Jeremiah 24:6-7
I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up. 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 to me with their whole heart.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This promise isn't just about returning home, but about God actively establishing His people in a way that’s permanent and flourishing. The imagery of "building up" and "planting" points to not just physical rebuilding, but a spiritual renewal that makes them resilient and secure, not to be uprooted again.
This promise comes after Jeremiah has a vision of two baskets of figs, one good and one bad, representing the exiled Jews in Babylon and those remaining in Jerusalem. The "good figs" are the exiles who will eventually return and be restored, while the "bad figs" are those left behind who will face judgment. This verse is God's direct word to the exiles, assuring them of His favorable attention and future restoration, contrasting their hope with the grim fate of those still in Judah.
Imagine someone intensely focused on your well-being, not just observing, but actively intervening for your good. That's the picture God paints here.
The phrase 'I will set my eyes on them for good' is a powerful declaration of God's intentional care. It's not a passive glance, but an active, affectionate gaze. This means God wasn't just allowing the exiles to exist; He was vigilantly watching over them with a purpose to bless and restore. This divine focus was a source of hope, assuring them that even in their distant exile, they were not forgotten.
This imagery contrasts with the idea of God's eyes being set for judgment. Here, His gaze is fixed on them with unwavering favor, promising protection and future flourishing.
Life can feel like it's constantly being uprooted or torn down. God's promise here is one of enduring security and growth.
The imagery of 'building up' and 'planting' signifies a profound promise of stability, growth, and permanence. 'I will build them up, and not tear them down' speaks to establishing them securely, providing a foundation for a lasting community and individual lives.
Similarly, 'I will plant them, and not pluck them up' assures them of rootedness and flourishing. This isn't just about temporary relief; it's about establishing them in a way that allows them to thrive, grow deep, and bear fruit, just like a well-planted tree. This promise contrasts sharply with the destruction and displacement they had experienced, highlighting God's restorative power.
Understand the original words
ayin · Hebrew Noun
The eyes of the LORD symbolize His providential care, omniscience, and active involvement in the lives of His people, whether for judgment or blessing. To have God's eyes "set" on one implies focused attention and intent.
am · Hebrew Noun
The covenant formula expressing the intimate relationship between God and His people; it denotes God’s special ownership, protection, and faithfulness, and the people's exclusive allegiance and worship toward Him.
leb · Hebrew Noun
In biblical thought, the heart is the center of the human will, intellect, desires, and emotions; it is the control center of a person's moral life and their relationship with God.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
This promise of restoration comes after the second major deportation of Judeans to Babylon, a time when many skilled people were taken, leaving those behind in Jerusalem in a precarious state. God's words here are a profound comfort, assuring the exiles that their hardship is not the end, but a painful step toward a future of rebuilding and flourishing.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar captures Jerusalem and takes nobles, including King Jehoiakim and the prophet Daniel, to Babylon.
597 BC— this verse
Second Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin, his family, officials, and skilled workers (carpenters, smiths) after another siege.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Third Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, exiling the remaining population (except the poorest) to Babylon.
c. 561 BC
Jehoiachin Released from Prison
King Evil-Merodach of Babylon releases the captive King Jehoiachin, showing him favor and allowing him to live in the palace.
This verse echoes Jeremiah's original commission, where God promised to 'set my hand over them' and 'plant them, and not pluck them up,' setting the stage for the restoration theme found in Jeremiah 24:6.
Jeremiah 31:28Similar to Jeremiah 24:6's promise to 'build them up, and not tear them down,' this verse speaks of God watching over His people 'to build and to plant them,' highlighting a continuous theme of divine care and establishment.
Jeremiah 32:41This passage expands on the promise of permanence in Jeremiah 24:6, stating God will 'rejoice over them to do them good, and will again plant them in this land with all his heart and with all his soul,' emphasizing a deeper, heartfelt commitment to their flourishing.
Ezekiel 36:35This verse parallels the 'build them up' and 'plant them' imagery of Jeremiah 24:6, describing the land as formerly desolate but futurely 'cultivated like the Garden of Eden,' signifying a complete renewal and prosperity.
Zechariah 8:14-15This passage reassures God's people of His protective and constructive intentions, similar to Jeremiah 24:6, stating God 'decreed to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And do not fear,' echoing the assurance of safety and restoration.
pooleJeremiah 24:6: "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."
I will set mine eyes upon them for good; the soul looking out at the eye, discovereth its inclinations and affection, whether of love or wrath. Hence we read of God’s setting his eyes upon people for evil , Amos 9:4 , as here of his setting his eyes upon them for good. Or else it may signify God’s set…
pulpitJeremiah 24:6: "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."
Verse 6. - I will build them, etc. (comp. Jeremiah 1:10; Jeremiah 12:16). As the next verse shows. it is not merely outward prosperity that is meant, but spiritual regeneration.
This promise isn't just about returning home, but about God actively establishing His people in a way that’s permanent and flourishing. The imagery of "building up" and "planting" points to not just physical rebuilding, but a spiritual renewal that makes them resilient and secure, not to be uprooted again.
This promise comes after Jeremiah has a vision of two baskets of figs, one good and one bad, representing the exiled Jews in Babylon and those remaining in Jerusalem. The "good figs" are the exiles who will eventually return and be restored, while the "bad figs" are those left behind who will face judgment. This verse is God's direct word to the exiles, assuring them of His favorable attention and future restoration, contrasting their hope with the grim fate of those still in Judah.
This promise comes after Jeremiah has a vision of two baskets of figs, one good and one bad, representing the exiled Jews in Babylon and those remaining in Jerusalem. The "good figs" are the exiles who will eventually return and be restored, while the "bad figs" are those left behind who will face judgment. This verse is God's direct word to the exiles, assuring them of His favorable attention and future restoration, contrasting their hope with the grim fate of those still in Judah.
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The personal, covenantal name of God (YHWH), revealing His self-existence, eternal nature, and faithfulness to His promises toward His people.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Captures Babylon
Cyrus the Persian conquers the Neo-Babylonian Empire, ushering in a new era for the exiles.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Judah and rebuild their Temple in Jerusalem.
c. 516 BC
Rebuilding of the Second Temple
The Temple in Jerusalem is completed and dedicated, marking a significant step in the return and restoration of the Jewish people.
"I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD, and they shall b…" — This promise isn't just about returning home, but about God actively establishing His people in a way that’s permanent and flourishing. The imagery of "building up" and "planting" points to not jus…
