Verse-by-Verse Commentary
The Book of Jeremiah
Chapter 24: I Will Give Them an Heart to Know Me
After Jehoiachin and the leading men of Judah were carried to Babylon, God shows Jeremiah two baskets of figs set before the temple, one very good, one so bad it cannot be eaten. The meaning overturns human judgment. The exiles already taken to Babylon, who looked like the losers, are the good figs, sent there 'for their good,' and God promises to bring them home, to build and plant them, and, most wonderfully, to 'give them an heart to know me.' Those who remained in the land under Zedekiah, who looked like the survivors, are the evil figs, marked for the sword, famine, and pestilence. The chapter reveals that God's discipline is often His mercy, and that the great gift He gives His people is a new heart that knows Him.
About This Commentary
This is a verse-by-verse study of Jeremiah chapter 24. For each section you will find the KJV text, the Hebrew words that sharpen the meaning, plain explanation, and a Gospel Focus. Here a simple vision of two fig baskets teaches that God's discipline can be mercy, and that His deepest gift is a heart that truly knows Him. Every Scripture quotation is from the King James Version.
Setting the Stage
Two Baskets of Figs
God shows Jeremiah two baskets before the temple: one of very good figs, one too bad to eat.
Sent Away for Their Good
The exiles in Babylon are the good figs; God sent them there for good and will bring them home.
A Heart to Know Him
God pledges to give His people "an heart to know me," the heart of the new covenant.
Those Who Remained
Zedekiah and those left in the land are the evil figs, marked for sword, famine, and pestilence.
Two Baskets of Figs (Jeremiah 24:1-3)
After the first deportation to Babylon, God gives Jeremiah a vision of two baskets of figs set before the temple, one of the first-ripe best, the other so rotten it cannot be eaten, and asks the prophet what he sees.
What Seest Thou, Jeremiah?
"The 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. 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. 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 cannot be eaten, they are so evil."
Hebrew Study
"the figs that are first ripe," ke-vikkurot (כַּבִּכֻּרוֹת). The early figs of June, prized as the choicest, sweetest fruit of the season, a delicacy (compare Isaiah 28:4; Micah 7:1). The picture is of the very best fruit, set beside fruit so rotten it is worthless.
"very naughty figs," te'enim ha-ra'ot me'od (תְּאֵנִים הָרָעוֹת מְאֹד). "Naughty" in older English simply means "bad, worthless, good for naught." These figs are so spoiled they "could not be eaten." The stark contrast, best and worst, with nothing in between, sets up the two destinies God is about to reveal.
Explanation
The vision is dated: it comes "after that Nebuchadrezzar... had carried away captive Jeconiah" (Jehoiachin/Coniah of chapter 22) along with "the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths." This was the deportation of 597 BC, which took the king and the skilled and leading men of Jerusalem to Babylon, leaving the weaker population behind under Zedekiah. Naturally, those left in Jerusalem would have seen themselves as the fortunate ones who kept their homes and their land, and the exiles as those under God's judgment. God's vision turns that judgment upside down. Jeremiah sees "two baskets of figs... set before the temple," one of "very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe," the other "very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad." When God asks, "What seest thou, Jeremiah?", the prophet simply reports what is obvious: the good are very good and the evil very evil. The two baskets could not be more different, and the meaning God gives them will overturn everyone's expectations.
Gospel Focus
God repeatedly asked His prophets, "What seest thou?" (Jeremiah 1:11, 13; Amos 7:8; 8:2; Zechariah 4:2), teaching them, and us, to see ordinary things through His eyes. To human sight, the exiles carried to Babylon looked God-forsaken and those left in Jerusalem looked blessed. But God sees differently: "man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). What looks like loss may be the very place of God's favour, and what looks like security may be under judgment. This warns us not to measure God's blessing by outward comfort. The believer passing through hardship, exile, or loss may in fact be the "good fig" in God's hand, being prepared for a greater good. Ask the Lord to let you see as He sees, and do not envy the ease of those apart from God nor despair in your own trials. The question "What seest thou?" is an invitation to look again, this time through the eyes of the God who judges not by appearances but by the heart.
A Heart to Know Me (Jeremiah 24:4-10)
God interprets the vision: the exiles are the good figs, sent to Babylon for their good, to be brought home, built, planted, and given a heart to know Him; those who remained under Zedekiah are the evil figs, given to the sword, famine, and pestilence.
They Shall Be My People, and I Will Be Their God
"Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Thus 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. 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 pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. 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: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. 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 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. And 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."
Hebrew Study
"for their good," le-tovah (לְטוֹבָה). The same word "good" that described the figs now describes God's purpose in the exile. He "sent" them into captivity not to destroy them but "for their good", to purify, humble, and restore them. This is the heart of the truth that God works even hard providences "for good to them that love God" (Romans 8:28).
"an heart to know me," lev la-da'at oti (לֵב לָדַעַת אֹתִי). A God-given heart, an inward transformation, so that His people truly "know" Him. This is the language of the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:33; 32:39; Ezekiel 36:26), the promise of a new heart that God Himself creates. It is not reformation by human effort but regeneration by divine gift.
Explanation
God gives the meaning. "Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive", the exiles in Babylon are the good figs. Astonishingly, God says He "sent" them there "for their good." Their captivity was not abandonment but discipline aimed at restoration. He promises, "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", the same building-and-planting language of Jeremiah's original call (1:10), now turned to blessing. Then comes the crown of the promise: "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: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart." This is the new covenant in seed form, a heart transplanted by God, a people who truly know Him and belong to Him. By contrast, the evil figs are "Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem", those who stayed behind trusting in their remaining in the land, and those who fled to Egypt. They would be scattered "into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt," made "a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse," and consumed by "the sword, the famine, and the pestilence." The ones who looked safe were under judgment; the ones who looked lost were being saved.
Gospel Focus
"And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD... and they shall return unto me with their whole heart." This is the gospel promise glowing in the middle of judgment. The deepest human need is not a change of circumstances but a change of heart, and only God can give it. He does not merely command us to know Him; He gives "an heart to know me." This is the new birth that Jesus said is essential: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3), the "new heart" and "new spirit" of Ezekiel 36:26, fulfilled when God writes His law on our hearts and pours out His Spirit within us. Notice how the whole promise centers on knowing the one true God, "that I am the LORD", and belonging to Him, "they shall be my people, and I will be their God." That is the aim of salvation: to know the LORD and be His. And notice the means, "for their good." God was willing to send His people through the fire of exile to bring them to this heart-knowledge of Himself. Often our hardest seasons are the very ones God uses to give us a heart that truly knows Him. If you are in a place of loss or discipline, do not assume God has cast you off; He may be doing His deepest work, giving you a whole-hearted return to Himself. Ask Him for that new heart; it is the very thing He delights to give.
Chapter 24 in Review
Jeremiah 24 uses a simple vision of two fig baskets to overturn human judgment about who is blessed and who is cursed. After Babylon carried off Jehoiachin and the leaders of Judah, those left in Jerusalem thought themselves the fortunate survivors. But God reveals that the exiles are the "good figs," sent to Babylon "for their good," whom He will bring home, build, plant, and, above all, give "an heart to know me." Those who remained under Zedekiah, and those who fled to Egypt, are the "evil figs," marked for the sword, famine, and pestilence. Outward security was no proof of God's favour; His discipline of the exiles was in fact His mercy.
For the Apostolic reader, this chapter shines with two truths. First, God's providence is deeper than appearances: He can send His people through hardship, even exile, "for their good," working all things toward their restoration, so we must not measure His blessing by outward comfort. Second, and gloriously, the heart of God's promise is a heart, "I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD." This is the new covenant, the new birth, fulfilled in Christ, who gives us by His Spirit a heart that truly knows the one true God and returns to Him wholly. Do not despair in your trials; the good figs went through Babylon. And ask the Lord for the greatest gift of all, a heart to know Him.
- God sees not by outward appearance but by the heart; what looks like loss may be His favour (24:5; 1 Samuel 16:7).
- God can send His people through hardship "for their good," to restore them (24:5-6; Romans 8:28).
- The great promise is a God-given heart: "I will give them an heart to know me" (24:7).
- This is the new covenant and the new birth, fulfilled in Christ by the Spirit (Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26; John 3:3).
- Outward security is no proof of God's favour; the "evil figs" who felt safe were under judgment (24:8-10).
- The aim of salvation is to know the one true God and be His people (24:7).
Questions for Reflection
- Do you measure God's blessing by outward comfort, or by nearness to Him?
- Can you look back on a hard season and see how God meant it "for your good"?
- Have you received "an heart to know me," the new heart only God can give?
- What would it mean to "return unto me with their whole heart" in your life right now?
References & Sources
Scripture is quoted from the King James Version (KJV). The Hebrew terms are standard and can be checked in any Hebrew lexicon. The vision follows the deportation of 597 BC, when Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin (Jeconiah/Coniah) and the leading men to Babylon (2 Kings 24:12-16). "The figs that are first ripe" (verse 2) are the prized early figs (Isaiah 28:4; Micah 7:1); "naughty" (verse 2) is older English for "worthless." "For their good" (verse 5) reflects le-tovah, echoed in Romans 8:28. "An heart to know me" (verse 7) is the new-covenant promise, paralleled in Jeremiah 31:33; 32:39; Ezekiel 36:26, and fulfilled in the new birth (John 3:3). "Build... plant" (verse 6) echoes Jeremiah's call in 1:10. If anything here does not look right, a verse, a reference, or a wording, please tell us at info@FruitBearers.net. Thank you for helping us keep Bible Learning error free.
- The vision of the two baskets; seeing as God sees: Jeremiah 24:1-3; Jeremiah 1:11-13; 1 Samuel 16:7.
- The good figs and the gift of a new heart; the evil figs judged: Jeremiah 24:4-10; Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26; John 3:3.