1The 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. 2One 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.24.2 they…: Heb. for badness 3Then 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.
4¶ Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5Thus 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.24.5 them…: Heb. the captivity 6For 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. 7And 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.
8¶ And 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: 9And 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.24.9 to be removed: Heb. for removing, or, vexation 10And 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.
Gode og dårlige figner
1Efter at kong Nebukadnezar af Babylonien havde taget kong Jekonja af Juda til fange og sendt ham i landflygtighed til Babylon sammen med Judas ledende mænd og håndværkerne, gav Herren mig følgende syn: Jeg så to kurve med figner, der stod foran templet i Jerusalem. 2I den ene kurv var der modne figner af højeste kvalitet, mens fignerne i den anden kurv var så dårlige, at de ikke kunne spises. 3Så spurgte Herren mig: „Hvad ser du, Jeremias?”
„Figner,” svarede jeg. „Nogle er flotte, men andre er elendige og uspiselige.”
4-5Da sagde Herren: „De gode figner repræsenterer den del af Judas befolkning, der blev ført i eksil til Babylonien. 6Jeg vil sørge for, at de bliver behandlet godt, og jeg vil føre dem tilbage hertil engang. Derefter vil jeg give dem fremgang og beskytte dem. Jeg vil plante dem i deres eget land og ikke rykke dem op. 7Jeg vil give dem et nyt hjerte, så de kan forstå, at jeg er Herren. Når de vender sig til mig af hele deres hjerte, skal de være mit folk, og jeg vil være deres Gud.
8Men de dårlige figner repræsenterer kong Zidkija af Juda, hans embedsmænd og de tilbageblevne indbyggere i Jerusalem tillige med dem, der er flygtet til Egypten. Jeg betragter dem som dårlige og uspiselige figner. 9Jeg vil sørge for, at alle folkeslag på jorden vil afsky dem. De vil blive hånet og spottet, hadet og forbandet overalt, hvor jeg jager dem hen. 10Jeg sender krig og hungersnød og epidemier over dem, indtil de er helt udryddet fra det land, jeg gav deres forfædre.”
