Bible Dictionaries
Rod, Staff
Holman Bible Dictionary
Rod designates a straight, slender stick growing on (Jeremiah 1:11 ) or cut from (Genesis 30:37-41 ) a tree. Rod is sometimes used interchangeably with staff (Isaiah 10:5; Revelation 11:1 ). Elsewhere, rod designates a shorter, clublike stick (Psalm 23:4 ). Rods and staffs were used as walking sticks (Genesis 32:10 ), for defense (Psalm 23:4 ), for punishment (Exodus 21:20; Numbers 22:27; Proverbs 13:24; 1 Corinthians 4:21 ), and for measurement (Revelation 11:1 ). Rods and staffs were also used as symbols of prophetic (Exodus 4:2-4; Exodus 7:8-24; Judges 6:21 ), priestly (Numbers 17:1-10 ), and royal (Genesis 49:10 NRSV; Judges 5:14 NRSV; Jeremiah 48:17; Revelation 2:27 ) office.
Copyright Statement
These dictionary topics are from the Holman Bible Dictionary, published by Broadman & Holman, 1991. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Broadman & Holman.
Bibliography Information
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Rod, Staff'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hbd/r/rod-staff.html. 1991.