“Yahweh, the God of Israel says: ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for good.
Parallel Translations
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“Yahweh, the God of Israel says: ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for good.
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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.
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'Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so will I regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for good.
Cross-references (14)
Passages linked to Jeremiah 24:5 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Zechariah 13:9 I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will test them like gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will hear them. I will say, ‘It is my people;’ and they will say, ‘Yahweh is my God.’ ”
- Nahum 1:7 Yahweh is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knows those who take refuge in him.
- Deuteronomy 8:16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers didn’t know, that he might humble you, and that he might prove you, to do you good at your latter end;
- Psalms 94:12-14 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, Yah, and teach out of your law, that you may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked. For Yahweh won’t reject his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
- Psalms 119:67 Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I observe your word.
- Psalms 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes.
- Matthew 25:12 But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
- John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
- Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.
- 1 Corinthians 8:3 But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him.
- Galatians 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?
- 2 Timothy 2:19 However God’s firm foundation stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let every one who names the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”
- Hebrews 12:5-10 You have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him; for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then you are illegitimate, and not children. Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
- Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain We have said that the badness of the figs…
We have said that the badness of the figs is not to be explained of guilt, but of punishment: and this is what Jeremiah confirms, when he says, As these good figs, so will I acknowledge the captivity for good, or for beneficence, טובה, thube. It is well known that captivity means the persons led captive, it being a collective word. Then he says,
“I will acknowledge the captives of Judah, whom I have driven from this people, so as to do them good again.”
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As this doctrine was then incredible, God calls the attention of the Jews to the final issue; as though he had said, that they were mistaken who took only a present view of things, and did not extend their thoughts to the hope of mercy. For they thus reasoned, “It is better to remain in the country where God is worshipped, where the Temple is and the altar, than to live among heathen nations; it is better to have some liberty than to be under the yoke of tyranny; it is better to retain even the name of being a separate people than to be scattered here and there, so as not to be a community at all.” Hence, according to their state at that time, they thought their condition better: but God corrected this wrong judgment; for they ought to have looked to the end, and what awaited the exiles and captives as well as those whom the king of Babylon had for a time spared. Though, indeed, it was the Prophet’s object to alleviate the grief of those who had been led away into Chaldea, yet he had a special regard to the people over whom he was appointed an instructor and teacher. He was then at Jerusalem; and we know how perverse were those whom he had to contend with, for none could have been more obstinate than that people. As God had delayed his punishment, they supposed that they had wholly escaped, especially as they had an uncle as a successor to their captive king.
Hence, then, was their contempt of threatenings; hence was their greater liberty in sinning: they thought that God had taken vengeance on the exiles, and that they were saved as being the more excellent portion of the community. The Prophet, therefore, in order to break down this presumption, which he could not bend, set before them this vision, which had been given him from above. We now, then, see that the doctrine especially set forth is, that God would remember the captives for the purpose of doing them good, as though he had said that a wrong judgment was formed of the calamity of a few years, and that the end was to be looked to. It follows —
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Whereby he approveth the yielding of Jeconiah and his…
Whereby he approveth the yielding of Jeconiah and his company, because they obeyed the Prophet, who exhorted them thereunto.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Jer 24:5 Thus saith the LORD, the God of…
Jer 24:5 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.
Ver. 5. Like these good figs.] Quas sic dat et arbor et aura, when once God hath made the tree good, the fruit will be good.
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So will I acknowledge.] Heb., Know, that is, own, or take special notice of, and this made the difference.
Whom I have sent out of this place for their good.] It is for their good, temporal and eternal, that God chastiseth his children. Jehoiachin was preferred at length; and as the Jewish doctors say, converted, as Manasseh had been before him. Daniel and his associates were set over the kingdom. The Jews got good estates and respect in the land of their captivity, {Jer 29:4 Est 9:4; Est 9:29} and were at length sent back with many favours and privileges, &c.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; who…
Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; who have power to do what I please, and who yet am in covenant with Israel, and have a kindness for the seed of my servant Jacob. Look, as thou approvest of one of these baskets of figs, so I do approve of those that were carried away captive with Jeconiah, repenting of their sinful courses, and accepting of that punishment of their iniquity.
Whom I have sent; though Nebuchadnezzar carried them away, it was by commission from met so that though he carried, yet I sent them.
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For their good; which words may either refer to the last-mentioned words, intimating that God in sending them away aimed at either their spiritual good, to bring them to repentance, and an acknowledgment of their sins; or their temporal good, they being only quietly led away, without the miseries of famine, fire, and sword, besides carrying away; which those who remained, and were afterwards carried away with Zedekiah, experienced: or else they may be referred to the former words. I will acknowledge them for their good; that is, I will show them favour, being of the number of those who were not leaders to sin, but led away by the ill example of others, and who being carried away grew sensible of their sins by which they provoked me, and so accepted of the punishment of their iniquities.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain For I will set mine eyes upon them for…
For I will set mine eyes upon them for good,.... His eyes of omniscience, providence, and grace; to communicate good things to them; to take care of them in the furnace of affliction, that they were not lost, but made the better; to watch over them, protect and defend them; to deliver them out of their troubles, and to bring them into their own land; as follows:
and I will bring them again into this land: the land of Judea, and city of Jerusalem, where Jeremiah now was, and saw this vision: this was accomplished when the seventy years' captivity was ended:
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and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up; alluding to the building of houses, and planting of vineyards; signifying that they and their families should be built up and continue; yea, that they should be a habitation for God, and the vineyard of the Lord of hosts, of his planting, and which should remain: this will be more fully accomplished in the latter day; though it had in part a fulfilment upon the Jews' return from captivity.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Acknowledge - I will acknowledge them for their good;…
Acknowledge - I will acknowledge them for their good; I will shew them favour, being of the number of those who were not leaders to sin, but led away by the ill example of others, and who being carried away grew sensible of their sins, and so accepted of the punishment of their iniquities.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 5. Like these good figs, so will I…
Verse 5. Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge] Those already carried away into captivity, I esteem as far more excellent than those who still remain in the land. They have not sinned so deeply, and they are now penitent; and, therefore, I will set mine eyes upon them for good, Jer 24:6. I will watch over them by an especial providence, and they shall be restored to their own land.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Jer 24:5-7. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel…
Jer 24:5-7. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel — Here the Lord explains the parable of the good figs, the figs first ripe. These represented the pious captives who were sent first into captivity, as if they had been first ripe for ruin; but who should prove first ripe for mercy, and their captivity should help to ripen them. Among these were Daniel and his companions, and also Ezekiel. The calamities inseparable from a state of captivity were calculated to humble them, and bring them to repentance, and it seems had that good effect: while those who escaped being carried away became more and more hardened in sin. Like these good figs so will I acknowledge them — Namely, for my people, and will favour them accordingly. “The Jews, who were left in their own country,” says Lowth, “thought themselves better beloved of God than their brethren who were carried away captive. To check this vain confidence, God promises to show the latter particular signs of his favour in a strange land, and to show distinguishing marks of his displeasure upon the former: see Jer 29:17. For I will set mine eyes upon them for good — To order every thing for the best, that all the circumstances of the affliction may concur to the answering of the great intention of it. Accordingly we find that many of these, Daniel and his companions, for instance, found great esteem and honour during their captivity. And I will bring them again to this land — Some of them probably returned before the end of the captivity, some at the end of the seventy years. “They were sent abroad,” says Henry, “for improvement awhile under a severe discipline; but they shall be fetched back, when they have gone through their trial there, to their Father’s house.” And I will build them, and not pull them down, &c. — The meaning of these metaphorical expressions is, I will prosper them, and provide for them. And it may be understood, both of the prosperous estate God would give them in the land of their captivity, where they should both build houses and increase their families, (see Jer 29:5-6,) and also of the blessings he would confer upon them and their posterity, after their return to their own land, ibid. Jer 24:10. And he engages to prepare them for the temporal blessings which he designed for them, by conferring spiritual blessings upon them. It is this that would make their captivity for their good: this would be both the improvement of their affliction and their qualification for deliverance. I will give them a heart to know me — I, who at first commanded light to shine out of darkness, will shine into their hearts, to give them the knowledge of my glory; even that true and saving knowledge of me which is eternal life; which is always productive of faith in, and love to, me, 1Jn 4:7-8; of obedience to my will, 1Jn 2:3-4; and a conformity to mine image, 2Co 3:18. They shall become acquainted with me in a higher degree, and to a better purpose, than formerly; and shall learn more of me by my providences and grace in Babylon than they had learned by my oracles and ordinances in Jerusalem. Mark well the expression, reader, I will give them a heart to know me; not only the mind, but the heart; not only the understanding and judgment, but the will and affections are concerned in the true knowledge of God, which does not consist in mere notions and speculations, but implies the exercise of all spiritual graces and the practice of all divine virtues. And this knowledge is the supernatural gift of God, communicated by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, Eph 1:17. The mere natural and unenlightened man has it not: for God and divine things knoweth no man but by the Spirit of God, 1Co 2:11; 1Co 2:14 : see also 1Jn 5:20. And they shall be my people — I will own them for my people as formerly, as well in the discoveries of myself to them, as in my acceptances of their services, and my gracious appearance in their behalf. And I will be their God — They shall have liberty to own me for their God, both in their prayers and praises offered to me, and their expectations from me. For they shall return unto me with their whole heart — They shall be so thoroughly changed in heart and life that they shall make my will their rule, and my glory their end, in all their intentions, affections, and actions, and my service their chief and most delightful business from day to day. This follows upon the former: for they that have a heart to know God aright will not only turn to him, but turn with their whole heart: while those who are either lukewarm in their services, or formal and hypocritical in their religion, may be truly said to be unacquainted with him.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Regard. Literally, "know," with love, Psalm i. 6. (Haydock)…
Regard. Literally, "know," with love, Psalm i. 6. (Haydock) --- Jechonias was treated with honour, (4 Kings xxv. 27.) as well as Daniel (ii. 48.) and Zorobabel, of the same family, chap. xxix. 5. The captives, under Sedecias, (ver. 8.) were much more abused, chap. xxix. 17. (Calmet) --- This is the literal sense; the mystical shews that the good shall be rewarded. (Worthington)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain acknowledge--regard with favor, like as thou lookest on the…
acknowledge--regard with favor, like as thou lookest on the good figs favorably.
for their good--Their removal to Babylon saved them from the calamities which befell the rest of the nation and led them to repentance there: so God bettered their condition (Kg2 25:27-30). Daniel and Ezekiel were among these captives.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 5. so will I regard … for good] as…
5. so will I regard … for good] as one looks with pleasure on good fruit. Cp. Eze_11:17 ff; Eze_20:37 f. Ezekiel on the other hand condemns (as does Jeremiah) those who remained in Jerusalem (Eze_12:1-28; Eze_17:1-21; Eze_21:25-27; Eze_21:22).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (5) So will I acknowledge.—The expected revelation came. The…
(5) So will I acknowledge.—The expected revelation came. The two baskets represented the two sections of the people. The captives who had been carried to Babylon were, as the list shows, for the most part of higher rank than those who were left behind. The workmen were the skilled labourers of the artisan class. There are many indications that under the teaching of Daniel and his companions, and of Ezekiel, they were improving morally under their discipline of suffering. Their very contact with the monstrous idolatry of Babylon made them more conscious than they had ever been before of the greatness of their own faith. The process which, at the end of the seventy years of exile, made them once more and for ever a purely monotheistic people had already begun.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Acknowledge them; or, rather knowledge (notice) of them. (as…
Acknowledge them; or, rather knowledge (notice) of them. (as Rth_2:10, Rth_2:19)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Whom I have sent out of this place into…
Jer_24:5
Whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.
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The action of love
The Lord says He will send His people into captivity for their good. How marvellous is the action of love! The parent sends away the child he cannot live without for the childs good; men undertake long and perilous and costly journeys that they may accomplish a purpose that is good. Jesus Christ Himself said to His wondering disciples, It is expedient for you that I go away. Who can understand this action of love? It would seem to us to be otherwise: that it would be best for Jesus to remain until the very last wanderer is home. Are we not sent away? have we not lost fortune, station, standing? have we not been punished in a thousand different ways-chastised, humiliated, afflicted? have we not been suddenly surrounded with clouds in which there was no light--yea, and clouds in which there was no rain, simply darkness, sevenfold night? Yet it was for our good; it was that our vanity might be rebuked, that the centre of dependence might be found, that the throne of righteousness might be seen and approached. Let us look upon our afflictions, distresses, and losses in that light. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Outward circumstances no standard by which to judge of ones true state
The captives already in Babylon are compared to good fruit, such as is fit for use and sweet to the taste. The party in Jerusalem as yet free, is compared to bad fruit, unfit for use, and nauseous to the palate. And yet if one judged by the mere outward aspect of things, the state of the captives in the enemies city seemed a much more undesirable one than that of their brethren in the metropolis of their own land. Hence we see that the good or evil of ones circumstances is not to be judged by outward appearances. Often what seems a peculiarly hard and distressing position proves to have been the very best for us. God humbles us, and tries us sorely at the first, in order to do us good in our latter end. (A. R. Fausset, M. A.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.