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

In Jeremiah 24:3, the Lord initiates a vision, questioning Jeremiah about what he perceives. Jeremiah responds by describing two distinct baskets of figs, a vivid illustration of the differing destinies of the people of Judah. He meticulously distinguishes between the "good figs," characterized as "very good," and the "bad figs," emphatically described as "very bad" and utterly unfit for consumption. This exchange establishes the prophetic judgment that would categorize the recently exiled community and those remaining in Judah.

Jeremiah 24 3 Context

Jeremiah 24 opens with a prophetic vision that follows the first deportation of Judah to Babylon in 597 BC. King Jehoiachin, along with the royal family, the skilled craftsmen, and many prominent citizens, had been taken captive. King Zedekiah, a puppet ruler, was subsequently installed by Nebuchadnezzar. At this time, many in Jerusalem (influenced by false prophets and misplaced nationalism) believed that those who remained were favored by God, and the exiles were being punished and forgotten. This chapter immediately follows Jeremiah's condemnations of false prophets in chapter 23 and precedes the 70-year prophecy of exile in chapter 25. Jeremiah 24 is pivotal because it subverts the common understanding of the time, presenting a divine perspective that redefined who God considered truly "good" or "bad." The vision addresses the crucial question of Judah's future and the identity of its true remnant.

Jeremiah 24 3 Word analysis

• Then the Lord said to me, (Va-yo'mer YHWH 'elai): This phrase is a common introductory formula for prophetic encounters, unequivocally signaling divine revelation. YHWH (the Lord) signifies God's personal covenant name, emphasizing the intimate and authoritative nature of the message.
• What do you see, Jeremiah? (Ma' 'attah ro'eh, Yirmeyahu?): This is not merely a question testing perception, but an invitation for Jeremiah to look beyond the surface. God actively involves His prophet in discerning spiritual realities. Similar queries (e.g., Amos 7:8, Zech 4:2) guide prophets to understand the divine interpretation of their visions, fostering spiritual insight.
• And I said, (Va'o'mar): Jeremiah's direct and obedient response to the divine query, indicating his role as a faithful observer and messenger.
• Figs, (T'enim): The plural Hebrew for fig. Figs were a common, valued fruit in ancient Israel, symbolizing prosperity (1 Ki 4:25) or, when rotten, judgment and decay (Isa 28:4). They could be quickly perishable, particularly "early figs," which ripened swiftly.
• the good figs, very good; (ha-t'enim ha-tovot, tovot me'od): The Hebrew tovot me'od intensely emphasizes the high quality and desirability of these figs. "Good" (tovah) often describes something pleasant, righteous, or fitting in God's eyes.
• and the bad, very bad, (v'ha-ra'ot, ra'ot me'od): In stark contrast, the "bad" (ra'ah) figs are described with the same intense modifier, ra'ot me'od, meaning extremely bad, evil, or malignant. This highlights an absolute distinction.
• which cannot be eaten, (asher lo' tishshatakhna): Literally, "that cannot be eaten." The strong negative underscores their utter uselessness and repulsive nature, indicating their beyond-redemption status.
• they are so bad. (mi-ro'a): From their evil/badness. This final clause reinforces the absolute rottenness and inedibility, stressing the inherent moral or spiritual decay that renders them beyond salvage.

Words-group analysis:

• "What do you see, Jeremiah?" - This active interrogation from God signifies a deliberate call to prophetic discernment, challenging conventional human perspectives. It moves Jeremiah from passive observation to an active participant in God's revealing of truth.
• "the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad." - This phrase underscores the clear, unequivocal dichotomy established by God. There's no gray area. The superlative "very good" and "very bad" (with its ultimate consequence of being inedible) emphasizes God's definitive judgment and His intention to separate the truly righteous from the irredeemably corrupt, challenging the common understanding of the time. The imagery uses a mundane food item to convey profound theological truth about the state of God's people.

Jeremiah 24 3 Bonus section

The vision of the two baskets of figs directly combats the prevailing nationalist optimism and false prophecies rampant in Jerusalem. Many believed that those who remained in Jerusalem (under Zedekiah) were the true inheritors of the covenant promises and those who had gone into exile with Jehoiachin were abandoned. Jeremiah's prophecy turns this on its head, presenting the exiles as the "good figs" for whom God has a future, and those remaining in Judah as the "bad figs" destined for utter destruction. This aligns with a recurring biblical theme where God's true people are often found in unexpected places or circumstances (e.g., Joseph's elevation in Egypt, Israel's time in the wilderness). This specific imagery served to strengthen the faithful among the exiles and call the remaining Judahites to repentance, warning them of their dire fate. It underscores that God's judgment is based on inner spiritual condition and faithfulness, not outward location or national pride.

Jeremiah 24 3 Commentary

Jeremiah 24:3 is the pivotal moment where the Lord directs Jeremiah's attention to the prophetic vision of the two baskets of figs, an immediate and potent allegory for the two distinct groups within Judah. God's leading question, "What do you see, Jeremiah?", isn't to gain information, but to prompt the prophet into interpreting a visual prophecy from a divine perspective. Jeremiah's detailed response, describing the two extreme categories – "very good" and "very bad" figs – lays the groundwork for God's surprising and counter-intuitive judgment to follow. The distinction is stark and absolute: some are fit for blessing and restoration, others are utterly worthless, past all hope of redemption, marked for complete destruction. This challenges the popular assumption that geographical proximity to Jerusalem implied favor and exile signified abandonment; instead, spiritual condition dictated destiny, foreshadowing God's work among the remnant in exile.