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.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
First-ripe figs appeared in June, before the main August harvest, and were considered delicacies. They were so valued that their arrival marked a season of celebration. Conversely, rotten figs were not merely unripe or mediocre but completely spoiled—worthless and disgusting. Jeremiah's audience would immediately grasp the shocking nature of this vision: the exiles whom Jerusalem's residents despised as cursed were actually God's choice first fruits, while those confident in their Jerusalem residency were rotten and destined for disposal. This reversed all conventional wisdom. The temple's presence in Jerusalem, their possession of the land, and their escape from exile seemed like divine favor. Yet God saw hearts: the exiles' humiliation had broken their pride and opened them to repentance, while Jerusalem's residents hardened in self-righteousness.
Questions for Reflection
- Why might suffering and humiliation (exile) produce "good figs" while apparent blessing (remaining in Jerusalem) produce "bad figs"?
- How does this vision challenge the tendency to judge spiritual condition by external circumstances or religious privilege?
- What does the impossibility of eating the bad figs teach about the finality of persistent rebellion against God's correction?
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Analysis & Commentary
One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe—the Hebrew tovot me'od (טֹבוֹת מְאֹד, very good) emphasizes exceptional quality. Bikkurot (בִּכּוּרוֹת, first ripe) refers to early figs, considered the choicest fruit, eagerly anticipated and highly prized (Isaiah 28:4, Hosea 9:10, Micah 7:1). First fruits belonged to God (Exodus 23:19), making this imagery particularly significant—these represent people consecrated to divine purposes.
The other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad—"naughty" (ra'ot, רָעוֹת) means evil, bad, or worthless. The repetition emphasizes absolute corruption: "could not be eaten, they were so bad." The contrast is stark and absolute—no middle category exists. This binary division anticipates Jesus' teachings on fruit-bearing (Matthew 7:17-20) and final separation (Matthew 25:31-46). The vision forces recognition that covenant community membership doesn't guarantee spiritual vitality; God discerns true condition beneath external appearances.