Jeremiah 24 6

Jeremiah 24:6 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 24:6 nkjv

For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up.

Jeremiah 24:6 niv

My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.

Jeremiah 24:6 esv

I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up.

Jeremiah 24:6 nlt

I will watch over and care for them, and I will bring them back here again. I will build them up and not tear them down. I will plant them and not uproot them.

Jeremiah 24 verses

Jeremiah 24 6 meaning

Jeremiah 24:6 communicates God's profound, benevolent commitment to the exiles, whom He identifies as "good figs." It signifies His active, watchful care over them, promising their future restoration to the land of Judah. The verse guarantees an irreversible divine work of rebuilding, establishment, and permanent planting, asserting that what God sets to construct, He will not dismantle, and what He establishes, He will not uproot. It represents a divine reversal of judgment, securing the future and stability of this chosen remnant.

Jeremiah 24 6 Context

Jeremiah chapter 24 presents the prophet's "vision of the two baskets of figs" shortly after King Jehoiachin's first deportation to Babylon in 597 BC. God shows Jeremiah two baskets: one with very good figs, the other with very bad figs, too rotten to eat. God explains that the good figs represent the exiles already taken to Babylon—Jehoiachin and the skilled laborers, priests, and nobility. These exiles, despite their immediate suffering, are paradoxically the objects of God's redemptive plan and future hope. The bad figs represent King Zedekiah, those remaining in Jerusalem, and those scattered in Egypt. They would face further judgment and destruction because they refused to heed God's warnings. Verse 6, therefore, is a pivotal promise of future restoration and security specifically for this first group of exiles. It contradicts the prevailing false prophecies in Jerusalem that denied any future for the exiles and affirmed a quick return. Instead, God declares that the hope and future of Judah rested with those in exile.

Jeremiah 24 6 Word analysis

• For (כִּֽי – ki): This conjunction introduces the reason and explanation for God's favorable assessment of the exiles described previously. It signifies that the following promises are the basis for Him identifying them as "good figs."

• I will set My eyes (וְשַׂמְתִּ֥י עֵינִ֛י – v'samti eyni): This is a powerful Hebrew idiom denoting active, intentional divine attention. It's not passive observation but focused scrutiny with a purpose. It speaks of divine presence and direct involvement.

• on them (עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם – aleihem): Refers specifically to the "good figs," the Judahite exiles in Babylon. It highlights God's sovereign distinction.

• for good (לְטוֹבָֽה – l'tovah): This phrase modifies "set My eyes," clarifying the nature of God's gaze. It means for their welfare, benefit, prosperity, and ultimate flourishing. His observation is entirely benevolent and directed towards their well-being.

• and I will bring them back (וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֣ים – va'hashivoti'm): The Hebrew verb "shuv" (שוב) is a recurring motif throughout the prophetic books, meaning to return, restore, or bring back. It directly addresses the predicament of exile and promises a physical return to the promised land.

• to this land (אֶל־הָאָ֤רֶץ הַזֹּאת֙ – el ha'aretz ha'zot): Refers to the land of Israel/Judah, the inheritance promised by God. This indicates a literal restoration of their physical dwelling and covenant land.

• I will build them up (וּבְנִתִּ֖ים – u'vniti'm): From the Hebrew "banah" (בנה), meaning to build, establish, or construct. It implies rebuilding both their physical lives (cities, homes) and their communal identity and spiritual standing, making them strong and stable.

• and not pull them down (וְלֹ֣א אֶהֱרֹ֑ס – v'lo eh'eros): The word "haras" (הרס) means to tear down, destroy, or demolish. This is a deliberate contrast, emphasizing the permanence and security of God's constructive work. Unlike previous judgments where God oversaw destruction, here He promises the opposite.

• and I will plant them (וּנְטַעְתִּ֥ים – u'neta'ti'm): From "nata" (נטע), to plant. This agricultural imagery speaks of rooting, establishment, growth, and security. It suggests taking root, flourishing, and bearing fruit in the land.

• and not pluck them up (וְלֹ֣א אֶתּ֔וֹשׁ – v'lo ettosh): The verb "natash" (נתשׁ) means to pluck up, uproot, abandon. This further reinforces the absolute and irreversible nature of God's planting. It signifies permanent settlement and a reversal of the judgment of being scattered and uprooted.

• "I will set My eyes on them for good": This phrase embodies God's active, discerning, and benevolent surveillance over His people. It ensures that His watchfulness is entirely for their ultimate welfare, not for finding fault or inflicting judgment, a comforting contrast to how eyes might typically be set for punitive action.

• "build them up and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up": These two paired clauses utilize powerful antithetical parallelism. By directly contrasting God's constructive actions (build, plant) with the cessation of His destructive actions (not pull down, not pluck up), the passage unequivocally states that God's new work of restoration will be permanent and irreversible. It echoes and reverses Jeremiah's earlier commission (Jer 1:10) where God gave authority for both uprooting/pulling down and building/planting, but now focuses exclusively on the latter, confirming a divine shift from judgment to grace for this remnant.

Jeremiah 24 6 Bonus section

This verse not only prophesies a historical return from Babylonian exile but also lays groundwork for a deeper, spiritual restoration. The "building up" and "planting" extend beyond physical structures to include their spiritual life and relationship with God. This divine initiative of internal transformation and renewal would later be articulated more fully in the New Covenant passages, also within Jeremiah (e.g., Jer 31:31-34), where God promises to put His law within His people and write it on their hearts. The concept of God "setting His eyes for good" also has strong echoes in the broader biblical narrative of God's care for His elect throughout history, and for believers under the New Covenant (e.g., in Christ, God sees His people "for good"). This specific prophetic word was a means by which God both disciplined His people through exile and preserved a faithful remnant for His future redemptive plans.

Jeremiah 24 6 Commentary

Jeremiah 24:6 encapsulates a profound message of hope amidst despair, marking a critical shift in God's interaction with a remnant of Judah. God identifies a particular group—the exiles taken to Babylon—as the recipients of His unique favor and promises. His declaration "I will set My eyes on them for good" highlights a deliberate and compassionate divine attention. This is not a casual glance but a gaze fixed with purposeful benevolence, signaling a shift from judgment to redemptive action. The core promise of "bringing them back to this land" is foundational, indicating a literal, physical return and restoration to their covenant inheritance.

The dual affirmations "I will build them up and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up" powerfully articulate the enduring and irreversible nature of God's restoration. This contrasts sharply with the earlier divine work of demolition and scattering, as seen in Jeremiah 1:10. Here, God explicitly declares a future free from His destructive hand towards this specific group. The imagery of building and planting speaks to security, flourishing, stability, and growth. It's a guarantee of covenant faithfulness, demonstrating God's sovereign power to bring life and order out of ruin, specifically for those whom He has chosen as His good figs, making them the nucleus of future hope for Israel. This promise demonstrates that true blessing and restoration lay not with those clinging to a decaying status quo in Jerusalem but with those who, in their exile, were humbled and thus open to God's refining work.