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שֵׁבֶט

𐤔𐤁𐤈

shêbeṭ

H7626 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שׁבט to strike, extend, branch off

Definition

A staff or rod, typically wooden, used as a tool, weapon, symbol of authority, or instrument of discipline; by extension, a symbolic term for a group united by lineage, especially a tribal subdivision within the Israelite nation. The word denotes both a tangible object (staff, rod, scepter) and an abstract social or organizational division (clan, tribe).

Semantic Range

staff, rod (of authority or correction), scepter, club, stick (as weapon or tool), tribe, clan, division (of a nation or people), instrument of punishment or ruling

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root שׁבט (שׁ־ב־ט), whose core sense relates to striking or extending, possibly denoting that which is used to strike or that which extends from something else (i.e., a branch, rod, or staff). The word שֵׁבֶט retains both the concrete and metaphorical senses in its biblical usage. The root is not otherwise attested in Biblical Hebrew outside nominal forms related to staff/rod/tribe.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, שֵׁבֶט primarily has two major spheres of use: (1) as a physical staff, rod, or scepter—symbolizing power, authority, discipline, or guidance (e.g., the shepherd’s staff, the ruler’s scepter, or the rod of punishment); (2) as a designation for tribal subdivisions within Israel (e.g., the twelve tribal groups). The tribal use likely derives from the symbolic association of the staff/scepter as an emblem of leadership or identity for each group. In monarchic and post-exilic periods, the term persists for official organizational groups, sometimes retrospectively applied. The distinction between שֵׁבֶט (tribe, with a possible emphasis on unity or leadership) and מַטֶּה (also 'staff' or 'tribe,' often with connotations of branch or extension) is nuanced; some passages in the Torah and historical books prefer one term over the other depending on context or rhetorical emphasis. The English word 'tribe' successfully conveys the social organizing sense in most contexts, though in some passages (e.g., royal symbols, instruments of discipline), rendering as 'staff,' 'rod,' or 'scepter' is required. "Jew" or "Jewish tribe" should not be used for Israelite groups in early contexts. In prophetic literature, שֵׁבֶט can also be used metaphorically to signify divine punishment (the 'rod' wielded by foreign powers over Israel).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root probably meaning to branch off; a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan; [idiom] correction, dart, rod, sceptre, staff, tribe.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שׁבט (š-b-ṭ) — strike, extend, branch off

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3427 יָשַׁב rod-staff
H7625 שְׁבַט tribes of
H7674 שֶׁבֶת rod-staff
H7675 שֶׁבֶת staff-rod

Word Forms

34 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7626-23 שֵׁ֨בֶט֙ shevet HNcmsa tribe rod-branch 60
H7626-25 שִׁבְטֵ֥י shivetey HNcmpc tribes rods-of / tribal-branches-of 49
H7626-07 הַ/שְּׁבָטִ֑ים hashevatim HTd/Ncmpa the tribes the tribes 7
H7626-32 וְ/שֵׁ֖בֶט veshevet HC/Ncmsc and a rod staff-rod of 6
H7626-02 בַּ/שֵּׁ֔בֶט bashevet HRd/Ncmsa with a rod with the rod 5
H7626-03 בְּ/שֵׁ֥בֶט beshevet HR/Ncmsc by the rod in the rod of 5
H7626-13 לְ/שִׁבְטֵי/כֶ֑ם leshiveteykhem HR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp according-to-your-tribes to your tribes 5
H7626-26 שִׁבְטֵי/כֶ֗ם shiveteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your tribes your tribal-branches 5
H7626-10 לְ/שֵׁ֣בֶט leshevet HR/Ncmsc for correction to a staff 4
H7626-09 לַ/שָּֽׁבֶט lashavet HRd/Ncmsa for the tribe to the staff-tribe 3

Occurrences in Scripture

190 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7626-23 Genesis 49:10 שֵׁ֨בֶט֙ shevet HNcmsa the scepter rod-branch
H7626-25 Genesis 49:16 שִׁבְטֵ֥י shivetey HNcmpc of the tribes rods-of / tribal-branches-of
H7626-25 Genesis 49:28 שִׁבְטֵ֥י shivetey HNcmpc tribes rods-of / tribal-branches-of
H7626-02 Exodus 21:20 בַּ/שֵּׁ֔בֶט bashevet HRd/Ncmsa with a rod with the rod
H7626-25 Exodus 24:4 שִׁבְטֵ֥י shivetey HNcmpc tribes of rods-of / tribal-branches-of
H7626-19 Exodus 28:21 שָֽׁבֶט shavet HNcmsa tribes rod
H7626-19 Exodus 39:14 שָֽׁבֶט shavet HNcmsa tribes rod
H7626-06 Leviticus 27:32 הַ/שָּׁ֑בֶט hashavet HTd/Ncmsa the rod the staff-rod
H7626-23 Numbers 4:18 שֵׁ֖בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch
H7626-23 Numbers 18:2 שֵׁ֤בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch
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