( מקּל , maḳḳēl , מטּה , maṭṭeh , שׁבט , shēbheṭ ; ῥάβδος , rhábdos ): Little distinction can be drawn between the Hebrew words used for "rod" and "staff." Maḳḳēl is the word used in Genesis 30:37 ff for the twigs of poplar put by Jacob before his sheep, and in Jeremiah 1:11 of the "rod of an almond-tree." Maṭṭēh is used of a rod in the hand, as the "rods" of Moses and of Aaron (Exodus 4:2 ff; Exodus 7:9 ff, etc.). Shēbheṭ is used, but sometimes also maṭṭeh , of the rod used for correction (Exodus 21:20; 2 Samuel 7:14; Proverbs 10:13; Proverbs 13:24; Isaiah 10:5 , etc.). In Psalm 23:4 ("Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me"), however, shēbheṭ is the shepherd's rod, figurative of divine guidance and care. In Ezekiel 21:10 , Ezekiel 21:13 , the word stands for the royal scepter. In the New Testament "rod" is used of a rod of correction (1 Corinthians 4:21 ), Aaron's rod (Hebrews 9:4 ), a ruler's rod "of iron" (severity, as in Revelation 2:27; Revelation 12:5; Revelation 19:15 ), a measuring rod (Revelation 11:1 ). See also ARMOR; ARMS .
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) was edited by James Orr, John Nuelsen, Edgar Mullins, Morris Evans, and Melvin Grove Kyle and was published complete in 1939. This web site includes the complete text.
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