< Jeremiah 24 >

1 The Lord shewed me, and beholde, two baskets of figges were set before the Temple of the Lord, after that Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel had caryed away captiue Ieconiah ye sonne of Iehoiakim King of Iudah, and the princes of Iudah with the workemen, and cunning men of Ierusalem, and had brought them to Babel.
The LORD showed me, and behold two baskets of figs 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 craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.
2 One basket had verie good figges, euen like the figges that are first ripe: and the other basket had verie naughtie figges, which could not be eaten, they were so euill.
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.
3 Then saide the Lord vnto mee, What seest thou, Ieremiah? And I said, Figges: ye good figges verie good, and the naughtie verie naughtie, which cannot be eaten, they are so euill.
Then said the LORD 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.'
4 Againe the worde of the Lord came vnto me, saying,
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:
5 Thus sayeth the Lord, the God of Israel, Like these good figges, so will I knowe them that are caryed away captiue of Iudah to bee good, whome I haue sent out of this place, into the land of the Caldeans.
'Thus saith the LORD, 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.
6 For I wil set mine eyes vpon them for good, and I will bring them againe to this lande, and I will build them, and not destroy them, and I will plant them, and not roote them out,
And I will set Mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
7 And I will giue them an heart to knowe me, that I am the Lord, and they shalbe my people, and I wil be their God: for they shall returne vnto mee with their whole heart.
And 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 shall return unto Me with their whole heart.
8 And as the naughtie figges which can not bee eaten, they are so euill (surely thus saith the Lord) so wil I giue Zedekiah the King of Iudah, and his princes, and the residue of Ierusalem, that remaine in this lande, and them that dwell in the lande of Egypt:
And as the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad; surely thus saith the LORD: So will I make 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;
9 I will euen giue them for a terrible plague to all the kingdomes of the earth, and for a reproche, and for a prouerbe, for a common talke, and for a curse, in all places where I shall cast them.
I will even make them a horror among all the kingdoms of the earth for evil; a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them.
10 And I will sende the sworde, the famine, and the pestilence among them, till they bee consumed out of the land, that I gaue vnto them and to their fathers.
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 >