The Good and Bad Figs

1The LORDE shewed me a visio: Beholde, there stode two maundes of figes before ye Teple of the LORDE, after yt Nabuchodonosor kynge of Babilo had led awaye captyue Iechonias the sonne of Ioachim kinge of Iuda, the mightie men also of Iuda, with the workemasters and conynge men of Ierusalem, vnto Babilon. 2In the one maunde were very good fyges, euen like as those that be first ripe. In the other maunde were very naughtie figes, which might not be eaten, they were so euell. 3Then sayde the LORDE vnto me: what seist thou Ieremy? I sayde: fyges, where of some be very good, and some so euel, that no man maye eate them.

4Then came the worde of the LORDE vnto me, after this maner: 5Thus saieth ye LORDE the God of Israel: like as thou knowest the good fyges, so shal I knowe the men led awaye, whom I haue sent out of this place in to the londe of the Caldees, for their profite: 6and I will set myne eyes vpon them for the best, for I will bringe them agayne in to this londe: I will buylde them vp, and not breake them downe: I will plante them, and not rote them out. 7And I will geue them an herte, to knowe, how that I am the LORDE. They shalbe my people, and I wilbe their God, for they shal returne vnto me with their whole herte.

8And like as thou knowest the naughtie fyges, which maye not be eate, they are so euel: Euen so wil I (saieth the LORDE) let Sedechias the kinge of Iuda, (ye and all his prynces, & the residue of Ierusalem that remayne ouer in this londe, & them also that dwell in Egipte) to be vexed & plaged in all kingdomes & londes. 9And will make them to be a reprofe, a comon byworde, a laughinge stocke & shame, in all the places, where I shal scatre them. 10I will sende the swearde, honger & pestilence amonge them, vntill I haue clene consumed them out of the londe, that I gane vnto them & their fathers.