Almond in Biblical History

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Schaff's Bible Dictionary

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What is an Almond?
AL'MOND
(Amygdalus communis), a tree resembling the peach in size, leaf, flower, and fruit. The fruit is green, almost pulpless, and shrivels off in September, leaving the nuts, for which the tree is chiefly valued, and which the sons of Jacob carried down to the governor of Egypt, a country where almonds seem to have been rare. Gen 43:11. "Hazel," in Gen 30:37, probably denotes this tree. The bowls of the sacred candlestick were made like unto almonds, Ex 25:33, by which name of "almonds" English workmen to this day call the pieces of glass used to ornament branch candlesticks. Aaron's rod that budded yielded this fruit. Num 17:8. In January, before flowers appear on other trees, they adorn the naked twigs of the almond. Hence the allusion of the poet: "The hope, in dreams of a happier hour. That alights on Misery's brow, Springs out of the silvery almond-flower. That blooms on a leafless bough." The Hebrew name for this tree, doubtless suggested by its early blooming, means hasten, which explains Jer 1:11, Jer 1:12; "the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou ? And I said, I see a rod of an almond (hasten) tree. Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen; for I will hasten my word to perform it." The allusion in Eccl 12:5 is by some thought to refer to the beautiful resemblance of the almond tree when in blossom to a hoary head. But as these Almond. (From Wm. Smith.) flowers, though white in contrast with peach-bloom, are still pinkish, the opinion now prevails that " as the almond ushers in the spring, so do the signs referred to in the context indicate the hastening of old age and death."

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Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'almond' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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