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 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:

And as the evil {H7451} figs {H8384}, which cannot be eaten {H398}, they are so evil {H7455}; surely thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}, So will I give {H5414} Zedekiah {H6667} the king {H4428} of Judah {H3063}, and his princes {H8269}, and the residue {H7611} of Jerusalem {H3389}, that remain {H7604} in this land {H776}, and them that dwell {H3427} in the land {H776} of Egypt {H4714}:

"But concerning the bad figs that are so bad as to be inedible, ADONAI says: 'I will make Tzidkiyahu the king of Y'hudah and his leaders resemble them, likewise the rest of Yerushalayim remaining in this land and those living in the land of Egypt.

But like the bad figs, so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the LORD, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem—those remaining in this land and those living in the land of Egypt.

And as the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad, surely thus saith Jehovah, So will I give up 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,

Commentary

Jeremiah 24:8 is part of a vivid prophetic vision given to the prophet Jeremiah, known as the "Vision of the Two Baskets of Figs." This verse specifically describes the fate of the "evil figs," a stark contrast to the "good figs" mentioned earlier in the chapter.

Context

In Jeremiah chapter 24, God presents Jeremiah with two baskets of figs after the first wave of Babylonian exile in 597 BC, when King Jehoiachin and many leading citizens were deported to Babylon. The basket of good figs represented those exiles who had been carried away to Babylon. Despite their difficult circumstances, God promised to look after them, bring them back, and give them a heart to know Him. In contrast, Jeremiah 24:8 describes the "evil figs," which were "so evil" that they could not be eaten.

These evil figs symbolize King Zedekiah, who was placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar, along with his princes, the remaining inhabitants of Jerusalem who clung to false hopes of deliverance, and those who subsequently fled to Egypt seeking refuge, against God's direct command through Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 42-44). This vision underscores God's discernment and judgment upon those who stubbornly resisted His will and refused to humble themselves.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Distinction: The passage highlights God's ability and intention to distinguish between different groups of people based on their response to His will. Those who were taken into exile (the "good figs") were seen as chastened and prepared for restoration, while those who remained or fled, including King Zedekiah, were marked for severe judgment due to their persistent rebellion.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: The "evil figs" directly represent the severe consequences awaiting those who defied God's word spoken through His prophet. Zedekiah's reign was characterized by disobedience and a refusal to heed Jeremiah's warnings, leading to the final destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 586 BC, as detailed in 2 Kings 25:7.
  • False Hope vs. True Repentance: The "evil figs" clung to a false sense of security, believing that remaining in Jerusalem or fleeing to Egypt would save them. This contrasts sharply with the path of repentance and submission that God desired, even in the midst of exile.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "evil" used here is ra' (רַע), which signifies not just badness in quality (like rotten fruit) but also moral depravity and wickedness. When applied to the figs, it conveys their utter worthlessness and inability to be consumed, mirroring the spiritual and moral corruption of the people they represent. This emphasizes the complete rejection and impending destruction God pronounced upon them.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 24:8 serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of heeding God's word and responding with humility and obedience, even when the circumstances are challenging. It teaches us that true security is found not in human strategies or geographical locations, but in aligning our will with God's. The verse also underscores God's justice in holding leaders and nations accountable for their actions, particularly their rebellion against divine commands. It encourages us to seek genuine repentance and trust in God's plan, rather than clinging to false hopes or resisting His corrective hand.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 43:1

    ¶ And it came to pass, [that] when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent him to them, [even] all these words,

  • Jeremiah 44:1

    ¶ The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying,

  • 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, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.

  • Jeremiah 29:16

    [Know] that thus saith the LORD of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, [and] of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;

  • Jeremiah 29:18

    And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:

  • Jeremiah 37:17

    Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there [any] word from the LORD? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.

  • Jeremiah 39:2

    [And] in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth [day] of the month, the city was broken up.
← Back