Jeremiah 24 3

Jeremiah 24:3 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 24:3 nkjv

Then the LORD said to me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" And I said, "Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad."

Jeremiah 24:3 niv

Then the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" "Figs," I answered. "The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannot be eaten."

Jeremiah 24:3 esv

And the LORD said to me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I said, "Figs, the good figs very good, and the bad figs very bad, so bad that they cannot be eaten."

Jeremiah 24:3 nlt

Then the LORD said to me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I replied, "Figs, some very good and some very bad, too rotten to eat."

Jeremiah 24 verses

Jeremiah 24 3 Meaning

The Lord showed Jeremiah a vision of two baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord. One basket contained good figs, representing the exiles taken to Babylon, while the other contained rotten figs, representing those left in Judah, along with Zedekiah the king, the officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem. The good figs are chosen to be brought back to prosperity and security, signifying God's favor and restoration. The bad figs, spoiled by their disobedience and unfaithfulness, are destined for destruction and scattering.

Jeremiah 24 3 Context

Jeremiah chapter 24 follows prophecies concerning judgments against the people of Judah and surrounding nations. God's people had repeatedly turned away from Him, engaging in idolatry and social injustice, leading to impending divine judgment. The Babylonian invasion and the first deportation of Judean leaders and artisans under Jehoiachin had already occurred. This chapter provides a visual prophecy illustrating God's assessment of the people of Judah, distinguishing between those who would experience His mercy through exile and those who would face severe judgment in their homeland. The setting is in the aftermath of the initial exile, placing the prophet in a position to interpret God's ongoing plan amidst disaster.

Jeremiah 24 3 Word analysis

• יְחָוָ֔ה (yᵉḥôwâ): This verb from ḥāwâ means "to show" or "to cause to see." God is the active agent revealing His will through a vision.
• יִרְמְיָ֖ה (yirməyāh): Jeremiah, whose name means "Yahweh throws" or "Yahweh exalts," a prophet deeply associated with God's judgments and His ultimate faithfulness.
• וַֽ֠֠יַּרְאֵ֙נִי (wayyarʼênî): "And He showed me." The waw conjunction indicates sequence, and the hiphil conjugation of rāʾāh (to see) emphasizes God causing Jeremiah to see.
• סַלֵּ֣י (sallê): "Baskets." The plural construct form of sāl. This is the direct object of the verb, the items being presented.
• תְּאֵנִ֑ים (təʼînîm): "Figs." The plural form of təʼênâ. Figs were a common fruit, symbolizing prosperity, goodness, and even God's blessing when good.
• אֲשֶׁ֤ר (ʼăšer): "Which." A relative pronoun connecting the baskets to their contents.
• עַל־ (ʿal-): "Upon" or "before."
• פְּנֵי (pənê): "The face of" or "the presence of." Indicates the location of the baskets relative to the temple.
• הֵיכַל (hêḵāl): "Temple." Specifically referring to the sanctuary or inner part of the temple, emphasizing the divine presence.
• יְהוָֽה (yəhwâ): "Yahweh." The personal covenant name of God.
• חָ֔דָשׁ (ḥāḏāš): "New."
• אֶחָֽד (ʼeḥāḏ): "One."
• טֹבֹ֔ת (ṭōḇōṯ): "Good." Feminine plural construct of ṭōḇ. These figs are pleasing and acceptable.
• מְאֹ֖ד (məʼōḏ): "Very" or "exceedingly." Intensifying the quality of goodness.
• וְהָרָע֔וֹת (wəhārāʿōṯ): "And the bad." Feminine plural construct of rāʿâ. These figs are spoiled, rotten, and offensive.
• אֲשֶׁ֥ר (ʼăšer): "Which."
• לֹֽא־ (lōʼ-): "Not."
• יֵֽאָכְל֖וּ (yēʼăḵəlū): "Can be eaten" or "may be eaten." A passive verb indicating inability due to their corrupted state.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Two baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord": This imagery starkly contrasts the spiritual and physical state of God's people with the holy presence of God. The temple is the center of divine worship and covenant presence. The figs, a common fruit, are being presented for judgment or discernment. The quantity "two baskets" emphasizes a clear division.
• "Good figs, very good": The quality of "goodness" (ṭōḇ) is directly attributed to the figs and intensified by məʼōḏ. This denotes a ripeness and purity, a desirable state in contrast to corruption. It points to those who, by God's grace and through their own faithfulness (or lack of active rebellion), were in a better state.
• "Bad figs, so bad that they cannot be eaten": The extreme badness (rāʿâ) signifies total spoilage. They are inedible, repulsive, and unfit for any purpose. This describes those whose actions and attitudes rendered them spiritually useless and deserving of divine wrath and abandonment.

Jeremiah 24 3 Bonus section

The contrast between the good and bad figs reflects the broader biblical theme of judgment and salvation based on obedience and faithfulness. This imagery is echoed in Jesus' teaching about bearing good fruit (Matthew 7:17-20) and His parable of the fruitless fig tree (Luke 13:6-9). The notion of temporal exile as a corrective and purifying experience for some, while judgment falls upon those who persist in sin, is a recurring motif in the Old Testament. God's justice is selective; it aims to purge and restore rather than destroy indiscriminately. The ultimate fulfillment of the "good figs" restoration is found in God's covenant faithfulness through Christ, who brings His people into eternal security.

Jeremiah 24 3 Commentary

This prophetic vision vividly illustrates God's discerning justice. The good figs represent those of the Judahite people, specifically the exiles taken with Jehoiachin to Babylon, who would be preserved and ultimately restored. They are described as good, reflecting a certain compliance or separation from the deep-seated corruption in Jerusalem. The bad figs are those remaining in Judah – King Zedekiah, the officials, and the common people left behind. Their disobedience, refusal to heed Jeremiah's warnings, and reliance on false hope led to their utter destruction and scattering as they faced the full brunt of Nebuchadnezzar's wrath when Jerusalem was eventually destroyed. The location before the temple underscores that God judges all, both those in exile and those who claim to be closer to His sanctuary. Their fate is determined by their "flavor" or fruit – their character and obedience to God. This vision teaches that God separates His people, not based on external religious performance alone, but on the internal reality of their relationship with Him.