Jeremiah 1:11

Jeremiah’s mission confirmed

11 The LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I said, "A branch of an almond^[a] 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, touched my mouth, and said to me, "I'm putting my words in your mouth.

10 This very day I appoint you over nations and empires, to dig up and pull down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant."

11 The LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?" I said, "A branch of an almond tree."

12 The LORD then said, "You are right, for I'm watching over my word until it is fulfilled."

13 The LORD asked me again, "What do you see?" I said, "A pot boiling over from the north."

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb shaqed