Meaning
Staff staf: Many Hebrew terms are represented by this word. The "staves" of the ark translate the word badh, literally, "a part," hence, branch, bar, etc. (Exod 25:13, Exod 25:14, Exod 25:15, Exod 25:27, Exod 25:28, etc.). Other words, as matteh, maqqel, shebhet, used of the staff in the hand, the shepherd's staff, figuratively, "staff of bread" (matteh, Ezek 4:16, Ezek 5:16, Ezek 14:13), as indispensable for support of life, are dealt with under ROD (which see). The New Testament word is rhabdos (Mt 10:10 parallel Luke 9:3, Heb 11:21).
See also SCEPTRE.
