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:

JEREMIAH 24:8KJV
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Jeremiah 24:8 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 24:8 mean?

Jeremiah 24:8 says that just as some figs are so bad they cannot be eaten, God will treat King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, and the people left in Jerusalem and Egypt in the same way—bringing judgment on them. The verse uses the image of "evil figs" to show that these people will face consequences because of their actions.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Judah during a time of crisis. The "evil figs" represent those who remained in Jerusalem or went to Egypt after many others were taken into exile. The verse sets up a contrast with earlier verses, where good figs symbolized those who went into exile and would eventually be restored. Here, the focus is on those who stayed behind or fled to Egypt, showing that their choice does not spare them from God's judgment.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 24:8

  • "evil" (רַע, raʿ; H7451): This word means "bad" or "evil" and is used twice in this verse to describe the figs. The repetition emphasizes just how undesirable or corrupt these people are in God's eyes.
  • "figs" (תְּאֵנָה, te'enah; H8384): Figs were a common fruit in ancient Israel, and using them as a symbol makes the message vivid and relatable to Jeremiah’s audience.
  • "eaten" (אָכַל, akhal; H398): The verse says the figs "cannot be eaten," highlighting that the people being described are beyond hope or use, much like rotten fruit.
  • "give" (נָתַן, natan; H5414): God says He will "give" Zedekiah and the others over, suggesting an active handing over to consequences, not just passive neglect.

Why Jeremiah 24:8 matters

  • Jeremiah 24:8 clears up the idea that staying in Jerusalem or fleeing to Egypt would keep people safe from judgment; the verse shows that location does not guarantee protection from God's decisions.
  • The verse emphasizes that God sees and judges the hearts and actions of people, not just their outward circumstances or where they live.
  • This verse connects to the larger message of Jeremiah 24, where two groups are compared: those taken into exile (the "good figs") and those who remain or flee (the "bad figs"), highlighting that God’s plans for restoration or judgment are not always what people expect.

Where else these words appear

“evil” Hebrew H7455 · used in 19 verses

  • Genesis 41:19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness:
  • Isaiah 1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
  • Jeremiah 24:3 Then 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.

“figs” Hebrew H8384 · used in 35 verses

  • Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
  • Proverbs 27:18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
  • Jeremiah 29:17 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

“Zedekiah” Hebrew H6667 · used in 62 verses

  • 1 Kings 22:11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
  • Jeremiah 28:1 And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
  • Jeremiah 38:14 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from me.

“residue” Hebrew H7611 · used in 66 verses

  • Genesis 45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
  • Jeremiah 15:9 She that hath borne seven languisheth: she hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day: she hath been ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith the LORD.
  • Ezekiel 11:13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?