He said ‘It is my staff. I lean I support myself upon it when I leap across something or walk and I beat down leaves I strike the leaves on trees with it so that they fall for my sheep which then consume them; and I have uses for it ma’ārib ‘uses’ is the plural of ma’ruba with the rā’ taking any one of the three vowels sc. ma’ruba ma’raba or ma’riba meaning ‘needs’ in other ways such as using it to carry food supplies and waterskins as well as to drive away undesirable animals. He Moses gives an extensive response to indicate his many needs for it.
