Almond

"A native of Syria and Palestine. In form, blossoms, and fruit it" resembles the peach tree. Its blossoms are of a very pale pink "colour, and appear before its leaves. Its Hebrew name, shaked," "signifying "wakeful, hastening," is given to it on account of" "its putting forth its blossoms so early, generally in February," "and sometimes even in January. In Eccl. 12:5, it is referred to" "as illustrative, probably, of the haste with which old age" "comes. There are others, however, who still contend for the old" "interpretation here. "The almond tree bears its blossoms in the" "midst of winter, on a naked, leafless stem, and these blossoms" (reddish or flesh-coloured in the beginning) seem at the time of their fall exactly like white snow-flakes. In this way the "almond blossom is a very fitting symbol of old age, with its" "silvery hair and its wintry, dry, barren, unfruitful condition." "In Jer. 1:11 "I see a rod of an almond tree [shaked]...for I" "will hasten [shaked] my word to perform it" the word is used as" an emblem of promptitude. Jacob desired his sons (Gen. 43:11) to "take with them into Egypt of the best fruits of the land," "almonds, etc., as a present to Joseph, probably because this" tree was not a native of Egypt. Aaron's rod yielded almonds (Num. 17:8; Heb. 9:4). Moses was directed to make certain parts "of the candlestick for the ark of carved work "like unto" "almonds" (Ex. 25:33, 34). The Hebrew word luz, translated" "hazel in the Authorized Version (Gen. 30:37), is rendered in" "the Revised Version "almond." It is probable that luz denotes" "the wild almond, while shaked denotes the cultivated variety."