Jeremiah 1:11

The Almond Rod and Boiling Pot

11 The word of the LORD came to me saying, "What do you see, ¹Jeremiah?" And I said, "I see a rod of an ^[a]almond tree."

Jeremiah 1:11 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 1:11

Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me
At the same time as before: saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou?
The Septuagint version leaves out the word "Jeremiah": and I said, I see a rod of an almond tree;
a dry stick, without leaves or fruit upon it, and yet he knew it to be an almond tree stick; though some think it had leaves and fruit on it, by which it was known. The Targum is,

``and I said, a king hastening to do evil I see;''

meaning Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, hastening to bring destruction upon the Jews.

Jeremiah 1:11 In-Context

9 Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me, "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

10 "See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant."

11 The word of the LORD came to me saying, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" And I said, "I see a rod of an almond tree."

12 Then the LORD said to me, "You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it."

13 The word of the LORD came to me a second time saying, "What do you see?" And I said, "I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north."

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 24:3; Amos 7:8

Footnotes

• [a] Heb "shaqed"