The Good and Bad Figs

1The Lorde shewed me a vision: Beholde, there stode two maundes of figges before the temple of the Lorde, after that Nabuchodonozar kyng of Babylon had led away captiue Iechonias the sonne of Iehoakim kyng of Iuda, the mightie men also of Iuda, with the workemasters and cunning men of Hierusalem vnto Babylon. 2In the one maunde were very good figges, euen like those that be first ripe: in the other maunde were very naughtie figges, whiche might not be eaten they were so euyll. 3Then sayd the Lord vnto me: What seest thou Ieremie? I sayde, figges, whereof some be very good, and some so euyll that no man may eate them.

4Then came the worde of the Lorde vnto me, after this maner: 5Thus saith the Lorde the God of Israel, Like as thou knowest the good figges: so shall I knowe the men led away, whom I haue sent out of this place into the lande of the Chaldees for their profite: 6And I wyll set mine eyes vpon them for the best, for I wyll bryng them agayne into this lande, I wyll buylde them vp, and not breake them downe, I wyll plant them, and not roote them out. 7And I wyll geue them an heart to knowe howe that I am the Lorde: They shalbe my people, and I wyll be their God: for they shall returne vnto me with their whole heart.

8And like as thou knowest the naughtie figges whiche may not be eaten they are so euyll: euen so wyll I, saith the Lorde, cause Zedechias the kyng of Iuda, yea and all his princes, and the residue of Hierusalem that remaine ouer in this lande, and them also that dwell in Egypt, to be vexed and plagued in all kyngdomes and landes. 9And I wyll make them to be a reprofe, a common byworde, a laughing stocke and shame in al the places where I shall scatter them. 10I wyll sende the sworde, hunger, and pestilence among them, vntyll I haue cleane consumed them out of the lande that I gaue vnto them and their fathers.