The first of the two visions (verses 11-12) has a double function:
(1) it offers encouragement to Jeremiah in the carrying out of his mission;
(2) it is a warning to Jeremiah’s audience that the prophetic word will come true.

As stated above, most translations either drop the word And at the beginning of this verse or render it as “Then.”

For the word of the LORD came to me, saying, see the discussion at verse 4.

The LORD addresses Jeremiah by his name. In many languages the most natural position for this is before the question, as in Revised Standard Version, but some find it more natural after the question, as in “What do you see, Jeremiah?” Some drop it altogether.

I said is frequently used in Hebrew with the meaning “I answered” (Good News Translation, New English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible).

A rod of almond is in all probability less than clear to most English readers. Good News Translation translates “A branch of an almond tree,” and New International Version has “the branch of an almond tree.” New English Bible has “An almond in early bloom,” which is based upon the assumption that the almond tree is the first to “wake” (that is, “bloom”) at the close of the winter season. However, some scholars object to this interpretation for two reasons: (1) the text says nothing of a “blooming” branch, and (2) the Hebrew is said not to refer to a twig or branch or any other portion of a living tree. Although it is true that the Hebrew noun translated rod may be used without reference to the living part of a tree (Gen 32.10; 1Sam 17.40), it is just as true that it may be used of a branch or twig (Gen 30.37-39), and this may very well be its meaning here.

The Revised Standard Version footnote points out there is a wordplay in Hebrew between almond (shaqed) here and “watching” (shoqed) in verse 12. A number of translations indicate this by means of a footnote, though several attempt to introduce the play on words into the text: “Watchful Tree … watching over” (New Jerusalem Bible), “wake-tree … wakeful” (Moffatt), and “watching-tree … watching” (New American Bible). Perhaps the most successful in this regard is Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, which has Wacholderzweig (“juniper branch”) … wache (“watch”). Accompanying the translation is a note, indicating that Wacholder is literally Mandelbaum (“an almond tree”), which they point out is the first to bloom in the spring, giving the appearance not to have slept. Then they explain that just as Hebrew has a play on words between shaqed and shoqed, so in their translation they have made a play on words between Wacholder and wachen.

Not many languages will have the possibility of capturing this wordplay, however, and translators will usually render rod of almond as “branch of a tree called almond,” borrowing the word from the English or some other language that is familiar to them. Some will substitute a local tree that has fruit similar to the almond. In either case it will be helpful for readers to have a note on the similarity between the Hebrew name for this tree and the word meaning “watching.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .