שֵׁבֶט m. (b. h.; cmp. בטט a. deriv.) 1) rod, staff. Snh. 5ᵃ (ref. to Gen. XLIX, 10) הכא ש׳ והתם מחוקק here (in Babylonia) the rod (the Resh Galutha’s office), there the legislator (the Nasi); ib. אלו ראשי … בש׳ those are the Resh-Galuthas who chastise Israel with the rod; Hor. 11ᵇ התם ש׳ וכ׳ there (in Babylonia) the rod &c.; a. e.—[Tanḥ. B’midb. 16 הש׳ אינו מספיק, read: השָׂרָף.] —2) (cmp. מַטֶּה) tribe. Tanḥ. l. c. למוד הוא הש׳ הזה וכ׳ this tribe (of Levi) is wont to be counted &c. Num. R. s. 5, beg. (ref. to Ps. XXXIII, 18) זה שִׁבְטוֹ של לוי וכ׳ this means the tribe of Levi whose members sit hoping &c.; ib. אלו כ"ד … לש׳ לוי those are the twenty-four gifts assigned to the tribe of Levi. Y. Ter. I, 40ᵈ top מפני גזל הש׳ because it is an injustice to the tribe (of Levi, giving them unnecessary trouble). Pes. 80ᵃ ש׳ אחד איקרי קהל one tribe is called a community, v. קָהָל; ib. אפי׳ ש׳ אחד טמא וכ׳ even if one tribe is unclean (and prevented from offering the Passover sacrifice) &c. Y. ib. VII, 34ᶜ ש׳ אחד גורר וכ׳, v. גָּרַר I; a. v. fr.—Pl. שְׁבָטִים. Gen. R. s. 98; s. 99 end, v. יָחַד. B. Bath. 117ᵇ דילמא לש׳ קאמר לה perhaps the text (Num. XXVI, 55) means a distribution by tribes (as they were on entering the land)? Sabb. 146ᵃ יעקב הוליד י֞ב ש׳ וכ׳ Jacob begat twelve tribes (sons) in whom there was no blemish. Ib. 147ᵇ עשרת הש׳ the ten tribes (the kingdom of Israel). Snh. X, 3 (110ᵇ) עשרת הש׳ אינן וכ׳ the ten tribes (carried into exile) are not destined to return; a. fr.