Lexical Definition

‎ῥάβδος‎ rhábdos (hrab'-dos) rod ^G:N-F
from the base of ‎ῥαπίζω‎

rod, sceptre, staff.

• a stick or wand (as a cudgel, a cane or a baton of royalty)

Abbott-Smith

ῥάβδος, -ου, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for מַטֶּה (e.g. Ge 47:31, MT, מַטֶּה, bed), also for מַקֵּל, שֵׁבֶט, etc. ;]
a staff, rod: He 9:4, Re 11:1; in particular,
(a) a staff, such as is used on a journey: Mt 10:10, Mk 6:8, Lk 9:3, He 11:21 (LXX);
(b) a ruler's staff, a sceptre: He 1:8 (LXX) Re 2:27 12:5 19:15;
(c) a rod for chastisement (cf. ῥαβδίζω): ἐν ῥ. (v.s. ἐν): I Co 4:21.†

Abbott-Smith References

Liddell-Scott-Jones

ῥάβδος, ἡ,

rod, wand, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; lighter than the βακτηρία or walking-stick, [NT+5th c.BC+]

__1 magic wand, as that of Circe, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; that with which Athena touched Odysseus, to restore his youthful appearance, χρυσείῃ ῥάβδῳ ἐπεμάσσατο [Refs]; that with which Hermes overpowers the senses of man, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; that with which Hades rules the ghosts, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; divining-rod, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__2 fishing-rod, [Refs 8th c.BC+]
__3 limed twig, for catching small birds, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__4 shaft of a hunting-spear, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__5 staff of office, like the earlier σκῆπτρον, [LXX+5th c.BC+]; carried by a βραβευτής, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__6 wand borne by the ῥαψῳδός, τὸν ἐπὶ ῥάβδῳ μῦθον ὑφαινόμενον [Refs 3rd c.BC+] according to the measure of his (Homer's) verses, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__7 rod for chastisement, ῥ. κοσμοῦσα [Refs 5th c.BC+]; μάστιξ ἢ ῥ. riding-switch, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ῥ. βοηλάτις ox-goad, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]: of the fasces of the Roman lictors, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; πρὸς πέντε ῥάβδους, = Latin at (i.e. ad) quinque fasces (CIL[Refs 2nd c.AD+]; compare ῥαβδονόμος, ῥαβδοῦχος.
__8 shepherd's staff or crook, [LXX]
__9 ῥ. κληρονομίας measuring-rod,[LXX]
__10 stitch, ἔντοσθεν δὲ βοείας ῥάψε θαμειὰς χρυσείῃς ῥάβδοισι διηνεκέσιν περὶ κύκλον [Refs 8th c.BC+] (unless it means rivets, studs).
__II young shoot of some trees,[Refs 4th c.BC+]
__III streak or stripe on the skin of animals, διαποίκιλα ῥάβδοις [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of fish, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; of clothes, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; fluting of a column, [Refs 2nd c.BC+]; of minerals, vein, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; streak or shaft of light, [Refs 4th c.BC+]
__IV in Grammars,
__IV.1 line, verse, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
__IV.2 a critical mark, like{ὀβελός}, [Refs 5th c.AD+]
__IV.3 stroke forming a letter, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

_{LSJ Scripture Refs: Matt.10.10 ☩ LXX.Ps.44.7* ☩ LXX.Ps.22.4* ☩ LXX.Mic.7.14 ☩ LXX.Ps.73.2*}