Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 24:1-10

"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. One 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. Then said Jehovah unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad. And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so will I regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for good. For 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. And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am Jehovah: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God; for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. And as the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad, surely thus saith Jehovah, So will I give up 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, I will even give them up to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth for evil; to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them. And 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." — Jeremiah 24:1-10 (ASV)

1. Here, the separation of the wicked princes from the good is spoken of through a simile.

   1. First is the explanation of the simile. When he speaks of the vision, the LORD showed him a vision of either images or the sign itself, so that the prophecy might be drawn from the figs that were sold in front of the temple. Similarly, in chapter 18, the prophecy is drawn from the sign of the potter. As it is written, If there be a prophet among you, I shall appear to him in a vision, or speak to him through a dream (Numbers 12:6).

      This vision came after that Nebuchadnezzar . . . the engraver, meaning the silversmith who sets stones in silver or gold. This is held to be true according to the account in 2 Kings 23. Behold, the sovereign Lord of Hosts shall take away from Jerusalem and from Judah, the strong and the mighty, the whole strength of bread, and the whole strength of water (Isaiah 3:1).

      The distinction between the things seen is also explained. Regarding the good figs, it says, and one basket contained exceedingly good figs, which signifies good people. As the first fruits of the fig tree in the top thereof, I saw their fathers (Hosea 9:10). My soul desired the first ripened figs (Micah 7:1). Regarding the bad figs, it says, and one basket contained exceedingly bad figs, which signifies the wicked among the people. As it says above: how have you become for me a foreign vine? (Jeremiah 2:21).

   2. Second, the explanation of the vision is given. The LORD’s question serves as a prompt for the prophet to see: and the LORD said to me. The same question is asked above in Jeremiah 1:11. The prophet responds: and I said, figs. This is similar to Genesis 41, concerning the ears of grain and the cows in Pharaoh’s dream.

   3. Third, the explanation of the vision is given: and the word of the LORD came to me.

      • First, regarding the good figs, the simile is applied to the general promise of prosperity: as these good figs, so shall I think of the exile of Judah, meaning He will think of them with approval. The Lord knows those who are his own (2 Timothy 2:19).

        He continues, specifically regarding physical blessings, promising to bring them back to their own land: and I shall set my eyes. I shall certainly take you from the nations, and gather you from all the lands, and bring you back to your own land (Ezekiel 36:24). He also promises to restore them to a state of prosperity: and I shall bring them back, and I shall build them up, raising them up as one would a building, and not pull them down if they sin. As it says later, I shall build you up, and not pull you down. I shall plant, and not pull up (Jeremiah 42:10). And I shall plant, meaning He will strengthen them in what is good. As it also says, so shall I keep watch over them, to build up, and to plant, says the LORD (Jeremiah 31:28).

        Regarding spiritual blessings, God promises them knowledge: and I shall give them a heart, that they may know me. I shall give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you (Ezekiel 36:26). He also promises their obedient submission: and they shall be to me a people. They shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them as their God (Revelation 21:3).

      • Second, regarding the bad figs: and as the bad figs.

        • First, He threatens them with affliction in their own land: so shall I make Zedekiah. As it says above: I shall give them in burning anger to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, and because of all that he did in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 15:4).

        • Second, He threatens them with shame in the land of their captivity: as a reproach, referring to the sin of neglect; as a parable, meaning their punishment will be told as an example in metaphorical language; as a proverb, for a proverb will be drawn from what happened to them for the instruction of others; and as a curse, referring to the invocation of their punishment. Alternatively, it is a curse because someone, when cursing another, will say, “May God do to you as He has done to them.” We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a source of scorn, and ridicule to those who live about us (Psalms 78:4).

        • Third, He threatens the punishment of slaughter: and I shall send the sword against them. As it says above: those who are for death, to death, and those who are for the sword, to the sword, and those who are for famine, to famine (Jeremiah 15:2).