{
  "id": "dict_000164",
  "term": "Almond",
  "slug": "almond",
  "letter": "A",
  "entry_type": "biblical_plant",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "A biblical tree and its fruit, noted both as a food source and for occasional symbolic use in Scripture.",
  "simple_one_line": "An almond is a biblical tree whose blossoms and branch are used in a few symbolic passages.",
  "tooltip_text": "A common biblical tree and nut; sometimes used in symbolic or decorative contexts.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "tabernacle",
    "lampstand",
    "Jeremiah",
    "watchfulness",
    "Ecclesiastes",
    "symbolism"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Acacia",
    "Acacia wood",
    "Blossom",
    "Tree",
    "Symbolism"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "The almond is a familiar tree in the biblical world. Scripture mentions it as a food source and also uses its blossoms and branches in symbolic settings, especially in the tabernacle and in Jeremiah’s calling vision.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "A biblical plant term referring to the almond tree and its nut, with limited but meaningful symbolic use in a few passages.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Common tree and nut in the ancient Near East.",
    "Almond blossoms decorate tabernacle furnishings.",
    "Jeremiah 1 uses an almond branch in a wordplay about the Lord’s watchfulness.",
    "Best treated as a biblical plant entry, not a major theological doctrine."
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "The almond is a common tree and food source in Scripture, but it also appears in a few symbolic contexts. Its blossoms are used in tabernacle design, and Jeremiah 1 employs an almond branch in a prophetic wordplay that highlights the Lord’s active oversight of His word. As a term, it is primarily botanical rather than doctrinal.",
  "description_academic_full": "The almond appears in Scripture as a familiar plant of the biblical world and as a source of food. More importantly for biblical interpretation, its blossoms are named in the craftsmanship of the tabernacle lampstand, where the flower-like almond motif contributes to the beauty and sanctity of the holy furnishings. In Jeremiah 1, the prophet sees an almond branch, and the Lord uses the image in a wordplay that points to His vigilance in watching over His word to perform it. The almond itself is not a distinct theological doctrine, but it carries limited symbolic value in these contexts. A dictionary entry should therefore treat it as a biblical plant with occasional interpretive significance rather than as a stand-alone theological concept.",
  "background_biblical_context": "Almonds were part of ordinary life in Israel and the surrounding region, so the term appears naturally in both practical and symbolic settings. The Bible’s strongest references are to almond-like blossoms on the tabernacle lampstand and to Jeremiah’s almond branch vision. In Ecclesiastes, the almond blossom is commonly understood as an image of aging and white hair, reflecting the fragility of human life.",
  "background_historical_context": "Almond trees were widespread in the ancient Near East and prized for their early blossoms and edible nuts. Their quick flowering made them a natural image for alertness or readiness. In biblical craftsmanship, almond-shaped ornamentation fit the aesthetic language of sacred design.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "In the Old Testament world, plants and flowers often carried literary force through resemblance and wordplay. The almond’s early blossoming made it a fitting emblem for wakefulness, which helps explain its use in Jeremiah. Jewish readers would also have recognized the almond as a practical and familiar tree, not an abstract religious symbol detached from ordinary life.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Exodus 25:33-34",
    "Exodus 37:19-20",
    "Numbers 17:8",
    "Jeremiah 1:11-12"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "Ecclesiastes 12:5"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Hebrew uses a related wordplay in Jeremiah 1:11-12 between the almond tree and the idea of watching or being alert. The biblical references are to the tree and its blossom rather than to a technical theological term.",
  "theological_significance": "The almond’s theological significance is limited and contextual. In Exodus, its blossom-shaped decoration contributes to the beauty and ordered symbolism of the tabernacle. In Jeremiah, the almond branch becomes a sign that God is watching over His word to fulfill it. The point is God’s faithfulness and vigilance, not the plant itself.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "This entry shows how Scripture can use ordinary created things as vehicles for meaningful symbolism without turning them into doctrines. The almond is a real plant first; its symbolic role is secondary and passage-specific.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Do not overread the almond as a universal symbol with fixed meanings across the Bible. Its significance depends on the specific context. The term is botanical and literary, not a category of doctrine.",
  "major_views_note": "Most readers and commentators treat the almond passages straightforwardly: Exodus uses almond imagery in sacred design, Jeremiah uses a Hebrew wordplay tied to divine watchfulness, and Ecclesiastes likely uses the blossom as an image of old age. There is no major doctrinal debate around the term itself.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "Do not build theology from the almond apart from the passages where it appears. Its symbolic use supports, but does not define, doctrines of God’s faithfulness, providence, or holiness.",
  "practical_significance": "The almond can remind readers that God uses ordinary things to communicate truth. Jeremiah 1 especially encourages confidence that God sees, speaks, and fulfills His word.",
  "meta_description": "Biblical almond: a common tree and nut mentioned in Scripture for food, tabernacle design, and Jeremiah’s wordplay on God’s watchfulness.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/almond/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/almond.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}