Jeremiah 24:2One 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.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~597 BC. Jeremiah stands in the temple courtyard, seeing two baskets of figs offered to God. The city is under Babylonian siege, people are starving, but these offerings reveal something deeper...
The emotion here: overwhelmed by the stark contrast he's witnessing
The original word
tə'ēnîm (תְּאֵנִים) — figs, a luxury fruit representing prosperity and God's blessing
Why it matters
First-ripe figs were considered the finest delicacy, often reserved for kings and temple offerings
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 24:2
This vision came right after King Jeconiah was exiled - Jeremiah is comparing two groups of Jewish exiles
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about individual good vs bad people, but it's actually about two groups of Jewish exiles - those taken to Babylon (good figs) vs those left in Jerusalem (bad figs).
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 24:2
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 24:2 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 24:2 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Jeremiah. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the vision genre of biblical literature. Key themes include contrast, divine judgment. Notable phrases: very good figs; very bad figs. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 24:2 mean to you, today?
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