I will add these two commentary sources as well.
King James Bible Commentary
11–12. Two signs were given the prophet as sort of an outline of his prophetic ministry. The first was that of a rod of an almond tree. The Hebrew name for almond is wakeful; it is the first tree in Palestine to wake from its winter sleep, beginning to blossom in January. God interprets this symbol in verse 12 as the certain fulfillment of His Word. Jeremiah uses a play on similar sounding words here between almond tree (Heb shagēd) and I will hasten (Heb shōqēd, meaning watchover). To make this rod (Heb maqēl, stick or branch) a rod of correction, as do some commentators (cf. Lange pp. 22–23 and Keil pp. 42–43), seems to force the meaning. The symbol of the almond rod or branch was intended only to assure the prophet of the certain fulfillment of his prophecies. The contents of his preaching-judgment would be illustrated by the second symbol. ~Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 1431). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
King James Version Study Bible
1:11, 12. There is a play on sounds here in the Hebrew text. The word translated almond (shaqēd) has the same root as the word rendered hasten (shōqēd). As the early blossoming almond tree gave promise of the later spring fruit, so God would watch over His word to bring it to fruition. ~King James Version study Bible . (1997) Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Perhaps this should be considered too? The first known use of "hasten" was in 1563. I wonder what that word actually meant back then
For instance, if we were alive in 1611 England and I said, "that woman is really cute", you would have understood me to mean, "that woman is really bowlegged".
The meaning of many other words have changed, to one degree or another, over time
(though "hasten", from what I've been able to discover, does not appear to be one of them). Does anyone know anything more about its etymology?
Thanks!
~Deut