1 The LORD H3068 shewed H7200 me, and, behold, two H8147 baskets H1736 of figs H8384 were set H3259 before H6440 the temple H1964 of the LORD, H3068 after H310 that Nebuchadrezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 had carried away captive H1540 Jeconiah H3204 the son H1121 of Jehoiakim H3079 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and the princes H8269 of Judah, H3063 with the carpenters H2796 and smiths, H4525 from Jerusalem, H3389 and had brought H935 them to Babylon. H894
2 One H259 basket H1731 had very H3966 good H2896 figs, H8384 even like the figs H8384 that are first ripe: H1073 and the other H259 basket H1731 had very H3966 naughty H7451 figs, H8384 which could not be eaten, H398 they were so bad. H7455
3 Then said H559 the LORD H3068 unto me, What seest H7200 thou, Jeremiah? H3414 And I said, H559 Figs; H8384 the good H2896 figs, H8384 very H3966 good; H2896 and the evil, H7451 very H3966 evil, H7451 that cannot be eaten, H398 they are so evil. H7455
4 Again the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto me, saying, H559
5 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Like these good H2896 figs, H8384 so will I acknowledge H5234 them that are carried away captive H1546 of Judah, H3063 whom I have sent H7971 out of this place H4725 into the land H776 of the Chaldeans H3778 for their good. H2896
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Jeremiah 24
Commentary on Jeremiah 24 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 24
In the close of the foregoing chapter we had a general prediction of the utter ruin of Jerusalem, that it should be forsaken and forgotten, which, whatever effect it had upon others, we have reason to think made the prophet himself very melancholy. Now, in this chapter, God encourages him, by showing him that, though the desolation seemed to be universal, yet all were not equally involved in it, but God knew how to distinguish, how to separate, between the precious and the vile. Some had gone into captivity already with Jeconiah; over them Jeremiah lamented, but God tells him that it should turn to their good. Others yet remained hardened in their sins, against whom Jeremiah had a just indignation; but those, God tells him, should go into captivity, and it should prove to their hurt. To inform the prophet of this, and affect him with it, here is,
Jer 24:1-10
This short chapter helps us to put a very comfortable construction upon a great many long ones, by showing us that the same providence which to some is a savour of death unto death may by the grace and blessing of God be made to others a savour of life unto life; and that, though God's people share with others in the same calamity, yet it is not the same to them that it is to others, but is designed for their good and shall issue in their good; to them it is a correcting rod in the hand of a tender Father, while to others it is an avenging sword in the hand of a righteous Judge. Observe,
Doubtless this prophecy had its accomplishment in the men of that generation yet, because we read not of any such remarkable difference between those of Jeconiah's captivity and those of Zedekiah's, it is probable that this has a typical reference to the last destruction of the Jews by the Romans, in which those of them that believed were taken care of, but those that continued obstinate in unbelief were driven into all countries for a taunt and a curse, and so they remain to this day.