Lexical Summary nitstsab: To stand, to be stationed, to take one's stand Original Word: נִצָּב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance haft Passive participle of natsab; fixed, i.e. A handle -- haft. see HEBREW natsab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom natsab Definition haft, hilt (of a sword) NASB Translation handle (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs נִצָּב noun masculine 1 haft, hilt of sword Judges 3:22 (Arabic 2 prefect, deputy, see נצב Niph`al 3. Topical Lexicon נִצָּב Physical description and singular occurrence The word designates the handle or hilt of a sword and appears only once, in Judges 3:22. There it marks the point where the entire weapon—blade and handle—disappears into the corpulent body of King Eglon, emphasizing both the short length of Ehud’s concealed sword and the force of the thrust: “Even the handle went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out” (Judges 3:22). Context within Judges The episode forms the turning point in the deliverance narrative of Judges 3:12-30. Ehud, a left-handed Benjaminite, fashions a double-edged dagger, straps it to his right thigh, gains private audience with the Moabite king by declaring “I have a secret message for you” (Judges 3:19), and then strikes. The sinking of the נִצָּב seals the assassination, ensuring no sword remains visible to raise immediate alarm while Ehud escapes through the porch and locks the doors behind him (Judges 3:23). The unique mention of the handle highlights the stealth and completeness of the blow God enabled against Israel’s oppressor. Symbolic and theological observations 1. Totality of judgment: The handle’s disappearance illustrates how thoroughly divine judgment can penetrate the enemy camp—nothing remains exposed. Historical significance Ehud’s act triggers the uprising of Israel, leading to the defeat of Moab and eighty years of peace (Judges 3:30). The singular focus on the נִצָּב underscores the personal initiative of Israel’s judge; unlike later large-scale battles (for example, Gideon’s three hundred), deliverance here begins with one decisive thrust. Archaeologically, short double-edged swords from the Late Bronze–Early Iron transition have been recovered in Canaan, matching the described eighteen-inch length (Judges 3:16). Their narrow hilts facilitated concealment under garments—precisely the point of the narrative. Ministry applications • Hidden faithfulness: Believers may be called to quiet, courageous obedience where the decisive moment is unseen by the public eye, yet pivotal in God’s redemptive plan (Matthew 6:4). Christological reflection Ehud’s clandestine victory prefigures the unexpected, apparently weak means by which God secures redemption in Christ. Just as Eglon’s palace guards misinterpret the locked doors (Judges 3:24-25), so the rulers of this age “did not understand” the mystery of the cross; “for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8). The concealed hilt anticipates the hidden wisdom of God now revealed in the gospel. Related biblical themes • Divine deliverance through unconventional servants (Moses, Gideon, David). Conclusion Though נִצָּב appears only once, its vivid placement in Judges 3:22 magnifies the thoroughness of God’s saving intervention, encourages wholehearted obedience, and enriches the tapestry of Scripture’s portrayals of the Lord’s surprising, sovereign deliverance. Forms and Transliterations הַנִּצָּ֜ב הנצב han·niṣ·ṣāḇ hanniṣṣāḇ hannitzTzavLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 3:22 HEB: וַיָּבֹ֨א גַֽם־ הַנִּצָּ֜ב אַחַ֣ר הַלַּ֗הַב NAS: The handle also went KJV: And the haft also went in after INT: went also the handle after the blade 1 Occurrence |
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handle of knife, 'in which the 
[i.e. the shank] is set' Lane2800).