What does מַקֵּל (maqēl) mean in the Bible?
מַקֵּל (maqēl): Rod transitions from living shoot (growth) to tool wielding authority: striking, guiding, divining
Hebrew · H4731
מַקֵּל
A shoot , i.e. stick (with leaves on, or for walking, striking, guiding, divining)
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מַקֵּל H4731
Pronunciation maqēl
What does מַקֵּל (maqēl) mean in the Bible?
מַקֵּל (maqēl): Rod transitions from living shoot (growth) to tool wielding authority: striking, guiding, divining
Full entry for מַקֵּל (H4731) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4731?
The BSB source-word alignment has 18 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the branches (3), branches (2), staff (2), a branch (1), and their divining rods (1).
Where does מַקֵּל (maqēl) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 30:37. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (7), Zechariah (3), 1 Samuel (2), Jeremiah (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It the branches 3× Genesis 30:37, Genesis 30:39, Genesis 30:41
branches 2× Genesis 30:37, Genesis 30:38
staff 2× Jeremiah 48:17, Zechariah 11:14
a branch 1× Jeremiah 1:11
and their divining rods 1× Hosea 4:12
and your staff 1× Exodus 12:11
his staff 1× 1 Samuel 17:40
in front of the branches 1× Genesis 30:41
my staff 1× Zechariah 11:10
staffs 1× Zechariah 11:7
the clubs 1× Ezekiel 39:9
with his staff 1× Numbers 22:27
with only my staff 1× Genesis 32:10
with sticks 1× 1 Samuel 17:43
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 30:37 מַקַּ֥ל to branches Noun - masculine singular construct Genesis 30:37 הַמַּקְלֽוֹת׃ to the branches Article | Noun - masculine plural Genesis 30:38 הַמַּקְלוֹת֙ to branches Article | Noun - masculine plural Genesis 30:39 הַמַּקְל֑וֹת to the branches Article | Noun - masculine plural Genesis 30:41 הַמַּקְל֛וֹת to the branches Article | Noun - masculine plural Genesis 30:41 בַּמַּקְלֽוֹת׃ to in front of the branches Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural Genesis 32:10 בְמַקְלִ֗י to with only my staff Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Exodus 12:11 וּמַקֶּלְכֶ֖ם to and your staff Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural Numbers 22:27 בַּמַּקֵּֽל׃ to with his staff Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular 1 Samuel 17:40 מַקְל֜וֹ to his staff Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 30:37
Aligned rows 18
Books represented 8
Genesis 7 Exodus 1 Numbers 1 1 Samuel 2 Jeremiah 2 Ezekiel 1 Hosea 1 Zechariah 3
Source forms
בַּמַּקֵּֽל׃ 1x bam·maq·qêl Numbers 22:27
בַּמַּקְל֑וֹת 1x bam·maq·lō·wṯ 1 Samuel 17:43
בַּמַּקְלֽוֹת׃ 1x bam·maq·lō·wṯ Genesis 30:41
בְמַקְלִ֗י 1x ḇə·maq·lî Genesis 32:10
הַמַּקְלוֹת֙ 1x ham·maq·lō·wṯ Genesis 30:38
הַמַּקְל֑וֹת 1x ham·maq·lō·wṯ Genesis 30:39
הַמַּקְל֛וֹת 1x ham·maq·lō·wṯ Genesis 30:41
הַמַּקְלֽוֹת׃ 1x ham·maq·lō·wṯ Genesis 30:37
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - masculine plural 4x Genesis 30:37, Genesis 30:38, Genesis 30:39, Genesis 30:41
Noun - masculine singular construct 3x Genesis 30:37, Jeremiah 1:11, Jeremiah 48:17
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular 2x Zechariah 11:10, Zechariah 11:14
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural 2x Genesis 30:41, 1 Samuel 17:43
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural 1x Exodus 12:11
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular 1x Hosea 4:12
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct 1x Ezekiel 39:9
Noun - masculine plural 1x Zechariah 11:7
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Rod transitions from living shoot (growth) to tool wielding authority: striking, guiding, divining
Source Gloss
a shoot , i.e. stick (with leaves on, or for walking, striking, guiding, divining)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Rod transitions from living shoot (growth) to tool wielding authority: striking, guiding, divining
a shoot, i.e. stick (with leaves on, or for walking, striking, guiding, divining) BDB: rod Usage: rod, (hand-)staff.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain