An Almond Tree

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it. Jeremiah 1:11-12

An almond-tree. Heb. Shaked, and the Heb. For “watching” is shoked. There is more than a play on words here. The almond-tree is so named in Hebrew because, blossoming early in January, it is the first to awake from winter’s sleep. On seeing it, the thought flashes across the Prophet’s mind that God is awake and watches over His word to fulfil it, without delay.

(Hertz, Dr. J.H., The Pentateuch and Haftorahs, 2nd Ed., Soncino Press, London, 1992, pgs 230-231)