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Jeremiah 24

ירמיהו פרק כ״ד

Section: נביאים · נביאים אחרונים | Book: Jeremiah | Chapter: 24 of 52 | Day: 237 of 742

Date: October 6, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

Chapter 24 is one of the shortest chapters in Sefer Yirmiyahu, only ten verses, yet it carries a theological weight out of all proportion to its length. It is a vision report, the first since the almond branch and the boiling pot of chapter 1, and like those early visions it turns on a single ordinary image that the LORD Himself interprets. Its setting is carefully dated: after Nevuchadretzar king of Bavel had exiled Yechanyahu son of Yehoyakim, together with the princes of Yehudah, the craftsmen and the smiths (החרש והמסגר), and brought them to Bavel. We are therefore in the early years of Tzidkiyahu, after the first great deportation of 597 BCE but before the final destruction. The placement is again editorial rather than chronological. Chapters 21-23 gathered the oracles against the kings of the house of David and against the false prophets; chapter 24 now asks the question that those oracles leave hanging. If the kingdom is to fall, where does the future of Israel lie? The answer the chapter gives was, to its first hearers, almost unthinkable.

The vision itself is homely. The prophet sees two baskets of figs (שני דודאי תאנים) set before the Heichal of the LORD. Radak notes that the unusual word duda’ei means baskets, like the plain dud of the following verse, and that mu’adim means that the figs were prepared and ready to be eaten. Their position before the Temple is suggestive: this is where first fruits were brought, and indeed one basket holds very good figs, like the first-ripe figs (כתאני הבכורות). Rashi explains that these are figs that ripened fully at the very beginning of the season, which are dear to all who find them; Radak recalls Hoshea’s image of Israel in the wilderness, like the first fig on the fig tree in its beginning I saw your fathers. The other basket holds figs so bad that they cannot be eaten. God then asks the question He had asked at the prophet’s commissioning, what do you see, Yirmiyahu? and the prophet’s answer repeats the extremes almost word for word: the good very good, the bad very bad. There is no middle basket. The vision is built to divide.

The interpretation begins with the good figs, and it is here that the shock lies. As these good figs, so will I acknowledge the exile of Yehudah whom I have sent out from this place to the land of the Chaldeans, for good. Rashi notes that the verse is inverted and must be read, so will I acknowledge for good the exile of Yehudah, meaning Yechanyahu and those exiled with him. The people left behind in Jerusalem had drawn precisely the opposite conclusion. The exiles, they reasoned, were the ones God had rejected and cast out; those who remained in the land, around the Temple, were the favored remnant, the survivors whom God had spared. Yechezkel reports the same arrogance from the other side, the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying of the exiles, go far from the LORD, to us the land has been given as a possession. Yirmiyahu turns this theology on its head. Rashi’s comment on the first verse deepens the reversal: the craftsmen and smiths were in truth Torah scholars, the charash so great that when one spoke all fell silent, the masger so skilled that once he closed a matter no one could open it. The deportation of 597 had carried off the spiritual core of the nation, and it is with them, in Bavel, that God’s eye rests.

What God promises the exiles in verses 6 and 7 is framed in the vocabulary of Yirmiyahu’s own commission. In chapter 1 he was appointed to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant; now God says, I will build them and not overthrow, I will plant them and not uproot (ובניתים ולא אהרס ונטעתים ולא אתוש). Metzudat David draws a pointed contrast: because the exiles have already passed through their suffering, they can now expect only building when they return in the days of the Second Temple, whereas those still in Jerusalem have not yet received their punishment and can expect only overthrow. Then comes the promise that anticipates the new covenant of chapter 31: 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 return to Me with all their heart. The order is striking. God gives the heart, and the covenantal formula follows; the return is described as the fruit of a divine gift rather than merely its precondition. Metzudat David reads they shall be My people as accepting the yoke of His awe, and I will be their God as a promise of help. Exile, in this vision, is not the end of the covenant but the crucible in which it is remade.

The bad figs are then identified with painful specificity: Tzidkiyahu king of Yehudah, his princes, the remnant of Jerusalem remaining in this land, and those dwelling in the land of Mitzrayim. Metzudat David and Radak both connect the last group to the Judeans who would later go down to Egypt with Yochanan son of Kareach against the word of the LORD, the story told in chapters 42-44; the prophecy thus reaches forward to the final chapter of Judean history in the land. The fate decreed for them in verses 9-10 gathers the curses of Devarim 28: they will become a horror (זעוה) to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a proverb, a byword and a curse. Rashi explains the byword (שנינה) as a thing everyone repeats and discusses, and Metzudat David adds that a man cursing his enemy will say, may you be like the wretched Jews. Sword, famine and pestilence will follow them until they are consumed from the land given to them and to their fathers. The inversion is complete: the land, which the remnant took as proof of their chosenness, becomes the place of their end.

The lasting significance of this small chapter is hard to overstate. It laid the theological groundwork for the survival of the Jewish people beyond the land and beyond the Temple. By declaring that the good figs were in Bavel, Yirmiyahu gave the exiles permission to see themselves not as castaways but as the bearers of Israel’s future, a message he would develop in his letter to the exiles in chapter 29, urging them to build houses, plant gardens and seek the peace of the city. History bore the prophecy out: it was from the community of Yechanyahu’s exile, the community of Yechezkel, Daniel and later Ezra and Nechemyah, that the return and the Second Temple came, and it was in Bavel that the Torah of Israel would one day flower into the Talmud. At the same time the vision carries a warning that never loses its edge. Proximity to the Heichal, residence in the holy land, and outward continuity guarantee nothing; the basket that sits before the Temple may be full of figs too bad to eat. What God looks for is the heart that He Himself promises to give, and those who receive it may be found far from Jerusalem, among the humbled and the exiled.

פרק כ״ד · Chapter 24

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

הִרְאַ֘נִי֮ יְהֹוָה֒ וְהִנֵּ֗ה שְׁנֵי֙ דּוּדָאֵ֣י תְאֵנִ֔ים מוּעָדִ֕ים לִפְנֵ֖י הֵיכַ֣ל יְהֹוָ֑ה אַחֲרֵ֣י הַגְל֣וֹת נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֡ל אֶת־יְכׇנְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָקִ֣ים מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֩ וְאֶת־שָׂרֵ֨י יְהוּדָ֜ה וְאֶת־הֶחָרָ֤שׁ וְאֶת־הַמַּסְגֵּר֙ מִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם וַיְבִאֵ֖ם בָּבֶֽל׃

English:

GOD showed me two baskets of figs, placed in front of the Temple of GOD. This was after King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon had exiled King Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim of Judah, and the officials of Judah, and the artisans and smiths, and had brought them from Jerusalem to Babylon.

Yirmiyahu is shown two baskets of figs set before the Heichal, a vision dated after Nevuchadretzar exiled Yechanyahu, the princes, and the craftsmen and smiths to Bavel. Radak explains duda'ei as baskets and mu'adim as figs prepared and ready to eat. Rashi, citing his comment in Melachim, reads the craftsmen and smiths as Torah scholars -- the charash before whom all fell silent, the masger whose rulings none could reopen.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
דודאי. קדרות: מועדים. מוכנים: החרש. והמסגר תלמידי חכמים שגלו עם יכניה וכבר פירשתיו בספר (מ"ב כד) החרש והמסגר לימייטראה ליפורטי"ר בלעז, ל"א החרש והמסגר החרש ל' חרש המסגר ל' סגור כלומר חכמים גדולים בתורה שכשהיה אחד מהם מדבר הכל שותקים מסגר שהיו סוגרים ואין פותח:
pots Heb. דּוּדָאֵי. prepared Heb. מוּעדים. the craftsmen and the sentries of the gates Torah scholars who were exiled with Jeconiah, and I already explained in the Book of Kings (II 24:14) הֶחָרָש וְהַמַּסְגֵּר (les maitres, les portiers in French) the masters, the sentries of the gates. Another explanation: הֶחָרָש וְהַמַּסְגֵּר: הֶחָרָש is an expression of silence, וְהַמַּסְגֵּר is an expression of closing. That is to say, great sages in Torah, to the extent that when one of them would speak, everyone would remain silent. מַסְגֵּר means that when they would close the discussion, no one would reopen it.

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

הַדּ֣וּד אֶחָ֗ד תְּאֵנִים֙ טֹב֣וֹת מְאֹ֔ד כִּתְאֵנֵ֖י הַבַּכֻּר֑וֹת וְהַדּ֣וּד אֶחָ֗ד תְּאֵנִים֙ רָע֣וֹת מְאֹ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תֵאָכַ֖לְנָה מֵרֹֽעַ׃ {פ}

English:

One basket contained very good figs, like first-ripened figs, and the other basket contained very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten.

One basket holds very good figs, like the first-ripe figs of the season; the other holds figs so bad they cannot be eaten. Rashi explains the first-ripe figs as those fully ripened at the very start of the season, dear to all who find them. Radak recalls Hoshea's image of Israel as the first fig on the tree, hinting already at which group will prove precious to God.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
כתאני הבכרות. שבישלו כל צרכן בתחלת בכורי תאינים שהם חביבות על מוצאיהם בראשיתם:
like the first ripe figs that have ripened completely in the beginning of the ripening of the figs which are dear to all those who find them in their beginning.

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י מָה־אַתָּ֤ה רֹאֶה֙ יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ וָאֹמַ֖ר תְּאֵנִ֑ים הַתְּאֵנִ֤ים הַטֹּבוֹת֙ טֹב֣וֹת מְאֹ֔ד וְהָֽרָעוֹת֙ רָע֣וֹת מְאֹ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תֵאָכַ֖לְנָה מֵרֹֽעַ׃ {פ}

English:

And GOD said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I answered, “Figs—the good ones are very good, and the bad ones very bad, so bad that they cannot be eaten.”

God asks, 'What do you see, Yirmiyahu?' -- the same question posed at the prophet's commissioning in chapter 1 -- and the prophet answers by repeating the extremes: the good very good, the bad very bad. Metzudat David simply glosses both halves as absolute. The vision allows no middle basket; the people of Yehudah are about to be divided sharply into two destinies.

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

English:

Then the word of GOD came to me:

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כַּתְּאֵנִ֥ים הַטֹּב֖וֹת הָאֵ֑לֶּה כֵּֽן־אַכִּ֞יר אֶת־גָּל֣וּת יְהוּדָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר שִׁלַּ֜חְתִּי מִן־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּ֛ה אֶ֥רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֖ים לְטוֹבָֽה׃

English:

Thus said the ETERNAL, the God of Israel: As with these good figs, so will I single out for good the Judean exiles whom I have driven out from this place to the land of the Chaldeans.

The shock of the chapter: the good figs are the exiles of Yehudah already sent to the land of the Chaldeans. Rashi notes the inverted syntax, reading 'so will I acknowledge for good the exile of Yehudah' -- Yechanyahu and his fellow exiles. Metzudat David explains that as people draw near to choice figs, God will draw near to these exiles, though they seemed estranged from Him when driven from His land.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
כן אכיר את גלות וגו'. הרי זה מקרא מסורס כן אכיר לטובה את גלות יהודה שהגליתי כבר יכניה וגלותו:
so will I recognize the exile of, etc. This is an inverted verse: So will I recognize for good the exile of Judah which I have already exiled, viz., Jeconiah and his exile.

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י עֵינִ֤י עֲלֵיהֶם֙ לְטוֹבָ֔ה וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֖ים עַל־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את וּבְנִיתִים֙ וְלֹ֣א אֶהֱרֹ֔ס וּנְטַעְתִּ֖ים וְלֹ֥א אֶתּֽוֹשׁ׃

English:

I will look upon them favorably, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not overthrow them; I will plant them and not uproot them.

God promises to watch over the exiles for good, return them to the land, and build and plant them without overthrowing or uprooting -- the vocabulary of Yirmiyahu's own commission. Rashi glosses etosh as uprooting. Metzudat David locates the return in the Second Temple era, contrasting the exiles, whose suffering is already behind them, with those left in Jerusalem, who have yet to receive their punishment.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
אתוש. ל' עקירה:
and not pluck them an expression of uprooting.

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וְנָתַתִּי֩ לָהֶ֨ם לֵ֜ב לָדַ֣עַת אֹתִ֗י כִּ֚י אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וְהָיוּ־לִ֣י לְעָ֔ם וְאָ֣נֹכִ֔י אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים כִּֽי־יָשֻׁ֥בוּ אֵלַ֖י בְּכׇל־לִבָּֽם׃ {ס}         

English:

And I will give them the understanding to acknowledge Me, for I am GOD. And they shall be My people and I will be their God, when they turn back to Me with all their heart.

The climax of the promise: God Himself will give the exiles a heart to know that He is the LORD, and the covenant formula follows -- they will be His people and He their God, for they will return to Him wholeheartedly. Metzudat David reads 'My people' as accepting the yoke of His awe and 'their God' as a pledge of divine help, anticipating the new covenant of chapter 31.

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וְכַתְּאֵנִים֙ הָרָע֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־תֵאָכַ֖לְנָה מֵרֹ֑עַ כִּי־כֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה כֵּ֣ן אֶ֠תֵּ֠ן אֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֨הוּ מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֤ה וְאֶת־שָׂרָיו֙ וְאֵ֣ת ׀ שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְרוּשָׁלַ֗͏ִם הַנִּשְׁאָרִים֙ בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְהַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

English:

And like the bad figs, which are so bad that they cannot be eaten—thus said GOD—so will I treat King Zedekiah of Judah and his officials and the remnant of Jerusalem that is left in this land, and those who are living in the land of Egypt:

The bad figs are named: King Tzidkiyahu, his princes, the remnant left in Jerusalem, and those dwelling in Egypt. Metzudat David explains they will be loathed and shunned like inedible fruit. Both Metzudat David and Radak link the Egyptian group to those who would later go down with Yochanan son of Kareach against God's word, a prophecy reaching forward to chapters 42-44.

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וּנְתַתִּים֙ (לזועה) [לְזַעֲוָ֣ה] לְרָעָ֔ה לְכֹ֖ל מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הָאָ֑רֶץ לְחֶרְפָּ֤ה וּלְמָשָׁל֙ לִשְׁנִינָ֣ה וְלִקְלָלָ֔ה בְּכׇל־הַמְּקֹמ֖וֹת אֲשֶֽׁר־אַדִּיחֵ֥ם שָֽׁם׃

English:

I will make them a horror—an evil—to all the kingdoms of the earth, a disgrace and a proverb, a byword and a curse in all the places to which I banish them.

The remnant will become a horror and a reproach, a proverb, a byword and a curse among all nations. Rashi explains that the kingdoms will tremble at hearing of their fate and that all will repeat and discuss their punishment. Metzudat David adds that one cursing will say 'may you be like the wretched Jews.' Radak notes the ketiv-kere variation between lezvaah and leza'avah, of identical meaning.
▶Commentaries (1)
רש״יRashi
לזעוה לרעה לכל ממלכות הארץ. שישמעו הרעה הבאה עליהם ויזועו: ולשנינה. שישננו וידברו הכל בפורענותם:
for a horror [and] for evil for all the kingdoms of the earth For they will hear the evil that came upon them and quake. and for a conversation piece That everyone will repeat and discuss their retribution.

פסוק י׳ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וְשִׁלַּ֣חְתִּי בָ֔ם אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב אֶת־הָרָעָ֣ב וְאֶת־הַדָּ֑בֶר עַד־תֻּמָּם֙ מֵעַ֣ל הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶ֖ם וְלַאֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ {פ}

English:

I will send the sword, famine, and pestilence against them until they are exterminated from the land that I gave to them and their ancestors.

The chapter closes with the familiar triad of sword, famine and pestilence, sent until the remnant is consumed from the land given to them and their fathers. Metzudat David glosses 'ad tumam' as until they are finished from the land; Radak notes a missing connective vav. The irony is complete: the land the remnant took as proof of favor becomes the place of their end.

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