The Two Baskets of Figs
Jeremiah 24
The Lord shows Jeremiah two baskets of figs after Nebuchadnezzar has carried Jechonias and the leading men of Judah captive to Babylon, one basket of very good figs and one of figs too bad to eat. The good figs represent the exiles in Babylon, whom the Lord will watch over for good and bring back to their land, while the bad figs represent Zedekiah, his nobles, and those left in the land or scattered in Egypt, whom the Lord will give over to sword, famine, and pestilence.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonBEHOLD the days are coming, saith the Lord, when they shall no more say, As the Lord liveth Who brought up the house of Israel, out of the land of Egypt, but, As the Lord liveth Who gathered all the seed of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries whither He had driven them and re-established them in their own land,—[because of this] the Lord shewed me two baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord, after Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon had carried away Jechonias son of Joakim, king of Juda, and the chiefs and the artisans and the prisoners of war and the rich men from Jerusalem and brought them to Babylon.
BrentonThe Lord shewed me two baskets of figs, lying in front of the temple of the Lord, after Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had carried captive Jechonias son of Joakim king of Juda, and the princes, and the artificers, and the prisoners, and the rich men out of Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.
GreekἜδειξέ μοι Κύριος δύο καλάθους σύκων, κειμένους κατὰ πρόσωπον ναοῦ Κυρίου, μετὰ τὸ ἀποικίσαι Ναβουχοδονόσορ βασιλέα Βαβυλῶνος τὸν Ἰεχονίαν υἱὸν Ἰωακεὶμ βασιλέα Ἰούδα, καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας, καὶ τοὺς τεχνίτας, καὶ τοὺς δεσμώτας, καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους ἐξ Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς Βαβυλῶνα.
KJVThe 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.
JPSThe LORD showed me, and behold two baskets of figs 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 craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.
2
ThomsonThe one was a basket of very fine figs, such as are first ripe; and the other was a basket of very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten.
BrentonThe one basket was full of very good figs, as the early figs; and the other basket was full of very bad figs, which could not be eaten, for their badness.
GreekὉ κάλαθος ὁ εἷς σύκων χρηστῶν σφόδρα, ὡς τὰ σύκα τὰ πρώϊμα· καὶ ὁ κάλαθος ὁ ἕτερος σύκων πονηρῶν σφόδρα, ἃ οὐ βρωθήσεται ἀπὸ πονηρίας αὐτῶν.
KJVOne 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.
JPSOne basket had very good figs, like the figs that are first-ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.
3
ThomsonAnd the Lord said to me, What seest thou, Jeremias?
BrentonAnd the Lord said to me, What seest thou, Jeremias? and I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, which cannot be eaten, for their badness.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς μὲ, τί σὺ ὁρᾷς Ἱερεμία; καὶ εἶπα, σύκα· σύκα τὰ χρηστὰ, χρηστὰ λίαν· καὶ τὰ πονηρὰ, πονηρὰ λίαν, ἃ οὐ βρωθήσεται ἀπὸ πονηρίας αὐτῶν.
KJVThen 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.
JPSThen said the LORD unto me: ‘What seest thou, Jeremiah?’ And I said: ‘Figs; the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad.’
4
Thomson—
BrentonAnd the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς μὲ, λέγων,
KJVAgain the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
JPSAnd the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:
5
ThomsonThen a word of the Lord came to me saying, Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Like these good figs so will I acknowledge for good those banished Jews whom I have sent from this place to the land of the Chaldeans.
BrentonThus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; As these good figs, so will I acknowledge the Jews that have been carried away captive, whom I have sent forth out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for good.
GreekΤάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ, ὡς τὰ σύκα τὰ χρηστὰ ταῦτα, οὕτως ἐπιγνώσομαι τοὺς ἀποικισθέντας Ἰουδαίους, οὓς ἐξαπέσταλκα ἐκ τοῦ τόπου τούτου εἰς γῆν Χαλδαίων εἰς ἀγαθά.
KJVThus 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.
JPS’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.
6
ThomsonAnd I will fix Mine eyes upon them for good and re-establish them in this land for good. And I will build them up and not pull them down:
BrentonAnd I will fix mine eyes upon them for good, and I will restore them into this land for good: and I will build them up, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
GreekΚαὶ στηριῶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς εἰς ἀγαθὰ, καὶ ἀποκαταστήσω αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν ταύτην εἰς ἀγαθά· καὶ ἀνοικοδομήσω αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐ μὴ καθελῶ αὐτοὺς, καὶ καταφυτεύσω αὐτοὺς, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκτίλω.
KJVFor 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.
JPSAnd I will set Mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
7
Thomsonand I will plant them and not root them up: and I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God; for they will turn to Me with their whole heart.
BrentonAnd I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be to me a people, and I will be to them a God: for they shall turn to me with all their heart.
GreekΚαὶ δώσω αὐτοῖς καρδίαν τοῦ εἰδέναι αὐτοὺς ἐμὲ, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος, καὶ ἔσονταί μου εἰς λαὸν, καὶ ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς εἰς Θεὸν, ὅτι ἐπιστραφήσονται ἐπʼ ἐμὲ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd I will give them a 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.
8
ThomsonBut like those bad figs which for their badness cannot be eaten, thus saith the Lord, So will I deliver up Sedekias, king of Juda, and his nobles and the remnant of Jerusalem—them who are left in this land and them who dwell in Egypt.
BrentonAnd as the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, for their badness; thus saith the Lord, So will I deliver Sedekias king of Juda, and his nobles, and the remnant of Jerusalem, them that are left in this land, and the dwellers in Egypt.
GreekΚαὶ ὡς τὰ σύκα τὰ πονηρὰ, ἃ οὐ βρωθήσονται ἀπὸ πονηρίας αὐτῶν, τάδε λέγει Κύριος, οὕτως παραδώσω τὸν Σεδεκίαν βασιλέα Ἰούδα, καὶ τοὺς μεγιστᾶνας αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ κατάλοιπον Ἱερουσαλὴμ τοὺς ὑπολελειμμένους ἐν τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ, καὶ τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ.
KJVAnd 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:
JPSAnd as the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad; surely thus saith the LORD: So will I make 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;
9
ThomsonThem indeed I will devote to dispersion in all the kingdoms of the earth; and they shall be for a reproach and for a by-word and for a taunt and a curse in every place whither I shall drive them.
BrentonAnd I will cause them to be dispersed into all the kingdoms of the earth, and they shall be for a reproach, and a proverb, and an object of hatred, and a curse, in every place whither I have driven them out.
GreekΚαὶ δώσω αὐτοὺς εἰς διασκορπισμὸν εἰς πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἔσονται εἰς ὀνειδισμὸν, καὶ εἰς παραβολὴν, καὶ εἰς μῖσος, καὶ εἰς κατάραν ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ οὗ ἔξωσα αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSI will even make them a horror among all the kingdoms of the earth for evil; a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.
10
ThomsonAnd I will send against them famine and pestilence and the sword, until they are utterly consumed from this land which I gave them.
BrentonAnd I will send against them famine, and pestilence, and the sword, until they are consumed from off the land which I gave them.
GreekΚαὶ ἀποστελῶ εἰς αὐτοὺς τὸν λιμὸν, καὶ τὸν θάνατον, καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν, ἕως ἂν ἐκλείπωσιν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἧς ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς.
KJVAnd 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.
JPSAnd 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.’