Jeremiah 24:1
in Jeremiah 24After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, as well as the officials of Judah and the craftsmen and metalsmiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Jehovah showed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs set before the temple of Jehovah, 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 craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Jeremiah 24
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Omit “were.” “Set before,” i. e put in the appointed place for offerings of firstfruits in the forecourt of the temple. Carpenters - “Craftsmen” (see the marginal reference).
This site's exposition
two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord
on Jeremiah 24:1-3
The vision is dated by a specific deportation, after Nebuchadrezzar had carried away Jeconiah and the craftsmen with him, and the two baskets are set where the whole nation would see the point being made, before the temple itself. The good figs and the naughty figs are both real figs, first-ripe and inedible, a distinction the eye can see without argument, and Jeremiah is asked to name only what is in front of him before the Lord supplies the meaning. The commentators note the timing, roughly the same period as the temple sermon and the potter's house, the book working through several enacted signs after plain preaching alone had failed to land.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The prophet speaks thus concerning the people of Israel and ours: "The Lord showed me two baskets of figs. One had very good ones, the other had very bad ones." This fact, as has often been said, presents an image of the two people, for …
(Chapter XXIV. - Verse 1ff.) The Lord showed me, and behold, two baskets (or baskets) full of figs, placed before the temple of the Lord. After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes, the craftsmen, and the captives from Jerusalem to Babylon. One basket had very good figs, like the figs that ripen early, and the other basket had very bad figs, which could not be eaten because they were bad. And the Lord said to me: What do you see, Jeremiah?
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The Lord showed me,....
If the salt have lost its savour, it is thenceforth fit for nothing but the dunghill. Of the persons that are presented to the Lord at the door of his tabernacle, some are sincere, and they are very good; others dissemble with God, and they are very bad. Sinners are the worst of men, hypocrites the worst of sinners.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The Lord showed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs - Besides the transposition of whole chapters in this book, there is not unfrequently a transposition of verses, and parts of verses. Of this we have an instance in the verse before us; the first clause of which should be the last. Thus: - “After that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon, the Lord showed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord.” Jer 24:2 - “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.” This arrangement restores these verses to a better sense, by restoring the natural connection. This prophecy was undoubtedly delivered in the first year of the reign of Zedekiah. Under the type of good and bad figs, God represents the state of the persons who had already been carried captives into Babylon, with their king Jeconiah, compared with the state of those who should be carried away with Zedekiah. Those already carried away, being the choice of the people, are represented by the good figs: those now remaining, and soon to be carried into captivity, are represented by the bad figs, that were good for nothing. The state also of the former in their captivity was vastly preferable to the state of those who were now about to be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon. The latter would be treated as double rebels; the former, being the most respectable of the inhabitants, were treated well; and even in captivity, a marked distinction would be made between them, God ordering it so. […]
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
like the first ripe figs that have ripened completely in the beginning of the ripening of the figs which are dear to all those who find them in their beginning.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
31 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הִרְאַנִי֮ | hirani | he showed me | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| יְהוָה֒ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וְהִנֵּ֗ה | vehineh | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| שְׁנֵי֙ | shenei | two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| דּוּדָאֵ֣י | dudaei | baskets of | H1731 → | 8 times |
| תְאֵנִ֔ים | teenim | figs | H8384 → | 39 times |
| מוּעָדִ֕ים | muadim | [were] set | H3259 → | 29 times |
| לִפְנֵ֖י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הֵיכַ֣ל | heikhal | [the] temple of | H1964 → | 80 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֣י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| הַגְל֣וֹת | haglot | took into exile | H1540 → | 186 times |
| נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר | nevukhadretzar | Nebuchadnezzar | H5019 → | 60 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| בָּבֶ֡ל | bavel | Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְכָנְיָ֣הוּ | yekhaneyahu | Jeconiah | H3204 → | 7 times |
| בֶן־ | ven- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יְהוֹיָקִ֣ים | yehoyakim | Jehoiakim | H3079 → | 37 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יְהוּדָה֩ | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שָׂרֵ֨י | sarei | [the] officials of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| יְהוּדָ֜ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הֶחָרָ֤שׁ | hecharash | the craftsman | H2796 → | 37 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמַּסְגֵּר֙ | hamasger | the smith[s] | H4525 → | |
| מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם | mirushalim | from Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| וַיְבִאֵ֖ם | vayviem | and he brought them | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בָּבֶֽל׃ | bavel | Babylon | H894 → | 262 times |
הִרְאַנִי֮he showed me
hiraniH7200 →1300 times
יְהוָה֒Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וְהִנֵּ֗הand there!
vehinehH2009 →843 times
שְׁנֵי֙two
sheneiH8147 →768 times
דּוּדָאֵ֣יbaskets of
dudaeiH1731 →8 times
תְאֵנִ֔יםfigs
teenimH8384 →39 times
מוּעָדִ֕ים[were] set
muadimH3259 →29 times
לִפְנֵ֖י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
הֵיכַ֣ל[the] temple of
heikhalH1964 →80 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אַחֲרֵ֣יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
הַגְל֣וֹתtook into exile
haglotH1540 →186 times
נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣רNebuchadnezzar
nevukhadretzarH5019 →60 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
בָּבֶ֡לBabylon
bavelH894 →262 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְכָנְיָ֣הוּJeconiah
yekhaneyahuH3204 →7 times
בֶן־[the] son of
ven-H1121 →4930 times
יְהוֹיָקִ֣יםJehoiakim
yehoyakimH3079 →37 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
יְהוּדָה֩Judah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
שָׂרֵ֨י[the] officials of
sareiH8269 →421 times
יְהוּדָ֜הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הֶחָרָ֤שׁthe craftsman
hecharashH2796 →37 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַמַּסְגֵּר֙the smith[s]
hamasgerH4525 →
מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םfrom Jerusalem
mirushalimH3389 →643 times
וַיְבִאֵ֖םand he brought them
vayviemH935 →2568 times
בָּבֶֽל׃Babylon
bavelH894 →262 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Amos 3:7Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.
it leads to
- John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have…
- Genesis 18:17
And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
- Psalms 25:14
The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them.
- Revelation 1:1
This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon come to pass. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John,
- Daniel 9:22–27
He instructed me and spoke with me, saying: “O Daniel, I have come now to give you insight and understanding.
- John 15:15
Through
2 Chronicles 36:10In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned Jehoiachin and brought him to Babylon, along with the articles of value from the house of the LORD. And he made Jehoiachin’s relative Zedekiah king over Judah and…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 37:1
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made Zedekiah son of Josiah the king of Judah, and he reigned in place of Coniah son of Jehoiakim.
- Jeremiah 37:1
Through
Jeremiah 29:2(This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had been exiled from Jerusalem.)
it leads to
- Jeremiah 22:24–28
“As surely as I live,” declares the LORD, “even if you, Coniah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on My right hand, I would pull you off.
- Jeremiah 22:24–28
Through
Ezekiel 19:9With hooks they caged him and brought him to the king of Babylon. They brought him into captivity so that his roar was heard no longer on the mountains of Israel.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 36:6
Then Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jehoiakim and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.
- 2 Chronicles 36:6
About Jeremiah
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PlaceBabil Governorate (archaeological site)BabylonAncient Mesopotamian city and imperial capital; site of the Israelite exile and a recurring biblical symbol of worldly power.
- PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 106:4; Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.