The Almond Tree

The almond is one of the first trees in Israel to blossom, flowering white while winter is barely over. When Israel questioned Aaron's priesthood, God had a rod for each tribe laid up overnight, and Aaron's rod 'brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds,' living proof of God's choice. The golden lampstand was made with cups 'made like unto almonds.' God opened Jeremiah's ministry with a vision of 'a rod of an almond tree,' a Hebrew wordplay between almond (shaqed) and watching (shoqed): God was watching over his word to perform it.

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Strongest connections in Scripture

Numbers 17 Jeremiah 1

Key Passages

Aaron's Rod Budded

Numbers 17:6-8

Of twelve dead rods, only Aaron's blossoms and bears almonds overnight, confirming God's chosen priesthood.

A⁶nd Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.

⁷ And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. ⁸ And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.