sword, famine, and pestilence, frequently used in scripture, underlines the all-encompassing and inescapable nature of the coming retribution. God declares Himself the active agent, dispelling any illusion that these calamities are accidental. The phrase "until they are utterly destroyed" signals a comprehensive and terminal end for the "bad figs"—King Zedekiah, his allies, and those who fled to Egypt—in stark contrast to the promised restoration for the "good figs" who were already in exile. This finality extends to their removal from the land, God's gracious gift, now rendered the site of their destruction due to their continued idolatry and rejection of divine guidance. The verse powerfully teaches that deliberate, unrepentant disobedience leads to severe, undeniable consequences from a just and sovereign God.