Shepherds of old carried a rod and a staff, two important tools of their trade. For the shepherd, a rod was a stick or club that could be used offensively or defensively against a threat to himself or his flock. It was also used for discipline and counting, especially to determine the tithe of the increase of a flock (Leviticus 27:32). The shepherd’s staff was a longer and thinner stick with a hook on one end, used for guiding the flock and for capturing or saving sheep.

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