Rods and Staffs

מַטֶּה251 n.m. Ex 4:17 (f. Mi 6:9 according to MT, but dub., v. infr.) 1. staff, rod, shaft. 2. branch. 3. tribe (Ecclus 48:2 staff, 45:6, 25 tribe);—abs. מ׳ Gn 38:25 +; cstr. מַטֵּה Ex 4:20 +; sf. מַטְּךָ Gn 38:18 + 5 times, מַטֶּ֑ךָ Ex 8:1, מַטֵּ֫הוּ Is 10:24 + 10 times; pl. מַטּוֹת 1 K 8:1 +, etc.; sf. מַטּוֹתָם Ex 7:12 Nu 17:21; also מַטָּיו Hb 3:14 (but read מַטֶּיךָ, or—Gr—מַטֹּתֶיךָ);— 1. (cf. מַקֵּל, שֵׁבֶט) staff of traveller Gn 38:18, 25 (J); in gen. Is 10:15 (sim.; ‖ שֵׁבֶט); from staff as support comes fig. מַטֵּה־לֶחֶם staff of bread (food supply) Ez 4:16; 5:16; 14:13; Lv 26:26 ψ 105:16; of staff or rod, Moses as shepherd Ex 4:2, 4; 7:15 (J), 4:17; 7:17, 20; 9:23; 10:13; 17:5 (all E); cf. also Is 10:26; Ex 14:16; Nu 20:8, 9, 11 (all P); called מ׳ הָאֱלֹהִים Ex 4:20; 17:9 (both E), because of miraculous power connected with it; cf. mirac. rod of Aaron 7:9, 10, 12, 19; 8:1, 12, 13 (all P), and of Egyptian magicians 7:12(×2) (P); cf. Aaron’s rod that budded Nu 17:18, 21, 23, 25 (cf. RSSem. i. 180; 2d ed. 197); carried even by warrior 1 S 14:27, 43; מַטֵּה שִׁכְמוֹ Is 9:3 i.e. rod that strikes his shoulder, task-master’s rod (‖ שֵׁבֶט הַנֹּגֵשׂ בּוֹ), cf. 10:5 and v 24 14:5 (‖ שֵׁבֶט), all fig. of oppression; מַטֵּה מוּסָדָה 30:32 appointed rod (of punishment); cf. מ׳ Ez 7:10, 11 (but text obscure, Co—q.v.—sceptre), also Mi 6:9 according to MT, but v. sub 3; used in beating out (חבט) fennel Is 28:27; staff as badge of leader or ruler מַטֵּה־עֹז Je 48:17 (‖ מַקֵּל), cf. ψ 110:2; so Nu 17:17(×4) + 10 times Nu 17; appar. shafts, i.e. arrows or spears, Hb 3:9, 14 (cf. Now Da GASm). †2. branch of vine Ez 19:11, 12, 14(×2). 3. tribe (183 times), orig. company led by chief with staff: specif. of tribes of Isr. in both sg. and pl., 1 K 7:14; 8:1 = 2 Ch 5:2, Ex 31:2 + 5 times Ex; Lv 24:11; Nu 1:4 + 89 times Nu; Jos 7:1 + 56 times Jos (all P); 1 Ch 6:45 + 21 times 1 Ch 6, 12:31; prob. also Mi 6:9 (vocative; so 𝔊 We Now GASm).—Cf. שֵׁ֫בֶט" dir="rtl" >שֵׁבֶט, and on relation of these two words for tribe in Hebr. usage Dr JPh. xi. (1882), 213 f.

II. בַּד, בָ֑ד n.m. separation concr. part (بِدٌّ, بِدَّةٌ portion)—sf. (always with לְ) לְבַדִּי, לְבַדּוֹ etc., 3 f. pl. †Gn 21:28 לְבַדְּהֶן, v 29 לְבַדָּ֫נָה;— 1. with לְ, only in sg., לְבַד proposes in a state of (v sub לְ) separation, alone, by itself (Fr à part). a. Ex 26:9 (= 36:16) five curtains לְבַד by themselves, and six curtains לְבַד by themselves, Ju 7:5 him shalt thou set לבד apart, Zc 12:12–14. b. with sf. (89 times) to express the idea of by oneself, alone (proposes in his, thy, my separation), Gn 2:18 it is not good for man to be לְבַדּוֹ alone, 21:28 and A. set the seven lambs לְבַדְּהֶן by themselves (lit. in their separation), 32:17; 43:32; 2 S 10:8; Is 5:8; Gn 42:38 הוּא לְבַדּוֹ he alone, Ex 18:14 אַתָּה לְבַדְּךָ thou alone, Nu 11:14 אָנֹכִי לְבַדִּי I alone, 1 K 19:10, 14; Dt 8:3 not upon bread alone, 29:13; 2 S 13:32; 18:24; Is 44:24; 49:21; 63:3 +; after an oblique case, as a dat. Ex 22:19; Ju 3:20 ψ 51:6 לְךָ לְבַדְּךָ against thee alone have I sinned; a genit. 71:16 I will make mention of צִדְקָֽתְךָ לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃ the righteousness of thee alone. c. as adv. of limitation, †Is 26:13 only through thee do we celebrate thy name, Ex 7:29. d. followed by מִן it becomes a prep., apart from, besides, Ex 12:37; Nu 29:39; Dt 3:5; 18:8 (read מִמְּכָרָיו with 𝔊 𝔖 𝔗 Aq Ew Di) Ju 8:26; 20:15 al. (15 times); once, Ezr 1:6, with עַל instead of מִן. e. מִלְּבַד33 (prob. inverted for לְבַד מִן) besides (chiefly P and late): Gn 26:1; 46:26; Lv 9:17; 23:38 (4 times) Nu 5:8; 6:21; 17:14 + 12 times Nu 28–29; Dt 28:69; Jos 22:29; 1 K 10:13; 1 Ch 3:9; 2 Ch 9:12; 17:19; 31:16; Ezr 2:65 = Ne 7:67; Dn 11:4. With sf. †Dt 4:35 אֵין עוֹד מִלְּבַדּוֹ there is none else besides him (cf. מִבַּלְעָדַי Is 45:21). †2. concr. part Ex 30:34 (P) בַּד בְּבַד יִהְיֶה part for (i.e. like; cf. בְּ III. 3 end) part shall it be. †3. בַּדִּים parts, spec. extended from something, i.e. (a) of a body, members, limbs Jb 18:13 (of man), 41:4 (of crocodile); (b) of a vine, rods or shoots Ez 17:6; 19:14; (c) of poles or staves used for carrying the ark Ex 25:13, 14, 15; 35:12; 37:4, 5; 39:35; 40:20; Nu 4:6 1 K 8:7, 8(×2) (= 2 Ch 5:8, 9(×2)) or table of shewbread Ex 25:27, 28; 35:13; 37:14, 15; Nu 4:8, or altar of B. O. Ex 27:6(×2), 7(×2); 35:16; 38:5, 6, 7; 39:39 Nu 4:14, or altar of incense Ex 30:4, 5; 35:15; 37:27, 28; Nu 4:11; (d) more gen. bars (of fortress) Ho 11:6, (of a gate) Jb 17:16 fig. בַּדֵּי שְׁאֹל (cf. Is 38:10). read הַעִמָּדִי (for בַּדֵּי) 𝔊 Du Dr, with נֵחָ֑ת in v b (for נָ֫חַת).

שֵׁ֫בֶט189 n.m. Nu 24:17 (f. Ez 21:15, 18 but corrupt): 1. rod, staff, club, sceptre. 2. tribe;—שׁ׳ abs. Gn 49:10 +, cstr. 1 S 10:20 +; שָׁ֑בֶט Dt 1:23 +; sf. שִׁבְטוֹ Ju 21:24 +, etc.; pl. שְׁבָטִים 1 K 11:31 +, cstr. שִׁבְטֵי Gn 49:16 +, sf. שְׁבָטֶיךָ Dt 12:14 +, etc.;— †1. a. rod, staff (evidently common article), for smiting (especially הִכָּה בַשּׁ׳) Ex 21:20 (E), Mi 4:14; Is 10:15 (in sim.; ‖ מַטֶּה), Pr 10:13 +; שׁ׳ מוּסָר 22:15, cf. 29:15; for beating (חָבַט) cummin Is 28:27 (‖ מַטֶּה); as (inferior) weapon (opp. חֲנִית 2 S 23:21 = 1 Ch 11:23 (cf. מַקֵּל 1 S 17:40, 43); fig. of י׳’s chastisement: national Is 10:24; 30:31 (both ‖ מַטֶּה), 14:29, שׁ׳ אַפִּי 10:5, שׁ׳ עֶבְרָתוֹ La 3:1; individual Jb 9:34; 21:9 (שׁ׳ אֱלוֹהַּ), 37:13, 2 S 7:14 (שׁ׳ אֲנָשִׁים, i.e. not in-human), ψ 89:33 (both ‖ נְנָעִים). b. shaft, i.e. spear, dart, 2 S 18:14, but שְׁלָתִים, 𝔊 βέλη, Th We Kit HPS Bu. c. shepherd’s implement, club, ψ 23:4 (‖ מִשְׁעֶנֶת), רֶעֵה בְשׁ׳ Mi 7:14 (both fig. of י׳); used in mustering or counting sheep Ez 20:37 (fig.), Lv 27:32 (cf. Je 33:13), v. MackieHast.DB rod. d. truncheon, sceptre, mark of authority, שׁ׳ סֹפֵר Ju 5:14, שׁ׳ מֹשְׁלִים Is 14:5 (‖ מַטֶּה), Gn 49:10 (poem in J; ‖ מְחֹקֵק), Zc 10:11 ψ 45:7(×2) Ez 19:11, 14 (made from a branch, מַטֶּה); a ruler is תּוֹמֵךְ שׁ׳ Am 1:5, 8; as symbol of conquest Nu 24:17 (JE); שׁ׳ בַּרְזֶל ψ 2:9 (of Mess. king); שׁ׳ הָרֶשַׁע 125:3; שׁ׳ עֶבְרָתוֹ Pr 22:8 (si vera l., cf. Frankenb. Toy).—Vid. מַטֶּה²" dir="rtl" >מַטֶּה, מקֵּל" dir="rtl" >מַקֵּל, מִשְׁעָן" dir="rtl" >מִשְׁעֶנֶת. 2.145 tribe (syn. מַטֶּה q.v. 3, p. 641b), especially a. of (12) tribes of Israel, Gn 49:16, 28 (poem in J), Dt 33:5 (poem), Ex 24:4 (E), + often [JE 13 times, D 28 times (מַטֶּה not JED), P 9 times (cf. Gray Nu 4:18; מ׳ 150 times + in P); Ju 15 times (never מ׳) S 14 times (never מ׳), K 13 times (מ׳ 2 times), Chr 15 times (מ׳ 23 times), ψψ 7 times (never מ׳), proph. 16 times (מ׳ †Hb 3:9, very dub.)]; Ju 20:12; 1 S 9:21 read שֵׁבֶט (or שִׁבְטִי Ges§ 90 1, We Sta§ 343 e Dr, for שִׁבְטֵי), Vrss (GFM Ju); שִׁבְטֵי־יָהּ ψ 122:4; שִׁבְטֵי נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ Is 63:17. b. sg. of people (of Judah, late) ψ 74:2, but Je 10:16 = 51:9 del. שׁ׳ נ׳ Gf Gie Du c. of subdivision of tribe, שׁ׳ מִשְׁפְּחוֹת וגו׳ Nu 4:18 (P).—2 S 7:7 read שֹׁפְטֵי (cf. v 11, ‖ 1 Ch 17:6, Ew Th We Dr HPS Bu al.).

† [חָקַק] vb. cut in, inscribe, decree (NH id., Aramaic חֲקַק, Zinj. חקק; Ph. id. Pt. Hiph.; Arabic حَقَّ be just, right, obligatory, also make or decide to be just, etc.; حَقٌّ justness, truth, necessity, obligation; Ethiopic ሕቅ: adj. moderate, sufficient; cf. also חקה)— Qal וְחַקּוֹתָ֫ Ez 4:1; sf. חַקֹּתִיךְ Is 49:16; Inf. sf. בְּחֻקּוֹ Pr 8:27; בְּחוּקוֹ Pr 8:29 (assim. to בְּשׂוּמוֹ); Imv. חֻקָּהּ Is 30:8; Pt. חֹקְקִי Is 22:16 (archaic ending Ges§ 90. 3a) pl. חֹקְקִים Is 10:1; cstr. חוֹקְקֵי Ju 5:9 (poss. Poʿel = מחוקקי with מְ omitted, v. Ges§ 52 (2), note 6); Pt. pass. pl. חֲקֻקִֿים Ez 23:14 (Co חקוקים);— 1. cut in, with בְּ, Is 22:16, of a dwelling-place = tomb, in a rock. 2. cut in or on, upon, engrave, inscribe, c. על on roll of a book Is 30:8; representation of city on brick (as in Babylonia) Ez 4:1; images on a wall Ez 23:14; fig. of Zion’s walls on palms of י׳ Is 49:16. 3. trace, mark out, a circle, c. על over the face of deep Pr 8:27; c. acc., foundations of earth v 29. 4. of a law, engrave, inscribe (on a tablet), fig. for enact, decree חקקים חקקי און Is 10:1 (‖ כתב עמל); חוֹקְקֵי ישׂראל poet. = commanders (v. Poʿel) Ju 5:9 (‖ מחקקים) v 14). Poʿel Impf. יְחוֹקְקוּ Pr 8:15; Pt. מְחֹקֵק Gn 49:10; Nu 21:18; Dt 33:21; sf. מְחֹקְקִי ψ 60:9; 108:9; מְחֹקְקֵנוּ Is 33:22; pl. מְחֹקְקִים Ju 5:14;—inscribe (as a law), enact (poet.): c. acc. צֶדֶק Pr 8:15 elsewhere pt. a. prescriber of laws, hence (as sovereign authority in a warlike clan) commander Dt 33:21 (of warlike tribe of Gad), Ju 5:14; Is 33:22 (of י׳; ‖ שֹׁפְטֵנוּ, מַלְכֵּנוּ). b. commander’s staff Gn 49:10 (‖ שֵׁבֶט), Nu 21:18 (both poet.), ψ 60:9 = 108:9. Pu. Pt. מְחֻקָּק that which is decreed Pr 31:5 (late). Hoph. Impf. יֻחָ֑קֿוּ Jb 19:23 inscribed in (בְּ) a book.

† מקֵּל n.m. Zc 11:7 (appar. f. Gn 30:37, where בָּהֶן, but Sam. בָּהֶם) rod, staff (√ dub.; Thes assumes √ מקל sprout; Schwally ZAW xi. 1891, 170 f. from קלל=shake, with ref. to oracle of the lot (cf. קִלְקַל בַּחִצִּים Ez 21:26); Ba ZMG xii. 1887, 616 gives √ קל, and comp. قُلَةٌ stick driven by another, in sport; Frä ZA iii. 52, comp. Ethiopic በቀልት growth, stem, palm-tree (interchange of ב and מ));—מ׳ abs. Nu 22:27; cstr. Je 1:11 + 2 times; מַקַּל Gn 30:37; sf. מַקְלִי 32:11 + 2 times; מַקְלוֹ 1 S 17:40 Ho 4:12; מַקֶּלְכֶם Ex 12:11; pl. abs. מַקְלוֹת Gn 30:37 + 6 times;— 1. branch of tree as rod, stick, used by Jacob in breeding his flocks, Gn 30:37 (מ׳ לִבְנֶה לַח), v 37, 38, 39, 41(×2); of symbolic rod (מ׳ שָׁקֵד almond-rod) in Jerem.’s vision Je 1:11; symbolic rods or staves, with names, used by proph. Zc 11:7, 10, 14; fig. of Moab מ׳ תִּפְאָרָת Je 48:17 (‖ מַטֵּה־עֹז). 2. staff, used in journeying Gn 32:11 Ex 12:11, 1 S 17:40 cf. v 43; carried even when riding Nu 22:27; so also מַקֵּל יָד Ez 39:9 (=riding-stick) according to Hi Da Berthol; מָגֵן, צִנָּה, קֶשֶׁת, חִצִּים, רֹמַח). 3. wand of diviner Ho 4:12.

ῥάβδος, ἡ, rod, wand, Refs 8th c.BC+; lighter than the βακτηρία or walking-stick, NT+5th c.BC+ __1 magic wand, as that of Circe, Refs 8th c.BC+; that with which Athena touched Odysseus, to restore his youthful appearance, χρυσείῃ ῥάβδῳ ἐπεμάσσατο Refs; that with which Hermes overpowers the senses of man, Refs 8th c.BC+; that with which Hades rules the ghosts, Refs 5th c.BC+; divining-rod, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 fishing-rod, Refs 8th c.BC+ __3 limed twig, for catching small birds, Refs 5th c.BC+ __4 shaft of a hunting-spear, Refs 5th c.BC+ __5 staff of office, like the earlier σκῆπτρον, LXX+5th c.BC+; carried by a βραβευτής, Refs 4th c.BC+ __6 wand borne by the ῥαψῳδός, τὸν ἐπὶ ῥάβδῳ μῦθον ὑφαινόμενον Refs 3rd c.BC+ according to the measure of his (Homer's) verses, Refs 5th c.BC+ __7 rod for chastisement, ῥ. κοσμοῦσα Refs 5th c.BC+; μάστιξ ἢ ῥ. riding-switch, Refs 5th c.BC+; ῥ. βοηλάτις ox-goad, Refs 2nd c.BC+: of the fasces of the Roman lictors, Refs 2nd c.BC+; πρὸς πέντε ῥάβδους, = Latin at (i.e. ad) quinque fasces (CILRefs 2nd c.AD+; compare ῥαβδονόμος, ῥαβδοῦχος. __8 shepherd's staff or crook, LXX __9 ῥ. κληρονομίας measuring-rod,LXX __10 stitch, ἔντοσθεν δὲ βοείας ῥάψε θαμειὰς χρυσείῃς ῥάβδοισι διηνεκέσιν περὶ κύκλον Refs 8th c.BC+ (unless it means rivets, studs). __II young shoot of some trees,Refs 4th c.BC+ __III streak or stripe on the skin of animals, διαποίκιλα ῥάβδοις Refs 4th c.BC+; of fish, Refs 4th c.BC+; of clothes, Refs 2nd c.AD+; fluting of a column, Refs 2nd c.BC+; of minerals, vein, Refs 4th c.BC+; streak or shaft of light, Refs 4th c.BC+ __IV in Grammars, __IV.1 line, verse, Refs 5th c.BC+ __IV.2 a critical mark, like{ὀβελός}, Refs 5th c.AD+ __IV.3 stroke forming a letter, Refs 4th c.BC+

† מוֹטָה n.f. pole, bar of yoke, mostly late (cf. מוֹט);—מ׳ Je 28:10 + 4 times; pl. מֹטוֹת etc., abs. Je 27:2 1 Ch 15:15; cstr. Ez 30:18 + 4 times;— 1. pole, pl., staves, for bearing ark 1 Ch 15:15. 2. bar of yoke, symb., of oppression Je 27:2 (‖ מוֹסֵרוֹת, cf. עֹל v 8, 11, 12), 28:10, 12 (cf. עֹל v 11); מ׳ עֵץ 28:13; מ׳ בַּרְזֶל v 13 (cf. עֹל v 14); fig. of oppression, Is 58:6, 9 Ez 30:18; cf. (thongs of yoke) אֲגֻדּוֹת מ׳ Is 58:6; מֹטֹת עֻלְּכֶם Lv 26:13 cf. Ez 34:27.—On form of yoke v. SchumacherZPV xii. 1889, 160, BenzArch. 207.

† מִשְׁעֶ֫נֶת n.f. staff;—abs. Ju 6:21; 2 K 4:31; cstr. 2 K 18:21 +; sf. מִשְׁעַנְתּוֹ Ex 21:19; Zc 8:4, etc.; pl. sf. מִשְׁעֲנֹתָם Nu 21:18;—staff, Ex 21:19 (E) Nu 21:18 (J) Ju 6:21; 2 K 4:29(×2) 31; Zc 8:4; fig. of political support, מִשְׁעֶנֶת הַקָּנֶה הָרָצוּץ 2 K 18:21 = Is 36:6, cf. Ez 29:6; of י׳ as shepherd ψ 23:4 (+ שֵׁבֶט).

† פֶּ֫לֶךְ n.[m.] 1. whirl of spindle. 2. district (proposes circle, circuit);—abs. פ׳ 2 S 3:29, פָּ֑לֶךְ Pr 31:19; cstr. פֶּלֶךְ Ne 3:9 +; sf. פִּלְכּוֹ v 17;— 1. whirl of spindle, 2 S 3:29 (prob., v. Dr), Pr 31:19 (‖ כִּישׁוֹר). 2. district, Ne 3:9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17(×2), 18.

† מוֹט n.[m.] shaking, pole, bar of yoke;—abs. מ׳ Nu 4:10 + 5 times; sf. מֹטֵ֫הוּ Na 1:13;— 1. a shaking, tottering (c. neg., of security) לֹא־יִתֵּן מ׳ לַצַּדִּיק ψ 55:23; לֹא נָתַן לַמּ׳ רַגְלֵנוּ ψ 66:9, cf. 121:3. 2. pole, or bar for carrying (named from springing motion) Nu 4:10, 12 cf. especially 13:23. 3. bar of yoke Na 1:13 (אֶשְׁבֹּר מֹטֵהוּ מֵעָלַיִךְ), fig. of oppression. Cf. following.

† שַׁרְבִֿיט n.m. sceptre (expanded from foreg., Ges§ 85 w);—only Est: abs. הַשּׁ׳ 5:2; cstr. שׁ׳ הַוָּהָב 4:11; 5:2; שַׁרְבִט הַוּ׳ 8:4.

ῥαβδ-ίζω, beat with a rod or stick, cudgel, NT+5th c.BC+; ῥ. δένδρα thresh trees, to bring down the fruit, Refs 4th c.BC+; ἐλάας Refs 4th c.BC+; ῥ. [κριθάς] thresh out barley, LXX; σῖτονLXX

† חֹ֫טֶר n.m. branch or twig, rod—metaph. abs. ח׳ branch, twig, Is 11:1 ויצא ח׳ מִגֶּזַע יִשָׁ֑י (‖ נֵצֶר); cstr. rod, בְּפִי־אֱוִיל חֹטֶר גַּאֲוָ֑ה Pr 14:3.