4673. matstsab

Lexical Summary

matstsab: Pillar, Monument, Station

Original Word: מַצָּב
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: matstsab
Pronunciation: mahts-tsawb'
Phonetic Spelling: (mats-tsawb')
KJV: garrison, station, place wherestood
NASB: garrison, standing, where, office, place where
Word Origin: [from H5324 (נָצַב - set)]

1. a fixed spot
2. (figuratively) an office, a military post

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

garrison, station, place where

From natsab; a fixed spot; figuratively, an office, a military post -- garrison, station, place where...stood.

see HEBREW natsab

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from natsab
Definition
standing place, station, garrison
NASB Translation
garrison (8), office (1), place where (1), place* (1), standing (2), where (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

מַצָּב noun masculine^{1Samuel 13:23} standing-place, station, garrison; — ׳מ absolute 1 Samuel 14:15, construct מַצַּב Joshua 4:3,9 + (Baer in Sm מַצָּב, compare on 1 Samuel 13:23, but see Ginsb); suffix מַצָּבֶ֫ךָ Isaiah 22:19; —

1 standing-place of feetJosh Isaiah 4:3; Isaiah 4:9 (JE).

2 station, office Isaiah 22:19 ("" מַעֲמָד).

3 garrison, post, or outpost (of Philistines) 1 Samuel 13:23; 1 Samuel 14:1,4,6,11,15; 2 Samuel 23:14; so read also 1 Samuel 14:12 (for ᵑ0 מַצָּבָה) ᵐ5 Th We Bu HPS.

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Scope of the Term

מַצָּב (Strong’s 4673) describes a “standing place” that, depending on context, can denote

1) a fixed physical location,

2) a military outpost or garrison, or

3) a vocational station or official post.

All three shades of meaning are unified by the idea of something (or someone) being firmly set in position.

Memorial Stones at the Jordan (Joshua 4)

When Israel crossed the Jordan, the Lord directed Joshua to “Take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet have stood firm” (Joshua 4:3). The stones marked the מַצָּב of the priests who bore the Ark. Placed on the riverbank and also within the riverbed itself (Joshua 4:9), these stones commemorated God’s steadfast faithfulness at the threshold of the Promised Land. Here מַצָּב highlights:

• Stability—The Ark-bearers remained unmoved until every Israelite had crossed, portraying God’s unwavering support.
• Memory—The stones preserved collective memory so future generations would ask, “What do these stones mean to you?” (Joshua 4:6).
• Covenant Continuity—The site linked past deliverance (Red Sea) to present inheritance, reinforcing the unbroken covenant line.

Philistine Garrisons during Saul and David’s Early Reigns (1 Samuel 13–14; 2 Samuel 23:14)

In the early monarchy the term shifts from a static memorial to an active military presence. “The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash” (1 Samuel 13:23), asserting enemy control deep inside Israel’s heartland. Jonathan repeatedly targets these מַצָּב outposts (1 Samuel 14:1, 6, 11, 15), confident that “nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few” (14:6). Key observations:

• Footholds of Oppression—Philistine מַצָּבוֹת symbolized spiritual compromise that tolerated foreign dominion in covenant territory.
• Faith-Driven Assault—Jonathan’s bold assault shows how faith dislodges entrenched strongholds; God shook the earth (14:15) in response.
• Messianic Echo—David, whose line culminates in Christ, later faced a Philistine מַצָּב in Bethlehem (2 Samuel 23:14). The birthplace of Messiah once hosted an enemy garrison, anticipating the greater victory Jesus would secure over the rulers of this age.

Official Station Removed (Isaiah 22:19)

Through Isaiah the Lord warns Shebna, “I will depose you from your office, and you will be ousted from your position” (Isaiah 22:19). The royal steward misused his מַצָּב by seeking personal glory. His fall teaches that:

• Office is a trust, not a privilege for self-exaltation.
• God alone grants and removes stations.
• Faithfulness in one’s appointed place foreshadows the ultimate “key of the house of David” entrusted to Christ (Isaiah 22:22; Revelation 3:7).

Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty—Whether landmark, military post, or office, every מַצָּב exists under God’s rule.
2. Covenant Responsibility—Israel must guard God-given territory and remember His acts; believers today steward spiritual gifts and ministries.
3. Judgment and Grace—Unfaithful stations are overturned (Shebna), while faithful initiatives (Jonathan) become channels of deliverance.

Practical Ministry Insights

• Establish memorials of God’s faithfulness; testimonies anchor future obedience.
• Identify and confront spiritual “garrisons” that hinder gospel advance. Victory often begins with the faith of a few.
• View every role—whether visible or obscure—as a divinely appointed מַצָּב. Serve with humility, knowing that promotion or removal lies in the Lord’s hands.

Summary

מַצָּב calls God’s people to stand firm, remember, defend covenant ground, and steward every position for His glory until the final day when all hostile strongholds fall and every faithful station is rewarded.

Forms and Transliterations

הַמַּצָּב֙ המצב וּמַצַּ֣ב ומצב מִמַּצַּב֙ מִמַּצָּבֶ֑ךָ מַצַּ֖ב מַצַּ֣ב מַצַּב֙ ממצב ממצבך מצב ham·maṣ·ṣāḇ hammaṣṣāḇ hammatzTzav maṣ·ṣaḇ maṣṣaḇ matzTzav mim·maṣ·ṣā·ḇe·ḵā mim·maṣ·ṣaḇ mimatzTzav mimatztzaVecha mimmaṣṣaḇ mimmaṣṣāḇeḵā ū·maṣ·ṣaḇ ūmaṣṣaḇ umatzTzav

Englishman's Concordance

Joshua 4:3
HEB: מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן מִמַּצַּב֙ רַגְלֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים
NAS: of the Jordan, from the place where the priests'
KJV: feet stood firm,
INT: of the middle of the Jordan the place feet the priests'

Joshua 4:9
HEB: הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ תַּ֗חַת מַצַּב֙ רַגְלֵ֣י הַכֹּהֲנִ֔ים
NAS: of the Jordan at the place where
KJV: of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
INT: of the Jordan Thahash where the feet of the priests

1 Samuel 13:23
HEB: וַיֵּצֵא֙ מַצַּ֣ב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אֶֽל־
NAS: And the garrison of the Philistines
KJV: And the garrison of the Philistines
INT: went and the garrison of the Philistines to

1 Samuel 14:1
HEB: וְנַעְבְּרָה֙ אֶל־ מַצַּ֣ב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר
NAS: to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side.
KJV: to the Philistines' garrison, that [is] on the other side.
INT: cross about garrison to the Philistines' is on

1 Samuel 14:4
HEB: לַֽעֲבֹר֙ עַל־ מַצַּ֣ב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים שֵׁן־
NAS: to the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp
KJV: unto the Philistines' garrison, [there was] a sharp
INT: to cross and garrison to the Philistines' A sharp

1 Samuel 14:6
HEB: וְנַעְבְּרָ֗ה אֶל־ מַצַּב֙ הָעֲרֵלִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה
NAS: and let us cross over to the garrison of these
KJV: and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised:
INT: cross to the garrison uncircumcised of these

1 Samuel 14:11
HEB: שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם אֶל־ מַצַּ֖ב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ
NAS: of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines,
KJV: of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines:
INT: both to the garrison of the Philistines said

1 Samuel 14:15
HEB: וּבְכָל־ הָעָ֔ם הַמַּצָּב֙ וְהַמַּשְׁחִ֔ית חָרְד֖וּ
NAS: Even the garrison and the raiders
KJV: and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers,
INT: all the people the garrison and the raiders trembled

2 Samuel 23:14
HEB: אָ֣ז בַּמְּצוּדָ֑ה וּמַצַּ֣ב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אָ֖ז
NAS: in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines
KJV: [was] then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines
INT: was then the stronghold the garrison of the Philistines was then

Isaiah 22:19
HEB: וַהֲדַפְתִּ֖יךָ מִמַּצָּבֶ֑ךָ וּמִמַּעֲמָֽדְךָ֖ יֶהֶרְסֶֽךָ׃
NAS: I will depose you from your office, And I will pull you down
KJV: And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state
INT: will depose your office your station will pull

10 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 4673
10 Occurrences

ham·maṣ·ṣāḇ — 1 Occ.
maṣ·ṣaḇ — 6 Occ.
mim·maṣ·ṣaḇ — 1 Occ.
mim·maṣ·ṣā·ḇe·ḵā — 1 Occ.
ū·maṣ·ṣaḇ — 1 Occ.