Jeremiah 24:5
in Jeremiah 24“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, so I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so will I regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for good.
KJV
Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.
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This verse in Jeremiah 24
Commentary
7 notes on this verseLike these good figs, so will I acknowledge - Those already carried away into captivity, I esteem as far more excellent than those who still remain in the land. They have not sinned so deeply, and they are now penitent; and, therefore, I will set mine eyes upon them for good, Jer 24:6. I will watch over them by an especial providence, and they shall be restored to their own land.
This site's exposition
Then the word of the LORD
on Jeremiah 24:4-7
The good figs are the exiles in Babylon: “so I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place.” The promise takes up the verbs of Jeremiah's call at 1:10, “I will build them up and not tear them down.”
This site's exposition
Like these good figs
The exiles with Jeconiah are called good. Clarke reads it as God's regard for captives who had turned from their sin. Henry adds that their trouble humbled them and cured them of idol worship.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(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 Awakening3 voices
By their afflictions they were convinced of sin, humbled under the hand of God, weaned from the world, made serious, taught to pray, and turned from their iniquity; particularly they were cured of their inclination to idolatry; and thus it was good for them that they were afflicted, Ps. cxix. (4.) God promises them that he will own them in their captivity.
Acknowledge - I will acknowledge them for their good; I will shew them favour, being of the number of those who were not leaders to sin, but led away by the ill example of others, and who being carried away grew sensible of their sins, and so accepted of the punishment of their iniquities.
Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
so will I recognize the exile of, etc. This is an inverted verse: So will I recognize for good the exile of Judah which I have already exiled, viz., Jeconiah and his exile.
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
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַ֤ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֵ֣י | ʾelohei | [the] God of | H430 → | 2601 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| כַּתְּאֵנִ֥ים | kateenim | like the figs | H8384 → | 39 times |
| הַטֹּב֖וֹת | hatovot | <the> good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| הָאֵ֑לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| כֵּֽן־ | ken- | so | H3651 → | 771 times |
| אַכִּ֞יר | ʾakir | I will regard | H5234 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| גָּל֣וּת | galut | [the] exile[s] of | H1546 → | 15 times |
| יְהוּדָ֗ה | yehudah | Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שִׁלַּ֜חְתִּי | shilachti | I have sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַמָּק֥וֹם | hamakom | the place | H4725 → | 401 times |
| הַזֶּ֛ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| אֶ֥רֶץ | ʾeretz | [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| כַּשְׂדִּ֖ים | kasdim | [the] Chaldeans | H3778 → | 80 times |
| לְטוֹבָֽה׃ | letovah | for good | H2896 → | 538 times |
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
אָמַ֤רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֵ֣י[the] God of
ʾeloheiH430 →2601 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
כַּתְּאֵנִ֥יםlike the figs
kateenimH8384 →39 times
הַטֹּב֖וֹת<the> good
hatovotH2896 →538 times
הָאֵ֑לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
כֵּֽן־so
ken-H3651 →771 times
אַכִּ֞ירI will regard
ʾakirH5234 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
גָּל֣וּת[the] exile[s] of
galutH1546 →15 times
יְהוּדָ֗הJudah
yehudahH3063 →819 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
שִׁלַּ֜חְתִּיI have sent
shilachtiH7971 →845 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַמָּק֥וֹםthe place
hamakomH4725 →401 times
הַזֶּ֛ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
אֶ֥רֶץ[the] land of
ʾeretzH776 →2504 times
כַּשְׂדִּ֖ים[the] Chaldeans
kasdimH3778 →80 times
לְטוֹבָֽה׃for good
letovahH2896 →538 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
John 10:27My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
it leads to
- John 10:14
I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 10:16
I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.
- John 10:14
Through
Zechariah 13:9This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They…
it leads to
- Psalms 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
- Jeremiah 29:11–12
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.
- Acts 2:21
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
- Isaiah 65:23–24
They will not labor in vain or bear children doomed to disaster; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD—they and their descendants with them.
- Psalms 50:15
Through
Nahum 1:7The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of distress; He cares for those who trust in Him.
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”
- John 10:27
My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
- 2 Timothy 2:19
About Jeremiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Calvin, Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.