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The Good and Bad Figs
Jeremiah 24 presents a vision of two baskets of figs and then explains what the figs mean. The passage moves from what Jeremiah sees to Yahweh’s words about two groups from Judah.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
Jeremiah sees this after Nebuchadnezzar carried Jeconiah, Judah’s princes, craftsmen and smiths from Jerusalem to Babylon. Two baskets of figs are set before Yahweh’s temple. Yahweh then explains that the good and bad fruit stand for different people and different outcomes.
Jeremiah 24:1–10Main takeaway
This passage teaches that Yahweh speaks of restoration for some from Judah and judgement for others, and his restoration includes a heart to know him.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Two baskets of figsJeremiah says Yahweh showed him two baskets of figs placed before Yahweh’s temple. The setting is dated after Jeconiah and others were taken to Babylon.
Explanation
Jeremiah says Yahweh showed him two baskets of figs placed before Yahweh’s temple. The setting is dated after Jeconiah and others were taken to Babylon. One basket has very good figs, like first-ripe fruit. The other has very bad figs, so bad they cannot be eaten.
02Jeremiah describes the visionYahweh asks Jeremiah what he sees, and Jeremiah answers by describing the figs. He repeats the sharp contrast.
Explanation
Yahweh asks Jeremiah what he sees, and Jeremiah answers by describing the figs. He repeats the sharp contrast. The good figs are very good. The bad figs are very bad, so bad they cannot be eaten. Then Yahweh’s word comes to explain the vision.
03The good figs explainedYahweh, the God of Israel, says the good figs are the captives of Judah whom he sent into the land of the Chaldeans.
Explanation
Yahweh, the God of Israel, says the good figs are the captives of Judah whom he sent into the land of the Chaldeans. He says he will regard them as good, set his eyes on them for good, and bring them again to this land. He will build and plant them.
04A heart to know Yahweh, and judgement on the bad figsYahweh says he will give these captives a heart to know him. They will be his people, and he will be their God, for they will return to him with their whole heart.
Explanation
Yahweh says he will give these captives a heart to know him. They will be his people, and he will be their God, for they will return to him with their whole heart. The bad figs mean Zedekiah, his princes, the remnant in the land, and those in Egypt, who face scattering, reproach, sword, famine, and pestilence.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01How does the passage emphasise the difference between the two baskets?
Notice how both the vision and Jeremiah’s reply repeat that one basket is very good and the other is so bad it cannot be eaten.
02What does Yahweh promise for the people pictured by the good figs?
Look for what he says about regarding them as good, bringing them back, building and planting them, and giving them a heart to know him.
03Who is included with the bad figs, and what happens to them?
Read the list in the passage, then trace the words about being driven, becoming a reproach, and facing sword, famine, and pestilence.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Jeremiah 24:1–10
1Yahweh showed me, and behold, two baskets of figs were set before Yahweh’s temple, after Nebuchadnezzar 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.
2One basket had very good figs, like the figs that are first-ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.
3Then Yahweh asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “Figs. The good figs are very good, and the bad are very bad, so bad that they can’t be eaten.”
4Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
5“Yahweh, the God of Israel says: ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, as good.
6For I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land. I will build them, and not pull them down. I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
7I will give them a heart to know me, that I am Yahweh. They will be my people, and I will be their God; for they will return to me with their whole heart.
8“ ‘As the bad figs, which can’t be eaten, they are so bad,’ surely Yahweh says, ‘So I will give up Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt.
9I will even give them up to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth for evil, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places where I will drive them.
10I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence among them, until they are consumed from off the land that I gave to them and to their fathers.’ ”