<strong>STAFF</strong>. In the OT a number of terms are so tr. in all VSS, the most common being Heb. <span class="hebrew">בַּד</span>, <span class="gknumber">H963</span>, “a portion,” “part” and by extension a “staff,” “stave” and so it appears in the directions for the construction of the various articles for the Tabernacle in Exodus and Numbers, et al.<br /><br />

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Another word so tr. is Heb. <span class="hebrew">מִשְׁעֶ֫נֶת</span>, <span class="gknumber">H5475</span>, which means particularly a “support,” “crutch” as for the aged or infirm. A form of this term appears in <bibleref ref="Isa.3.1">Isaiah 3:1</bibleref> where it is contrasted with the masc. form of the same word, thus signifying all types of crutches or supports. In a few passages, <bibleref ref="2Sam.21.19">2 Samuel 21:19</bibleref>; <bibleref ref="2Sam.23.7">23:7</bibleref> and <bibleref ref="1Chr.20.5">1 Chronicles 20:5</bibleref>, the KJV trs. “staff” while RSV and most other VSS tr. “shaft.” The word in the text is the common Sem. word for “wood.”<br /><br />

There are a number of less common terms, most of which are minor orthographic or morphologic variations of those mentioned. In the NT, two words are so tr.; the one appears only in the narrative of the passion and signifies a weapon like the Eng. quarterstaff. It is the common Gr. term for wood, <span class="greek">ξυλον</span>. The other Gr. word, <span class="greek">ῥαβδος</span>, means “staff” of a hiker or wanderer (<bibleref ref="Matt.10.10">Matt 10:10</bibleref>). It is this term which appears most frequently in the LXX to represent the many Heb. terms and so in <bibleref ref="Heb.11.21">Hebrews 11:21</bibleref>.

<h2>International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)</h2>

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See also SCEPTRE.<br /><br />

Staff