Cinematic Bible Songs
Listen NowSupport
ENESBRPH
ENESBRPH
SearchSupportListen Now

Jeremiah 24

Jeremiah 24

The big picture

Jeremiah 24 opens in verse 1 with “The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 5 with “Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge…”, and closes in verse 10 with “And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be…” Repeated or prominent terms include figs, LORD, good, evil, land. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

Jeremiah · King James Version · 10

Jeremiah 24:1-5

1–5: The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the…

Jeremiah 24:1–5 opens with “The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD …” and reaches “Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 24 develops its own movement around figs, LORD, good, evil, land, with particular weight carried by figs, good, LORD.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD…” By verse 3, the text has turned to “Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very…” It lands on “Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 1 verse with a speech marker, 1 question, 4 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

Accusation, warning, invitation to return, judgment, and hope each do different work. The prophet’s first audience anchors later questions about fulfillment. Words such as figs, good, LORD, evil, Judah, Babylon tie the complete block together. The central idea, “Jeremiah 24 develops its own movement around figs, LORD, good, evil, land,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Judah, Babylon, Again, Chaldeans, Figs, God. Its number language includes two, one. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 3: “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…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: figs, good, LORD, evil, Judah, Babylon

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Jeremiah 24:1

    “The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD , after that…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

  2. Jeremiah 24:2

    “One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

  3. Jeremiah 24:3

    “Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

  4. Jeremiah 24:4

    “Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,” Naming Again keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  5. Jeremiah 24:5

    “Thus saith the LORD , the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away…” Naming Chaldeans keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Jeremiah 24:1-5

King James Version

1The 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.

2One 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.

3Then 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.

4Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

5Thus 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.

Jeremiah 24:6-10

6–10: For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again…

Jeremiah 24:6–10 opens with “For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I…” and reaches “And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 24 develops its own movement around figs, LORD, good, evil, land, with particular weight carried by land, evil, heart.

Deep dive

The movement opens with “For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I…” By verse 8, the text has turned to “And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD …” It lands on “And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed…” The distance between those lines matters as much as any isolated phrase. The passage has a voice and pulse of its own, including 2 verses naming the LORD or God. Those features reveal where the narrative slows down, speaks directly, or changes direction.

Accusation, warning, invitation to return, judgment, and hope each do different work. The prophet’s first audience anchors later questions about fulfillment. Words such as land, evil, heart, LORD, build, consumed tie the complete block together. The central idea, “Jeremiah 24 develops its own movement around figs, LORD, good, evil, land,” should remain answerable to the text. Some conclusions are explicit, some gather support across several verses, and others remain strong inferences or interpretations.

Names or load-bearing terms in this scene include Egypt, God, Jerusalem, Judah, Zedekiah. The nearest hinge to the center comes in verse 8: “And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD , So will I give Zedekiah the king of…” That detail helps separate the opening situation from what the passage changes next.

Words to trace: land, evil, heart, LORD, build, consumed

Verse-by-verse path

  1. Jeremiah 24:6

    “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…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

  2. Jeremiah 24:7

    “And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD : and they shall be my people, and I will be their God…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  3. Jeremiah 24:8

    “And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD , So will I give Zedekiah…” Naming Egypt and Jerusalem keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

  4. Jeremiah 24:9

    “And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

  5. Jeremiah 24:10

    “And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I…” The line’s distinctive content terms include consumed, famine, fathers. Its relationship to verses 9 shows what work it does in this passage.

Jeremiah 24:6-10

King James Version

6For 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.

7And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD : and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

8And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD , So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:

9And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.

10And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.

Questions to keep in mind while reading

  1. Identify the historical crisis, covenant failure, warning, and promised hope.
  2. Distinguish the prophet’s immediate audience from later biblical connections.
  3. Do not turn present-day headlines into confident fulfillment claims without textual evidence.

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.

Questions beneath the surface

  1. What account of God, human freedom, responsibility, and the good life emerges from Jeremiah 24?
  2. Which tension does the chapter refuse to resolve quickly?
  3. What changes when the chapter is read as part of the whole canon rather than as an isolated moral story?
  4. Where might a sincere reader confuse a familiar tradition with something the text states directly?

Questions for serious personal contemplation

These open-ended questions make room for tension, honest response, prayer, and conclusions that remain accountable to the chapter.

Observe without rushing

  1. What part of Jeremiah 24 makes you stop, feel unsettled, or feel surprised, and why?

  2. Which detail in the passage would be easiest to overlook? How does that detail change your understanding?

  3. Where do you see tension between what happens and this focus: Jeremiah 24 develops its own movement around figs, LORD, good, evil, land?

  4. What important question does the passage leave open instead of resolving quickly?

Examine your inner life honestly

  1. Which person, response, fear, or desire in the passage feels most like your own life right now?

  2. What assumption about God, other people, or yourself does this text challenge?

  3. Which part would you rather soften, avoid, or explain away too quickly? What might that reaction reveal?

  4. If this Scripture could ask you one direct question, what do you think it would ask?

Respond with wisdom and courage

  1. What do you need to remember, confess, grieve, thank God for, or trust after reading this passage?

  2. How might another faithful person read this situation differently without ignoring the text?

  3. What obedient response would be costly, uncomfortable, or slow, yet still faithful to Scripture?

  4. What question will you carry into prayer this week, and which verses will you keep in front of you?