Bible Strands
Jeremiah 1:11
And the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” “I see a branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The LORD addresses Jeremiah immediately after commissioning him over nations and kingdoms to uproot, tear down, destroy, overthrow, build, and plant.
The words — The Hebrew phrase מָה־אַתָּה רֹאֶה (mah-at tah ro'eh) literally translates to "what are you seeing?" and establishes the framework for the prophetic vision.
The thread — This "what do you see?" visionary encounter pattern appears in Amos 7:8 with a plumb line, Amos 8:2 with a basket of summer fruit, and Zechariah 5:2 with a flying scroll.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to recognize that prophetic authority begins with divine observation rather than human initiative, demanding immediate attention to what God places before the prophet.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.
Cross-references
- Amos 7:8 “Amos, what do you see?” asked the LORD. “A plumb line,” I replied. “Behold,” said the Lord, “I am setting a plumb line among My people Israel; I will no longer spare them:
- Amos 8:2 “Amos, what do you see?” He asked. “A basket of summer fruit,” I replied. So the LORD said to me, “The end has come for My people Israel; I will no longer spare them.”
- Zechariah 5:2 “What do you see?” asked the angel. “I see a flying scroll,” I replied, “twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide.”
- Jeremiah 24:3 “Jeremiah,” the LORD asked, “what do you see?” “Figs!” I replied. “The good figs are very good, but the bad figs are very bad, so bad they cannot be eaten.”
- Zechariah 4:2 “What do you see?” he asked. “I see a solid gold lampstand,” I replied, “with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven spouts to the lamps.
- Numbers 17:8 The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds.
- Ezekiel 7:10 Behold, the day is here! It has come! Doom has gone out, the rod has budded, arrogance has bloomed.