1 staff, rod, shaft.

2 branch.

3 tribe (Ecclus 48:2 staff, Ecclesiasticus 45:6; Ecclesiasticus 45:25 tribe); — absolute ׳מ Genesis 38:25 +; construct מַטַּה Exodus 4:20 +; suffix מַטְּךָ Genesis 38:18 5t., מַטֶּ֑ךָ Exodus 8:1, מַטֵּ֫הוּ Isaiah 10:24 10t.; plural מַטּוֺת 1 Kings 8:1 +, etc.; suffix מַטּוֺחָם Exodus 7:12; Numbers 17:21; also מַטָּיו Habakkuk 3:14 (but read מַטֶּיךָ or — Gr — מַטֹּתֶיךָ); —

1 (compare מַקֵּל, שֵׁבֶט) staff of traveller Genesis 38:18,25 (J); in General Isaiah 10:15 (simile; "" שֵׁבֶט); from staff as support comes figurative מַטֵּהלֶֿחֶם staff of bread (food supply) Ezekiel 4:16; Ezekiel 5:16; Ezekiel 14:13; Leviticus 26:26; Psalm 105:16; of staff or rod, Moses as shepherd Exodus 4:2,4; Exodus 7:15 (J), Exodus 4:17; Exodus 7:17,20; Exodus 9:23; Exodus 10:13; Exodus 17:5 (all E); compare also Isaiah 10:26; Exodus 14:16; Numbers 20:8,9,11 (all P); called הָאֱלֹהִים ׳מ Exodus 4:20; Exodus 17:9 (both E), because of miraculous power connected with it; compare mirac. rod of Aaron Exodus 7:9,10,12,19; Exodus 8:1; Exodus 8:12; Exodus 8:13 (all P), and of Egyptian magicians Exodus 7:12 (twice in verse) (P); compare Aaron's rod that budded Numbers 17:18; Numbers 17:21; Numbers 17:23; Numbers 17:25 (compare RS^{Semitic i. 180; 2d ed. 197}); carried even by warrior 1 Samuel 14:27,43; מַטֵּה שִׁכְמוֺ Isaiah 9:3 i.e. rod that strikes his shoulder, task-master's rod ("" שֵׁבֶט הַנֹּגֵשׂ בּוֺ), compare Isaiah 10:5 and Isaiah 10:24; Isaiah 14:5 ("" שֵׁבֶט), all figurative of oppression; מַטֵּה מוּסָדָה Isaiah 30:32 appointed rod (of punishment); compare ׳מ Ezekiel 7:10,11 (but text obscure, Co — q. v. — sceptre), also Micah 6:9 according to ᵑ0, but see below

3; used in beating out (חבט) fennel Isaiah 28:27; staff as badge of leader or ruler מַטֵּהעֹֿז Jeremiah 48:17 ("" מַקֵּל), compare Psalm 110:2; so Numbers 17:17 (4 t. in verse) + 10 t. Numbers 17; apparently shafts, i.e. arrows or spears, Habakkuk 3:9,14 (compare Now Da GASm).

2 branch of vine Ezekiel 19:11,12,14 (twice in verse).

3 tribe (183 t.), originally company led by chief with staff: specifically of tribes of Israel in both singular and plural, 1 Kings 7:14; 1 Kings 8:1 2Chronicles 5:2; Exodus 31:2 5t. Exodus; Leviticus 24:11; Numbers 1:4 89t. Numbers; Joshua 7:1 56t. Joshua (all P); 1 Chronicles 6:45 21t. 1 Chronicles 6; 1 Chronicles 12:31; probably also Micah 6:9 (vocative; so ᵐ5 We Now GASm). — compare שֵׁבֶט, and on relation of these two words for tribe Hebrew usage Dr^{JPhoenician xi. (1882), 213 f}.