Moses’ staff is one of the most iconic symbols in the story of the Exodus, used to unleash the plagues, split the sea, and perform other miraculous feats. Read on for 15 facts about this wondrous divine artifact and its storied history.
1. It Was Over 2,000 Years Old When Moses Used It
The staff was ancient even in Moses’ times. According to tradition, it was one of the 10 miraculous phenomena G‑d created in the twilight hour, as Shabbat entered on the sixth day of Creation.1
2. Some Say It Was Made of Sapphire
One tradition says the staff was crafted from sapphire, weighing forty se’ah (a Talmudic measurement).2 Others relate it was made from the wood of the Tree of Knowledge.3
3. It Had Hebrew Inscriptions
Far from being an ordinary stick, Moses’ staff was inscribed with several powerful Hebrew words. These included G‑d’s ineffable four-letter name, as well as detzach adash b’achav—an acronym for the ten plagues, and the names of the Patriarchs, Matriarchs, and the Twelve Tribes.4
4. It First Belonged to Adam
According to the Midrash, the staff had an impressive provenance, beginning with Adam, the first human. It was passed down to Enoch, then to Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.5 Jacob carried it when he crossed the Jordan River on his return from Laban’s house6 and later passed it to his son Joseph.7 Others say it was (also) used by Jacob’s son Judah.8
5. It Ended Up in Jethro’s Garden
After Joseph’s death, the Egyptians looted his household and the staff made its way to Pharaoh’s palace. Jethro, one of Pharaoh’s advisors, discovered it and took it with him to Midian, where he planted it in his garden. No one could pull it out—until Moses came along and removed it, marking him as someone destined for greatness.9
6. It Turned Into a Snake—Twice!
The staff’s miraculous nature first appears in the Torah when G‑d gives Moses three signs to prove his mission to the Israelites. The first sign was that the staff would transform into a snake when tossed to the ground and then back into a staff when Moses picked it up.10
Later, Aaron performed the same miracle before Pharaoh. When Pharaoh’s sorcerers replicated it, Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs—a symbol of G‑d’s absolute power over the forces of impurity.11
7. It Was Central to the Ten Plagues
Moses’ staff was used to bring six of the ten plagues upon Egypt. Aaron wielded it for the first three, striking the Nile to turn it to blood, summoning frogs, and producing lice.12 Moses used it for hail, locusts, and darkness.13
Read: The Ten Plagues of Egypt
8. Some Say Aaron Used His Own Staff
There’s some debate about which staff Aaron used. Some commentators say it was Moses’ staff, given to Aaron for those wonders he performed,14 while others suggest that Aaron used his own staff.15
Read: 15 Facts About Aaron
9. It Was Used to Split the Sea
Perhaps the most famous use of Moses’ staff was at the Sea of Reeds. With Pharaoh’s army closing in, Moses stretched the staff over the water, splitting the sea so the Israelites could cross on dry land.16 Once they had crossed, he used it again to bring the waters crashing back down on the pursuing Egyptians.17
According to another understanding (based on a close analysis of the verses), the staff was not used for this miracle. Instead, G‑d instructed Moses to set aside the staff at this time to emphasize that it was G‑d’s power, not the staff, that performed the wonders.18
10. Moses Held It During the Battle With Amalek
When the Amalekites attacked the Israelites in the desert, Moses stood on a hill holding his hands aloft. According to some, he was also holding his staff. As long as the staff was raised, the Israelites prevailed in battle.19
Read: Who Were the Amalekites?
11. It Brought Forth Water From a Rock
Twice during their time in the desert, the Israelites faced a water crisis. On both occasions, Moses used the staff to bring forth water from a rock.20 The second time, some believe he used a different staff—the one that miraculously sprouted almonds in the Korah episode.21
Read: Moses Strikes the Rock
12. It Was Passed Down to King David
The staff didn’t disappear after Moses’ passing. It was passed down through the generations and eventually reached King David, who carried it when battling Goliath. After his reign, it remained with the kings of Judah until the destruction of the Holy Temple.22
13. It Was Hidden Before the Temple’s Destruction
Before the Temple was destroyed, the staff was hidden, along with other sacred objects. According to one tradition, it resides in the same secret place as the Holy Ark and other treasures of the Tabernacle.23
14. It Inspired the Name of a Book
Rabbi Moshe Mos, a 16th-century Polish scholar and disciple of Rabbi Shlomo Luria, wrote a halachic compendium called Matteh Moshe (“Staff of Moses”). In the introduction, he wrote, “When I arrive in the Next World and they ask me what I have to show for myself, I will tell them I brought a staff, just like Moses.”
Read: 17 Facts About Moses
15. It Will Return in the Ultimate Redemption
According to tradition, Moses’ staff will reappear during the Final Redemption and be given to Moshiach.24 May we see this incredible event very soon!
Read: Who Is Moshiach?
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