Two baskets of figs set before the temple of Hashem: the good figs, very good, are the captivity of Judah sent into the land of the Chaldeans for good; the bad figs, very bad, are Zedekiah, his princes, and the remnant that dwell in the land of Egypt.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Hashem showed me, and behold two baskets of figs set before the temple of Hashem; 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.
verse value 7191
Insights
Verse structure: 24 words, 134 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֒) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "two·of" (שְׁנֵי֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "Nebuchadrezzar" (נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 170: fixed, to·face·of. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "the·mandrakes·of" (דּוּדָאֵ֣י), "fixed" (מוּעָדִ֕ים), "heap" (הַגְל֣וֹת). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 22 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "king·of·Babylon" (root מלך, 253x in Jeremiah); "and·brought·them" (root בוא, 211x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root יעד ("fixed") in Jeremiah. First appearance of the root שרי ("and·princes·of") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 14 words.
Rashi
Baskets. Pots:
Placed. Prepared:
"Hacharash." And "hamasger": Torah scholars who were exiled with Jeconiah, and I have already explained this in the Book (2 Kings 24) — [that] "the charash and the masger," in the vernacular, are "lemetraia" and "leportier." Another interpretation: "the charash and the masger" — "charash" is a term of silence, and "masger" is a term of closing. That is to say, they were great scholars in Torah, such that when one of them spoke, everyone would remain silent; and "masger" means that they would close [off discussion], and no one would open [it to dispute].
Radak
"He showed me, God." With a chireq under the he:
And behold, two baskets of figs. He showed me in a prophetic vision two baskets of figs, and the aleph in "dudaei" [baskets of] is added, like the aleph in "fifty loops." And similarly, He said "the basket," one, without an aleph, and its meaning is "baskets," and manuscripts read "baskets."
Moedim. Prepared and ready to eat, and this was after Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, exiled Jehoiachin.
"And the carpenter and the smith." They were advisors and wise men. And the Targum: "And the artisans and the gatekeepers."
Metzudat David
"The Lord showed me." In a vision of prophecy:
"Baskets." Vessels full of figs were prepared before the Temple:
"After the exile." This refers back to the beginning of the verse, to say that this is what he saw after Nebuchadnezzar had exiled [Jeconiah], etc.
"And the craftsman, and the gatekeeper." They are craftsmen and gatekeepers who closed them [the gates] at their proper time, and so also [says] Targum Yonatan.
Metzudat Zion
Duda'ei. The name of a vessel resembling a pot, and likewise: "his hands shall pass from the basket" (Psalms 81:7).
Mo'adim. Appointed, and likewise, "Wherever your face is turned" (Ezekiel 21:21):
The craftsman. A group of artisans, as in “the carpenter” (Isaiah 44:13).
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.
verse value 4717
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 64 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אֶחָ֗ד) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "one" (אֶחָ֗ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "not·could·be·eaten" (לֹא־תֵאָכַ֖לְנָה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: figs, figs, that. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "pot" (הַדּ֣וּד), "like·figs·of" (כִּתְאֵנֵ֖י), "the·first-ripe·figs" (הַבַּכֻּר֑וֹת). The root תאן appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "bad" (root רע, 90x in Jeremiah); "not·could·be·eaten" (root אכל, 44x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·first-ripe·figs', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 8 words.
Rashi
"Like the first-ripe figs." [This refers to those] which have fully ripened all they need to, at the beginning of the first fruits of figs, which are beloved by those who find them in their first [ripening] stage.
Radak
"The one basket," "like the first-ripe figs." [This is understood as] connected to the trees, as though it said, "like the figs of the fig trees that ripen first." "Bikkurot" [first-ripe] is a descriptive term, and it calls them figs because they are pleasing in the eyes of those who find them, since they are the first-ripe. And similarly it says, "Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers" (Hosea 9:10).
Metzudat David
Figs. “Full of figs,” etc.:
"Like the first-ripe figs." Figs that have been ripened to their full completion.
"From badness." Because of their badness, it was not possible to eat them.
Metzudat Zion
"The firstfruits. Those that are fully ripened in every respect, and likewise the first clusters of grapes (Numbers 13):"
Malbim
"The one basket had very good figs": The fig, if one does not gather it immediately when it ripens, becomes infested with worms from the sun, as our Sages of blessed memory stated in the Midrash. And to this he likened the exile of Yehoichin, who were gathered first from the Land of Israel, to the first-ripe figs that are gathered first.
Then said Hashem to me: ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’ And I said: ‘Figs; the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad.’
verse value 6146
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 80 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֜ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·me" (אֵלַ֗י, 3 letters) and the longest is "not·could·be·eaten" (לֹא־תֵאָכַ֖לְנָה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: figs, that. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "the·figs" (הַתְּאֵנִ֤ים), "and·the·bad" (וְהָֽרָעוֹת֙). The root רע appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "and·said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'figs', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 10 words.
Metzudat David
"Very good." They are very good:
“Very evil.” “They are very evil”:
Malbim
“The good figs were very good”: This means that there is a relative good and evil, in which something is considered good only in comparison to another thing that is worse than it, and yet it is not extremely good in its own right. And this is what is said: that the good and the bad that he saw were absolute in their own nature, without being relative to others that are worse or better than them. And this is what is said: that the good ones were very good. And similarly, it means that the good ones were increased in goodness and became very good because they were gathered immediately, as it is stated, “like the first figs.” And the bad ones were increased in badness because they were not gathered until the bad ones became very bad, to the point that they could not be eaten due to their badness.
’Thus says Hashem, 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.
verse value 5298
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 81 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֨ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "from·the·place" (מִן־הַמָּק֥וֹם, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "so·I·will·regard" (כֵּֽן־אַכִּ֞יר), "heap" (אֶת־גָּל֣וּת). The root טוב appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "thus·says" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'these', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 10 words.
Rashi
“Thus I will know the exile, etc.” – This is a verse whose words are reversed: “Thus I will know [the exile] for good, the exile of Judah, which I have already exiled, namely Jehoiachin and his exile.”
Metzudat David
“Like these good figs.” Just as they are beloved and people draw near to them, so too shall I recognize the exile of Judah. That is to say: although they have become strangers to Me, for I have removed them from My borders, behold, now I shall recognize them and draw near to them.
"For good." It refers back to the above, to say: "So I will recognize [them] for good."
Metzudat Zion
I will recognize. From the language of recognition:
Malbim
"Like these good figs," meaning that they were gathered in their proper season; so too, I recognize the exile of Judah, which was gathered in its proper season and became exceedingly good, to the extent that what I sent them from this place is for the good. (A) That by sending them and setting My eyes upon them for good, My providence over them in their exile would be for the good. (B) And I will bring them back to this land, in the days of Cyrus, and then I will build them into a kingdom and will not tear it down, and I will plant them in the settlement of the land and will not exile them. (C) So that there will no longer be found a cause for destruction and exile, for "I will give them a heart to know Me," and thereby "they shall be to Me for a people," for through the exile they will return to Me with all their hearts.
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.
verse value 4825
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 64 letters. The shortest word is "and·not" (וְלֹ֣א, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·bring·them·back" (וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֖ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 37: and·not, and·not. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·I·will·build·them" (וּבְנִיתִים֙). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·not" (root לא, 307x in Jeremiah); "upon·them" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "upon·the·land" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְשַׂמְתִּ֨י [and·I·will·put] (756) + עֵינִ֤י [my·eye] (140) + עֲלֵיהֶם֙ [upon·them] (155) + לְטוֹבָ֔ה [for·good] (52) + וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֖ים [and·I·will·bring·them·back] (763) + עַל־הָאָ֣רֶץ [upon·the·land] (396) + הַזֹּ֑את [this] (413) + וּבְנִיתִים֙ [and·I·will·build·them] (518) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + אֶהֱרֹ֔ס [I·will·tear·down] (266) + וּנְטַעְתִּ֖ים [and·I·will·plant·them] (585) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + אֶתּֽוֹשׁ [I·will·pull·up] (707) = 4825.
Rashi
Atush. A term denoting uprooting:
Metzudat David
"And I will set My eyes upon them." I will watch over them for good, to preserve them in exile.
"And I will bring them back." [Referring to] the time of the Second Temple.
"And I will build them and not tear them down." That is to say: since the calamity has already befallen them, they will no longer anticipate destruction from now on, but rather construction, upon their return to Jerusalem in the Second Temple period; this is unlike those who remained in Jerusalem, who will anticipate destruction, since the calamity has not yet befallen them and they have not yet received their recompense.
"And I will plant them, etc." The repetition of the matter in what is stated [above].
Metzudat Zion
And I will bring them back. From the term for return:
“Ahars.” The word denotes destruction and demolition.
Atush. The meaning of uprooting is like “to uproot and to tear down” (above, chapter 1).
And I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am Hashem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God; for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.
verse value 3024
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 68 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 3024 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "heart" (לֵ֜ב, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·they·shall·be·to·Me" (וְהָיוּ־לִ֣י, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 75: to·them, to·them. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "to·know" (לָדַ֣עַת), "and·they·shall·be·to·Me" (וְהָיוּ־לִ֣י), "for·they·shall·return" (כִּֽי־יָשֻׁ֥בוּ). The root הם appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "for" (root כי, 318x in Jeremiah); "and·they·shall·be·to·Me" (root היה, 250x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'for·God', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 3 words.
Metzudat David
"And I will give, etc." – "I will give them a heart to understand, to know Me, that I am the Lord."
"And they shall be to Me a people." To believe in Me and to accept the yoke of My awe.
"And I, etc." – To be of help to them.
And as the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad; surely thus says Hashem: 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;
verse value 9320
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 110 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "so" (כֵּ֣ן, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·could·be·eaten" (לֹא־תֵאָכַ֖לְנָה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 293: in·the·land, in·land·of. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·like·the·figs" (וְכַתְּאֵנִים֙), "and·that·dwell" (וְהַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים). The root רע appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 725x in Jeremiah); "said" (root אמר, 476x in Jeremiah); "that" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·badness', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 17 words.
Radak
"And as for the figs." It is as though He had said, "And the broken ones shall be the bad figs," and only afterward did He explain and say, "Thus says the Lord."
"And those who dwelled in the land of Egypt." The remnant that dwelled then in the land of Egypt, they are the ones who would go with Yochanan ben Karach.
Metzudat David
"And like the bad figs." This is as if they had said: Those who remain among them shall be like the bad figs, which are not fit to be eaten because of their badness, being hated and distant from people.
"Thus will I render [them]," etc. – to be hated and estranged.
"And those who dwelled in the land of Egypt" – these are the ones who went with Yoḥanan ben Qareaḥ to Egypt and settled there, which was not in accordance with the commandment of the Lord.
Malbim
And as for the bad figs that were not gathered, which shall not be eaten because of their badness, for thus says the Lord: This means that what Jeremiah stated (in verse 3) regarding "the bad ones, very bad, which shall not be eaten because of their badness," one might say that he declared this on his own understanding. However, the Lord informed him that what he said, "which shall not be eaten because of their badness," was not spoken from his own knowledge, but rather, "Thus says the Lord," and the Lord placed these words in his mouth. And the manner of prophecy is that it is destined to be so, for "Thus I will give Zedekiah..." meaning all these who were not gathered to Babylon.
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.
verse value 5281
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 74 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָֽׁם, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·all·the·places" (בְּכׇל־הַמְּקֹמ֖וֹת, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "and·for·a·proverb" (וּלְמָשָׁל֙), "to·byword" (לִשְׁנִינָ֣ה), "where·I·will·drive·them" (אֲשֶֽׁר־אַדִּיחֵ֥ם). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "where·I·will·drive·them" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "earth" (root ארץ, 245x in Jeremiah); "to·them·of" (root כל, 167x in Jeremiah). First appearance of the root קללה ("and·to·curse") in Jeremiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'earth', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 7 words.
Rashi
“to terrify for evil against all the kingdoms of the earth.” That they will hear of the evil that is coming upon them and be terrified.
"And to a byword." That everyone will rehearse it and talk about their calamity.
Radak
"Lazu'ah." This is the ketiv; the qere is "lazavah" (לזעוה), and the meaning is the same, like [the words] "keves" and "kesev" [which likewise both mean "lamb"].
“to shame.” Without a vav:
"A byword" (לשנינה). Without a vav.
Metzudat David
"And I will render them," etc. This means: I will hand them over to all the kingdoms of the earth, so that they become a horror and an evil, for all [the kingdoms] will terrify them and treat them badly.
"To a reproach, etc." This means that in all the places where I will disperse them, they shall be a reproach, for all will reproach them.
And by way of illustration. They will bring a parable from the calamity that will befall them:
"A byword." They will continually recount the afflictions that befall them:
And regarding a curse. The one who curses will attach the curse to them, saying: "May you become like the wretched Jews."
Metzudat Zion
To trembling. The meaning is shaking and quaking; and similarly, “and it shall be only a trembling” (Isaiah 28:19).
"לשנינה" – the matter of recounting and declaring, as it is said: "And you shall teach them diligently to your children" (Deuteronomy 6:7).
Malbim
"And I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth": Because it was decreed that Nebuchadnezzar would pursue them, harm would befall them by his hand, and all the kingdoms among whom they were would tremble; moreover, they would become a disgrace in all places, even in places where Nebuchadnezzar's hand would not reach.
And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave to them and to their fathers.’
verse value 5393
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "in·them" (בָ֔ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·to·their·fathers" (וְלַאֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם, 9 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Jeremiah. Unique to this verse in Jeremiah (hapax): "until·they·are·consumed" (עַד־תֻּמָּם֙), "and·to·their·fathers" (וְלַאֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·I·gave" (root אשר, 459x in Jeremiah); "from·upon" (root על, 276x in Jeremiah); "and·the·pestilence" (root דבר, 270x in Jeremiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·the·pestilence', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְשִׁלַּ֣חְתִּי [and·I·will·send] (754) + בָ֔ם [in·them] (42) + אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב [the·sword] (616) + אֶת־הָרָעָ֣ב [the·famine] (678) + וְאֶת־הַדָּ֑בֶר [and·the·pestilence] (618) + עַד־תֻּמָּם֙ [until·they·are·consumed] (554) + מֵעַ֣ל [from·upon] (140) + הָאֲדָמָ֔ה [ground] (55) + אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי [that·I·gave] (1361) + לָהֶ֖ם [to·them] (75) + וְלַאֲבוֹתֵיהֶֽם [and·to·their·fathers] (500) = 5393.
Radak
"the famine." Without a vav:
Metzudat David
Until they are finished. Until they are completely removed from the earth, etc.
Metzudat Zion
Tommam. The matter is one of consumption and completion, as in “the money was all spent” (Genesis 47:18).
Malbim
“And I will send the sword among them”—this refers to those who will desire to return to the Land of Israel.
Rashi
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion