The almond tree — a swift guardian of God’s word

The almond tree is one of the modest trees in the Land of Israel. It is not very tall, its trunk does not grow large, and its leaves are small and not noticeable.

Despite its wide distribution in the Land of Israel and its high nutritional value, the almond was not included among the seven species that bless the land of Canaan in Deuteronomy 8:8. It also does not appear in any of the many parables in the Bible in which other trees, such as the cedar, the fig, the olive, and the grape are mentioned.

Despite its great modesty, the almond tree’s spectacular bloom is impossible to miss. In February, as winter draws to a close, its white flowers stand out from afar filling the heart with delight. This early blossoming is surprising in a season when spring still seems far away.

On the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat, we celebrate the holiday of Tu B'Shevat which is a holiday rooted in later tradition rather than the Bible. The almond tree, which blooms in the late winter or early spring, has become a symbol of Tu B'Shevat.

Still, the fruit of the almond tree is crucial in three strategic places in the Bible.

Jacob sends his sons to Egypt after their first return, marking the initial mention of it. Joseph implored them not to go back to Egypt without their younger brother, Benjamin. Given the severe famine in the Land of Canaan, he had no choice but to send them to Egypt again, this time with young Benjamin.  

To please the ruler, Jacob instructs them to bring along a gift of "a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds" (Gen 43:11). Since the almond tree does not grow in the Land of Egypt, Jacob tries to appease the ruler by sending him the special fruits of the Land of Canaan that are difficult to find in Egypt. At this point in the story, Jacob is unaware that the “ruler” is his son, Joseph. 

The next time we encounter the almond is in the Book of Numbers. In chapter 17, God uses a miracle to testify that he chose the tribe of Levi over the other tribes of Israel as His priests. All the 12 tribes’ leaders bring their rods to the Tent of the Covenant, and God shows His selection by having Aaron’s rod sprout buds and flowers, and within a day, the flowers ripen almond fruits. (Numbers 17:8).  

Of all the trees of Canaan, the almond is the first to bloom, already in the middle of winter, and the first to produce fruit. This is coherent with Aaron’s rod transforming into an almond and not to any other tree.

The next time the almond tree appears in the Bible is in the book of Jeremiah. Here again, we see the almond's swift attribute expressed, but with a twist.

Chapter 1 describes Jeremiah’s dedication as a prophet.

Jeremiah does not want to accept his call to be a prophet, arguing that he is too young and cannot speak well. God shows him two visions to convince him to carry out the task which was assigned to him.

The first vision is of our interest here. God asks Jeremiah: “What do you see?” and his answer: “I see a rod (dry branch) of an almond tree.” God’s response is: “You have seen well, for I am watching over My word to perform it” (Jeremiah 1:11-12)

What is the meaning of the almond tree here?

Jeremiah sees a dry branch. He immediately identifies it as a branch of an almond tree. How did he know? The almond tree is inconspicuous among the trees of Israel. During fall, its branches are bare, and it is hard to tell between an almond tree and any other tree. But Jeremiah recognizes that this is not just any dry branch but a branch of an almond. God’s response is: “You have seen well.” In other words God is saying, “Jeremiah, you have excellent discernment. If you can tell that this dry branch is of an almond, you will observe all the little details in the visions I will show you.”

The other interesting thing is what God adds: “for I am watching over My word to perform” it. Here there is a double meaning: the almond symbolizes swiftness. God brings it as a metaphor for His quick action to judge according to His word. But there is another aspect that only Hebrew readers may notice.

 Let’s repeat the verses with the Hebrew pronunciation: “I see a rod of an almond tree (shaked)” (v.11.) “You have seen well, for I am watching over (shoked) My word to perform it” (v.12). Shaked is “almond” in Hebrew. Shoked is the participle form of the verb “watch over.”

Both words come from the same root and sound very similar. There is a play on words here in which the almond, by its name, symbolizes the action of watching over God’s word.

The Bible mentions the almond tree several times. As we've highlighted, its most notable characteristics are, first, its humility, remaining largely unnoticed for most of the year, and second, its distinction as the first tree to blossom and bear fruit. Despite being excluded from the seven species that bless the land, the almond tree remains a symbol of Canaan.