Staff

See ROD.

STAFF.—Two different words occurring in the Gospels are rendered ‘staff’ in Authorized and Revised Versions .—(1) ῥάβδος, (2) ξύλον.

1. Only once is ῥάβδος found in the Gospels, viz. in the Synoptic account of the instructions given by Jesus to the Twelve as He sent them on their mission (Mar 6:8 = Mat 10:10 = Luk 9:3). It denotes, of course, the ordinary walking-staff of the traveller, which, as used in the East, is somewhat longer than the walking-stick we know, and is simply a long, slightly-tapering rod, serviceable for support and for defence.

The main interest of the reference to the staff in the connexion above mentioned lies in the textual difference exhibited by the parallel passages. The instruction as given in Mar 6:8 was that the Twelve were to take nothing with them, ‘except a staff only’ (εἰ μὴ ῥάβδον μόνον); whereas, according to Mt. (μηδὲ ῥάβδον) and Lk. (μήτε ῥάβδον), they were to take nothing at all, not even a staff. Wright cites this in suppport of a suggestion that Mt. and Lk. were ‘affected by the tendency to expect exceptional severity in the case of religious teachers’ (Synopsis, p. 57). But perhaps it is adequately explained as due at first to a mere copyist’s assimilation to the other negative items that occur. In both Mt. and Lk., again, there is a v. 1. in some Manuscripts which gives the plural ῥάβδους, ‘neither staves.’ This variant is not necessarily to be ascribed to a set purpose to afford a loophole for harmonizing the accounts. The Authorized Version , however, reading ‘staves’ in both cases, lies open to suspicion on this point; for in Mat 10:10 it gives ‘nor yet staves,’ with the extraordinary marginal note ‘Gr. a staff,’ showing that their text actually read ῥάβδον. So the way is left open for the puerile suggestion that the accounts are consistent, inasmuch as Jesus meant that His disciples were not to take more than one staff each! Yet Wyclif’s earlier version (following the Vulgate ) had rendered ‘nether a yerde’ in Mat 10:10 (similarly Luk 9:3), careless of the discrepancy with Mar 6:8 (‘but a yerde oneli’). Cf. Tindale in Mat 10:10 ‘nor yet a rodde.’ The superiority of Mk.’s account is self-evident: there is a touch of perfect naturalness about it.

2. The ξύλον mentioned in Mar 14:43 (|| Mat 26:47, and see Luk 22:52), like the sword, is distinctly a weapon. Joh 18:3 uses the general expression ὅπλα. The ξύλα (Authorized and Revised Versions ‘staves’) were the wooden truncheons or clubs of the Jewish police (ὑπηρέται). Josephus (BJ ii. ix. 4) mentions them as weapons used by Pilate’s soldiers in attacking a crowd of Jews at Jerusalem.

J. S. Clemens.

("shebeṭ," "maṭṭch," etc.):

By: Emil G. Hirsch, Immanuel Benzinger

Herodotus (i. 195) and Strabo (xvi. 746) assert that among the Babylonians every man carried a ring and a staff, which latter was decorated at the upper end with a carved representation of a flower or something similar. It seems to have been the universal custom among the ancient Hebrews also to carry a staff (comp. Gen. xxxviii. 18)—a custom which perhaps dates from the time when they lived the nomadic life of herdsmen. The staff was indispensable to the herdsman, for by means of it he kept his flock together (Ex. iv. 2; Lev. xxvii. 32; Ps. xxiii. 4; Micah vii. 14; Zech. ii. 7); the upper end of the long staff was bent, as Egyptian illustrations indicate. Nor was the staff to be despised as a weapon (Ps. xxiii. 4). Similarly, a long, perhaps straight, stick, with a goad at the end, was used by the peasants for driving and guiding the oxen before the plow, and also for breaking the clods behind it, as the peasants still use the stick to-day; this also was an effective weapon (Judges iii. 31; I Sam. xiii. 21, xvii. 43). Finally, the staff was indispensable to the wanderer, and a support to the weak and sick (Gen. xxxii. 10; Ex. xxi. 19; Zech. viii. 4). In the hands of the overseers it became an instrument of punishment, and therefore a badge of office (Isa. ix. 4, xxx. 31, et al.).

STAFF.—See Rod, Sceptre.

staf: Many Hebrew terms are represented by this word. The “staves” of the ark translate the word בּד, badh, literally, “a part,” hence, branch, bar, etc. (Exo 25:13, Exo 25:14, Exo 25:15, Exo 25:27, Exo 25:28, etc.). Other words, as maṭṭeh, maḳḳēl, shēbhet, used of the staff in the hand, the shepherd’s staff, figuratively, “staff of bread” (maṭṭeh, Eze 4:16; Eze 5:16; Eze 14:13), as indispensable for support of life, are dealt with under ROD (which see). The New Testament word is ῥάβδος, rhábdos (Mat 10:10 parallel Luk 9:3; Heb 11:21). See also SCEPTRE.

The word ῥÜâäïò is translated ‘sceptre’ in Heb_1:8 and ‘rod’ in Heb_9:4, 1Co_4:21, Rev_2:27, etc. In Heb_11:21, ‘Jacob … worshipped [leaning] upon the top of his staff.’ The reference is to the act of the patriarch when he received the solemn oath of Joseph, that he would bury him with his fathers (‘Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head,’ Gen_47:31). In Hebrews the words are an exact quotation from the Septuagint . The difference of translation has arisen from the different ways of vocalizing îèּä. The Septuagint read it as îַèָּä, ‘staff,’ and the Massoretes as îִèָּä, ‘bed.’ The question is, Which is the more likely to be right? The date of the Septuagint is uncertain (see Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) , article ‘Septuagint’), and the rise of the Massoretic system of vocalization is even more obscure (see Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) iv. 730a). It is not improbable that the Septuagint gives an earlier and more correct interpretation. The phrase ‘bed’s head’ is both curious and difficult. It suggests ideas which are associated with an early Victorian ‘four-poster,’ and are quite out of place in relation to a bed in the East (see Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) , article ‘Bed’). Usually the bed was laid on the floor or on a low platform, but sometimes a slight portable frame was used (2Sa_3:31). There is a reference to the head of a bed in 1Sa_19:13, The bed’s head may simply mean the place where the pillow was laid. Dillmann and Driver (Comm. on Genesis) accept the reading of the Massoretic text. To get over the difficulty, Cheyne (Encyclopaedia Biblica , article ‘Staff’) suggests that øàù, ‘head,’ should be read as öָøָùׂ, ‘couch.’ There is no difficulty of interpretation if the Septuagint is followed: Jacob may have stood up to receive the oath of Joseph. Equally it may be said that there is no difficulty if the bed or couch had an end which might be called its ‘head,’ and that Jacob leaned upon it. It is impossible to decide whether ‘staff’ or ‘bed’ is right, but the fact that the Septuagint is the oldest commentary on the Hebrew Bible makes its reading the more probable.

Literature.-Comm. on Genesis by A. Dillmann (1897), S. R. Driver (Westminster Com., 1904), and J. Skinner (International Critical Commentary , 1910) in loc.; F. Rendall, Com. on Hebrews, 1883; Encyclopaedia Biblica , article ‘Staff’; Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) , articles ‘Bed,’ ‘Rod,’ ‘Sceptre’; Smith’s Dict. of the Bible , article ‘Staff’; C Geikie, Hours with tits Bible, new ed. vi. [1884] 28n.

John Reid.

Exo 12:11 (c) The Lord’s people are pilgrims in this land of sin, sorrow and death. The staff is a sign or a figure of this transient character. It means that the friend was ready for the journey, and prepared to go. We are not to take the place of being citizens here as a finality in our lives.

Psa 23:4 (c) The rod is for the enemies, while the staff is for the protection and restfulness of the Christian. The staff represents GOD’s promises and the loving care of the Shepherd on which we lean and repose with confidence.

Isa 3:1 (b) The staff represents the means of protection and provision for Israel. Because of their disobedience the Lord is promising that He will remove all such blessings from that rebellious nation.

Isa 9:4 (c) We may learn from this that the Lord promised to His people complete deliverance from the burdens imposed by oppressing conquerors, the neighboring nations, so that they would be set free from oppression. Since the coming of CHRIST is prophesied in verse 6, we probably may believe that He is teaching us that because the Saviour comes into the life, the soul is set free from the bondage of Satan and the oppressing power of sin.

Isa 10:5, Isa 10:15 (c) In this case the staff represents the Assyrian who would be used by the Lord to punish His people Israel. However, He would not permit the Assyrians to boast of their power and victories, for they were only an instrument in the hand of a righteous GOD.

Isa 14:5 (b) The broken staff tells the story of the power of GOD to conquer the enemies of Israel, and to prevent them from injuring His people.

Isa 30:32 (c) We may learn from this strange passage that the Lord will conquer the Assyrians, and in every place where this enemy has conquered Israel the suffering shall be replaced with the blessing of GOD, and with musical instruments.

Jer 48:17 (b) Moab had been a very strong, vigorous nation occupying a beautiful site. Now GOD’s wrath was poured out upon that city, their armies whipped, their strongholds captured.

Eze 29:6 (a) Israel had leaned on Egypt for support, but Egypt failed them and did not give the succour and help that Israel expected.

Hos 4:12 (b) Evidently Israel was depending upon idols for help, and was following the counsel which they received from their divinations. These counsels led them into evil paths.

Zec 11:10-14 (b) These two staves indicate "authoritative rule and abounding resources." The stave called "beauty" represents GOD’s infinite love and wonderful grace toward His people Israel. He broke this staff to show Israel He was now no longer intending to deal with them kindly, but rather with severity. The breaking of the other staff, bands, revealed that He would now cease giving the necessary resources to these two countries and refuse to further provide for them, or protect them.