Two Baskets of Figs

24 After Jehoiachina e son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the skilled workers and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Lord showed me two baskets of figsf placed in front of the temple of the Lord. 2 One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early;g the other basket had very badh figs, so bad they could not be eaten.

3 Then the Lord asked me, “What do you see,i Jeremiah?”

“Figs,” I answered. “The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannot be eaten.”

4 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 5 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sentj away from this place to the land of the Babylonians.b 6 My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them backk to this land. I will buildl them up and not tear them down; I will plantm them and not uproot them. 7 I will give them a heart to known me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people,o and I will be their God, for they will returnp to me with all their heart.q

8 “ ‘But like the badr figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the Lord, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiahs king of Judah, his officialst and the survivorsu from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt.v