A tree common in the Near East, with soft, sweet fruit which can be eaten fresh or dried. The fruit was an important part of the diet in biblical times and the tree was symbolic of peace and security.
Figs
Figs prized as a sweet, pleasant fruit
Judges 9:10–11 See also Numbers 13:21–23
Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’ But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold sway over the trees?’
Figs a significant part of the diet in biblical times
Numbers 20:5 See also Deuteronomy 8:7–9; 1 Samuel 30:11–12; Nehemiah 13:15
Why have you led us up out of Egypt to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain, figs, vines, or pomegranates — and there is no water to drink!”
Figs given in gifts of food
1 Samuel 25:18 See also 2 Samuel 16:1; 1 Chronicles 12:40
Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. She loaded them on donkeys
Other uses of figs and fig leaves
2 Kings 20:1–7 See also Genesis 3:6–7; Isaiah 38:21
In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’” Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “Go back and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people that this is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: ‘I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. I will surely heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the house of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for My sake and for the sake of My servant David.’” Then Isaiah said, “Prepare a poultice of figs.” So they brought it and applied it to the boil, and Hezekiah recovered.
Judah likened to figs
Jeremiah 24:1–10, Jeremiah 29:15–19
The fig-tree as a symbol of peace and security
1 Kings 4:25 See also 2 Kings 18:28–32 parallel Isaiah 36:13–18Micah 4:1–5Zechariah 3:10
Throughout the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel dwelt securely from Dan to Beersheba, each man under his own vine and his own fig tree.
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to it. And many nations will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Then He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for strong nations far and wide. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor will they train anymore for war. And each man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the LORD of Hosts has spoken. Though all the nations may walk in the name of their gods, yet we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.
Destruction of fig-trees
By God
Hosea 2:12 See also Psalm 105:33; Amos 4:9
I will destroy her vines and fig trees, which she thinks are the wages paid by her lovers. So I will make them into a thicket, and the beasts of the field will devour them.
By enemies
Joel 1:6–7 See also Jeremiah 5:17
For a nation has invaded My land, powerful and without number; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and its fangs are the fangs of a lioness. It has laid waste My grapevine and splintered My fig tree. It has stripped off the bark and thrown it away; the branches have turned white.
Descriptions of the fig-tree and its fruit
Early figs
Hosea 9:10 See also Song of Solomon 2:13; Isaiah 28:4; Micah 7:1; Nahum 3:12
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so they became as detestable as the thing they loved.
Late figs
And I watched as the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind.
Failure of the crop
Jeremiah 8:13 See also Joel 1:12; Habakkuk 3:17–18; Haggai 2:19
I will take away their harvest, declares the LORD. There will be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the tree, and even the leaf will wither. Whatever I have given them will be lost to them.”
Fig-trees in the teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles
In parables and object lessons
James 3:9–12 See also Matthew 7:15–20 parallel Luke 6:43–45; Luke 13:6–9
With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be! Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
The lesson of the fig-tree
Matthew 24:32–35 parallels Mark 13:28–31, Luke 21:29–31
Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
Jesus Christ curses a fig-tree
Matthew 21:18–22 parallels Mark 11:12–14, Mark 11:20–24
In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, He was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they marveled and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.