מַטֶּה

1. staff, rod, shaft.

2. branch.

3. tribe (Praed 48,2 staff, Praed 45,6; Praed 45,25 tribe); — absolute ׳מ 1 Mos 38,25 +; construct מַטַּה 2 Mos 4,20 +; suffix מַטְּךָ 1 Mos 38,18 + 5 t., מַטֶּ֑ךָ 2 Mos 8,1, מַטֵּ֫הוּ Es 10,24 + 10 t.; plural מַטּוֺת 1 Kong 8,1 +, etc.; suffix מַטּוֺחָם 2 Mos 7,12; 4 Mos 17,21 also מַטָּיו Hab 3,14 (but read מַטֶּיךָ or — Gr — מַטֹּתֶיךָ); —

1. (compare מַקֵּל, שֵׁבֶט) staff of traveller 1 Mos 38,18; 1 Mos 38,25 (J); in general Es 10,15 (simile; || שֵׁבֶט); from staff as support comes figurative מַטֵּהלֶֿחֶם staff of bread (food supply) Ezk 4,16; Ezk 5,16; Ezk 14,13; 3 Mos 26,26; Sl 105,16 of staff or rod, Moses as shepherd 2 Mos 4,2; 2 Mos 4,4; 2 Mos 7,15 (J), 2 Mos 4,17; 2 Mos 7,17; 2 Mos 7,20; 2 Mos 9,23; 2 Mos 10,13; 2 Mos 17,5 (all E); compare also Es 10,26; 2 Mos 14,16; 4 Mos 20,8; 4 Mos 20,9; 4 Mos 20,11 (all P); called הָאֱלֹהִים ׳מ 2 Mos 4,20; 2 Mos 17,9 (both E), because of miraculous power connected with it; compare mirac. rod of Aaron 2 Mos 7,9; 2 Mos 7,10; 2 Mos 7,12; 2 Mos 7,19; 2 Mos 8,1; 2 Mos 8,12; 2 Mos 8,13 (all P), and of Egyptian magicians 2 Mos 7,12 (twice in verse) (P); compare Aaron's rod that budded 4 Mos 17,18; 4 Mos 17,21; 4 Mos 17,23; 4 Mos 17,25 (compare RS^{Semitic i. 180; 2d ed. 197}); carried even by warrior 1 Sam 14,27; 1 Sam 14,43 מַטֵּה שִׁכְמוֺ Es 9,3 i.e. rod that strikes his shoulder, task-master's rod (|| שֵׁבֶט הַנֹּגֵשׂ בּוֺ), compare Es 10,5 and vEs 10,24; Es 14,5 (|| שֵׁבֶט), all figurative of oppression; מַטֵּה מוּסָדָה Es 30,32 appointed rod (of punishment); compare ׳מ Ezk 7,10; Ezk 7,11 (but text obscure, Co — q. v. — sceptre), also Mik 6,9 according to ᵑ0, but see below 3; used in beating out (חבט) fennel Es 28,27 staff as badge of leader or ruler מַטֵּהעֹֿז Jer 48,17 (|| מַקֵּל), compare Sl 110,2 so 4 Mos 17,17 (4 t. in verse) + 10 t. 4 Mos 17,1–200 apparently shafts, i.e. arrows or spears, Hab 3,9; Hab 3,14 (compare Now Da GASm).

2. branch of vine Ezk 19,11; Ezk 19,12; Ezk 19,14 (twice in verse).

3. tribe (183 t.), originally company led by chief with staff: specifically of tribes of Israel in both singular and plural, 1 Kong 7,14; 1 Kong 8,1 = 2 Kron 5,2; 2 Mos 31,2 + 5 t. Exodus; 3 Mos 24,11; 4 Mos 1,4 + 89 t. Numbers; Jos 7,1 + 56 t. Joshua (all P); 1 Kron 6,45 + 21 t. 1 Kron 6,1–200; 1 Kron 12,31 probably also Mik 6,9 (vocative; so ᵐ5 We Now GASm). — compare שֵׁבֶט, and on relation of these two words for tribe Hebrew usage Dr^{JPhoenician xi. (1882), 213 f}.