Lexical Summary shebat: Rod, staff, tribe Original Word: שְׁבַט Strong's Exhaustive Concordance tribe (Aramaic) corresponding to shebet; a clan -- tribe. see HEBREW shebet NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to shebet Definition a tribe NASB Translation tribes (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [שְׁבַט] noun masculine tribe (Biblical Hebrew שֵׁבֶט, √ שׁבט); — plural construct שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל Ezra 6:17. Topical Lexicon Occurrence The form שְׁבַט appears once, in Ezra 6:17, where it designates the “tribes” of Israel during the dedication of the rebuilt temple. Historical Context: The Second Temple Dedication Ezra 6 records the completion of Zerubbabel’s temple in 516 BC, a pivotal moment for the post-exilic community. The leaders present offerings “according to the number of the tribes of Israel” (Ezra 6:17). By using שְׁבַט, the Aramaic section of Ezra deliberately recalls Israel’s ancient tribal structure, signaling continuity with the nation that once worshiped in Solomon’s temple. This solitary use therefore anchors the ceremony in covenant memory at a time when identity could easily have been lost. Covenant Identity of the Twelve Tribes 1. Patriarchal foundations (Genesis 49). Throughout Scripture the tribes function as corporate expressions of God’s promise to Abraham. Ezra’s generation, though scattered and numerically diminished, still belongs to that unbroken line. The single occurrence of שְׁבַט thus bears disproportionate theological weight: every goat offered for sin represents one tribe, affirming that atonement is provided for the whole covenant people. Symbolic and Ministry Significance • Unity in diversity – Twelve distinct groups, one nation, one place of worship (Deuteronomy 12:5; Ezra 6:17). Foreshadowing in Redemptive History The tribal structure that re-emerges in Ezra points ahead to: Practical Implications for the Church 1. Corporate worship should preserve Scriptural memory; like Israel, congregations today testify to God’s faithfulness by remembering His acts. Key Cross-References Genesis 35:22–26; Numbers 1:44; 1 Kings 8:1; Ezekiel 48:30–35; Matthew 19:28; Acts 26:7; James 1:1. Forms and Transliterations שִׁבְטֵ֥י שבטי shivTei šiḇ·ṭê šiḇṭêLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |