The Meaning of Jeremiah 24:1 Explained

Jeremiah 24:1

KJV: The 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.

YLT: Jehovah hath shewed me, and lo, two baskets of figs, appointed before the temple of Jehovah, -- after the removing by Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, of Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the heads of Judah, and the artisan, and the smith, from Jerusalem, when he bringeth them into Babylon --

Darby: Jehovah shewed me, and behold, two baskets of figs, set before the temple of Jehovah, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive from Jerusalem, Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, and the craftsmen and smiths, and had brought them to Babylon.

ASV: Jehovah showed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs set before the temple of Jehovah, 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The 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. 

What does Jeremiah 24:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This prophetic message came to Jeremiah after Nebuchadnezzar had taken King Jehoiachin (Coniah, Jeconiah, cf. Jeremiah 22:24) and many of the other royal counselors, craftsmen, and smiths (or artisans) captive to Babylon in597 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar was particularly interested in these types of people because he could employ them in his government and extensive building projects. The people taken captive at this time constituted the cream of the country"s leadership (cf. 2 Kings 24:14-15).
"After the exile of Jehoiachin and the leading citizens of Judah ( 2 Kings 24:10-17), those who remained seem to have been full of optimism for the future. The new king Zedekiah even became involved in a conspiracy with the surrounding peoples for further rebellion against Babylon (ch27). The false prophets spoke of a quick return of the exiles from Babylon (ch28). Jeremiah saw that the attitude of the king and his supporters in Judah was wrong. True, there would be a new day for Judah and the people of God, but the future lay with the exiles and not with Zedekiah and his supporters." [1]
Jeremiah saw two baskets of figs in the temple courtyard (cf. Jeremiah 1:11-16; Amos 7:1-9; Amos 8:1-3). This is where people brought their offerings, so these two baskets may have contained two offerings, perhaps first-fruit offerings. It is impossible to determine if Jeremiah saw this scene in a vision or in actuality. As a message his account of his experience resembles a parable.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 24:1-10 - Two Baskets Of Figs
These two baskets represent the different, fates that overlook the people at the fall of Jerusalem. The good figs in the first were those who were taken to Babylon with Jeremiah. It was for their good that they were transplanted, Jeremiah 24:5. How often we are led into captivity for the same reason. With bitter regrets we turn our backs on our early home, the scenes of our youth, and the faces we have loved. Sometimes we are carried into a strange land, where we find it impossible to sing the Lord's song. But in the absence of all creature aid we find God drawing near to substitute restoration for destruction, building up for pulling down, and planting for uprooting.
Have we profited by our discipline? If so we are as the ripe figs of June, sweet to the taste of the owner who searches beneath the leaves of profession. Let those who congratulate themselves on their immunity from the troubles that have overtaken others, ponder Jeremiah 24:8-10. In the light of Hebrews 12:9, immunity from chastisement is not to be sought after. The residue of the Jews drifted to their hurt. See Jeremiah 41:1-18; Jeremiah 42:1-22. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 24

1  Under the type of good and bad figs,
4  he foreshows the restoration of those who were in captivity;
8  and the desolation of Zedekiah and the rest

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 24:1 mean?

Showed me Yahweh and there were two baskets of figs set before the temple of Yahweh after had carried away captive Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon - Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim of Judah and the princes of Judah and the with craftsmen smiths from Jerusalem and had brought them to Babylon
הִרְאַנִי֮ יְהוָה֒ וְהִנֵּ֗ה שְׁנֵי֙ דּוּדָאֵ֣י תְאֵנִ֔ים מוּעָדִ֕ים לִפְנֵ֖י הֵיכַ֣ל יְהוָ֑ה אַחֲרֵ֣י הַגְל֣וֹת נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר מֶֽלֶךְ־ בָּבֶ֡ל אֶת־ יְכָנְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־ יְהוֹיָקִ֣ים יְהוּדָה֩ וְאֶת־ שָׂרֵ֨י יְהוּדָ֜ה וְאֶת־ הֶחָרָ֤שׁ הַמַּסְגֵּר֙ מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וַיְבִאֵ֖ם בָּבֶֽל

הִרְאַנִי֮  Showed  me 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
יְהוָה֒  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְהִנֵּ֗ה  and  there  were 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
שְׁנֵי֙  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
דּוּדָאֵ֣י  baskets 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: דּוּדָאִים 
Sense: mandrake, love-apple.
תְאֵנִ֔ים  of  figs 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: תְּאֵנָה  
Sense: fig, fig tree.
מוּעָדִ֕ים  set 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָעַד  
Sense: to fix, appoint, assemble, meet, set, betroth.
לִפְנֵ֖י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הֵיכַ֣ל  the  temple 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הֵיכָל  
Sense: palace, temple, nave, sanctuary.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אַחֲרֵ֣י  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הַגְל֣וֹת  had  carried  away  captive 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: גָּלָה  
Sense: to uncover, remove.
נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר  Nebuchadnezzar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר 
Sense: the great king of Babylon who captured Jerusalem and carried Judah captive.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בָּבֶ֡ל  of  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְכָנְיָ֣הוּ  Jeconiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְכֹונְיָה 
Sense: son of king Jehoiakim of Judah and king of Judah for 3 months and 0 days before he surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar and was taken captive to Babylon where he was imprisoned for the next 36 years; released at the death of Nebuchadnezzar and lived in Babylon until his death.
בֶן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יְהוֹיָקִ֣ים  of  Jehoiakim 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹויָקִים 
Sense: son of Josiah and the third from the last king of Judah; subject vassel of Nebuchadnezzar who reigned for years before he died a violent death either in combat or by the hands of his own subjects.
יְהוּדָה֩  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
שָׂרֵ֨י  the  princes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
יְהוּדָ֜ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
הֶחָרָ֤שׁ  the  with  craftsmen 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶרֶשׁ 
Sense: craftsman, artisan, engraver, graver, artificer.
הַמַּסְגֵּר֙  smiths 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַסְגֵּר 
Sense: a shutting up, locksmith, smith, dungeon, enclosure, builder of bulwarks.
מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם  from  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
וַיְבִאֵ֖ם  and  had  brought  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בָּבֶֽל  to  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.