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שֵׁבֶט

𐤔𐤁𐤈

shêbeṭ

H7626 noun

SILEX Entry

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).

Translation Consistency

primary "tribe" 45 occurrences

Most occurrences (combined 'tribes' + 'tribe') use the social/lineage sense; 'tribe' is the natural, common English rendering that covers clan/division senses while still allowing context-specific modifiers when the rod/staff sense appears.

Alternatives (5 occurrences):
"scepter" (2x) "rod" (2x) "tribal-divisions of" (1x)

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

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

שׁבט (shêbeṭ) — to strike, extend, branch off

Root שׁבט to strike, extend, branch off

Word Forms

34 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7626-23 שֵֽׁבֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch tribe 60
H7626-25 שִׁבְטֵ֣י shivetey HNcmpc tribes rods-of / tribal-branches-of tribes of 49
H7626-07 הַ/שְּׁבָטִ֣ים hashevatim HTd/Ncmpa the tribes the tribes the tribes 7
H7626-32 וְ/שֵׁ֖בֶט veshevet HC/Ncmsc and a rod staff-rod of and tribe of 6
H7626-02 בַּ/שֵּׁ֔בֶט bashevet HRd/Ncmsa with a rod with the rod with the rod 5
H7626-03 בְּ/שֵׁ֣בֶט beshevet HR/Ncmsc by the rod in the rod of by the rod 5
H7626-13 לְ/שִׁבְטֵי/כֶ֖ם leshiveteykhem HR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp according-to-your-tribes to your tribes to your tribes 5
H7626-26 שִׁבְטֵי/כֶ֗ם shiveteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your tribes your tribal-branches your tribes 5
H7626-10 לְ/שֵׁ֥בֶט leshevet HR/Ncmsa for correction to a staff to the tribe 4
H7626-01 בַּ/שָּׁ֑בֶט bashavet HRd/Ncmsa with a staff with the staff-rod with the staff 3

Occurrences in Scripture

190 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7626-23 Genesis 49:10 שֵׁ֨בֶט֙ shevet HNcmsa the scepter rod-branch scepter
H7626-25 Genesis 49:16 שִׁבְטֵ֥י shivetey HNcmpc of the tribes rods-of / tribal-branches-of tribes of
H7626-25 Genesis 49:28 שִׁבְטֵ֥י shivetey HNcmpc tribes rods-of / tribal-branches-of tribes of
H7626-02 Exodus 21:20 בַּ/שֵּׁ֔בֶט bashevet HRd/Ncmsa with a rod with the rod with the rod
H7626-25 Exodus 24:4 שִׁבְטֵ֥י shivetey HNcmpc tribes of rods-of / tribal-branches-of tribes of
H7626-19 Exodus 28:21 שָֽׁבֶט shavet HNcmsa tribes rod tribes
H7626-19 Exodus 39:14 שָֽׁבֶט shavet HNcmsa tribes rod tribe
H7626-06 Leviticus 27:32 הַ/שָּׁ֑בֶט hashavet HTd/Ncmsa the rod the staff-rod the rod
H7626-23 Numbers 4:18 שֵׁ֖בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-23 Numbers 18:2 שֵׁ֤בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-15 Numbers 24:2 לִ/שְׁבָטָ֑י/ו lishevatayv HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms according to his tribes to his tribes to his tribes
H7626-23 Numbers 24:17 שֵׁ֨בֶט֙ shevet HNcmsa a scepter rod-branch scepter
H7626-23 Numbers 32:33 שֵׁ֣בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-25 Numbers 36:3 שִׁבְטֵ֥י shivetey HNcmpc tribes of rods-of / tribal-branches-of tribes of
H7626-13 Deuteronomy 1:13 לְ/שִׁבְטֵי/כֶ֑ם leshiveteykhem HR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp for-tribes-your to your tribes to your tribes
H7626-26 Deuteronomy 1:15 שִׁבְטֵי/כֶ֗ם shiveteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your-tribes your tribal-branches your tribes
H7626-13 Deuteronomy 1:15 לְ/שִׁבְטֵי/כֶֽם leshiveteykhem HR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp for-your-tribes to your tribes to your tribes
H7626-09 Deuteronomy 1:23 לַ/שָּֽׁבֶט lashavet HRd/Ncmsa for the tribe to the staff-tribe for the tribe
H7626-23 Deuteronomy 3:13 שֵׁ֣בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-26 Deuteronomy 5:23 שִׁבְטֵי/כֶ֖ם shiveteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your tribes your tribal-branches your tribes
H7626-23 Deuteronomy 10:8 שֵׁ֣בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-26 Deuteronomy 12:5 שִׁבְטֵי/כֶ֔ם shiveteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp your tribes your tribal-branches your tribes
H7626-21 Deuteronomy 12:14 שְׁבָטֶ֔י/ךָ shevateykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms of your tribes your tribes of your tribes
H7626-16 Deuteronomy 16:18 לִ/שְׁבָטֶ֑י/ךָ lishevateykha HR/Ncmpc/Sp2ms for-your-tribes your tribes for your tribes
H7626-23 Deuteronomy 18:1 שֵׁ֧בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-21 Deuteronomy 18:5 שְׁבָטֶ֑י/ךָ shevateykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms your tribes your tribes your tribes
H7626-23 Deuteronomy 29:7 שֵׁ֥בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-26 Deuteronomy 29:9 שִׁבְטֵי/כֶ֗ם shiveteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp tribes of your tribal-branches your tribes
H7626-23 Deuteronomy 29:17 שֵׁ֗בֶט shevet HNcmsa tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-25 Deuteronomy 29:20 שִׁבְטֵ֣י shivetey HNcmpc tribes rods-of / tribal-branches-of tribes of
H7626-26 Deuteronomy 31:28 שִׁבְטֵי/כֶ֖ם shiveteykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp of your tribes your tribal-branches your tribes
H7626-25 Deuteronomy 33:5 שִׁבְטֵ֥י shivetey HNcmpc tribes rods-of / tribal-branches-of tribes of
H7626-23 Joshua 1:12 שֵׁ֣בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-18 Joshua 3:12 מִ/שִּׁבְטֵ֖י mishivetey HR/Ncmpc from the tribes from the tribal-rods of from the tribes of
H7626-09 Joshua 3:12 לַ/שָּֽׁבֶט lashavet HRd/Ncmsa for the tribe to the staff-tribe for the tribe
H7626-17 Joshua 4:2 מִ/שָּֽׁבֶט mishavet HR/Ncmsa from a tribe from a staff from a tribe
H7626-17 Joshua 4:4 מִ/שָּֽׁבֶט mishavet HR/Ncmsa from a tribe from a staff from a tribe
H7626-25 Joshua 4:5 שִׁבְטֵ֥י shivetey HNcmpc of the tribes rods-of / tribal-branches-of tribes of
H7626-25 Joshua 4:8 שִׁבְטֵ֣י shivetey HNcmpc the tribes of rods-of / tribal-branches-of tribes of
H7626-23 Joshua 4:12 שֵׁ֤בֶט shevet HNcmsc of the tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-13 Joshua 7:14 לְ/שִׁבְטֵי/כֶ֑ם leshiveteykhem HR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp according-to-your-tribes to your tribes to your tribes
H7626-08 Joshua 7:14 הַ/שֵּׁבֶט֩ hashevet HTd/Ncmsa the-tribe the staff-rod the tribe
H7626-15 Joshua 7:16 לִ/שְׁבָטָ֑י/ו lishevatayv HR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms by its tribes to his tribes by its tribes
H7626-23 Joshua 7:16 שֵׁ֥בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-12 Joshua 11:23 לְ/שִׁבְטֵי/הֶ֑ם leshiveteyhem HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp by their tribes to their tribes to their tribes
H7626-23 Joshua 12:6 שֵׁ֥בֶט shevet HNcmsc tribe rod-branch tribe
H7626-11 Joshua 12:7 לְ/שִׁבְטֵ֧י leshivetey HR/Ncmpc to the tribes of to the tribal-divisions of to the tribal-divisions of
H7626-07 Joshua 13:7 הַ/שְּׁבָטִ֑ים hashevatim HTd/Ncmpa the tribes the tribes the tribes
H7626-08 Joshua 13:7 הַ/שֵּׁ֥בֶט hashevet HTd/Ncmsa the tribe the staff-rod the tribe
H7626-10 Joshua 13:14 לְ/שֵׁ֣בֶט leshevet HR/Ncmsc to the tribe to a staff to the tribe
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