1:11 The Lord directed the prophet to observe the branch of an almond tree. The almond tree is distinctive as the first tree to blossom in Israel. Many almond trees still grow in Israel, especially in the area of old Anathoth, so the tree was probably common to Jeremiah.
1:12 Yahweh explained that He would watch over His word to perform it. The connection with the almond branch is in a word play. "Almond"is shaqedin Hebrew, which also means "awake,"and "watching"is shoqed. The meaning seems to be that just as the blooming of the almond branch announced that spring was near, so the prophet's word would herald the imminence of what he predicted. The NEB translated the last part of the Lord statement in this verse, "I am early on the watch to carry out my purpose."
"Jeremiah's vision of the awake tree' reminded him that God was awake and watching over His word to make sure it came to pass."57
These two verses summarize a central theme of Jeremiah: the inevitable fulfillment of Yahweh's announcements concerning Judah and the nations.
