denoted by four or five Heb. words from the root נָצִב, natsab', to stand firm or erect (i.q. יָצִב ),
1. מִצָּב matstsab' (fem. מִצָּבָה, matstsabah', 1 Samuel 14:12), a station, i.e., lit. a standing-place (e.g. where the priests stood in Jordan, "place," Joshua 4:3; Joshua 4:9); hence a military or fortified post (e.g. the Philistine camp, 1 Samuel 13:23; 1 Samuel 14:1; 1 Samuel 14:4; 1 Samuel 14:6; 1 Samuel 14:11-12; 1 Samuel 14:15; 2 Samuel 23:11-14); metaph. an office or public "station" (Isaiah 22:19).
2. מֻצָּב, mutstsab', a cordon of troops ("mount," Isaiah 29:3; perhaps also "pillar," Judges 9:6).
3. נְצִַיבּ , netsib', properly a praefect or superintendent ("officer," 1 Kings 4:19; 2 Chronicles 8:10); hence a military post (1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Samuel 13:3-4; 2 Samuel 8:6; 2 Samuel 8:14; 1 Chronicles 11:16; 1 Chronicles 18:13; 2 Chronicles 17:2); also a monumental "pilla" (q.v.) or cippus (e.g., a statue of salt, Genesis 19:26; a sense in which some take the word also in 1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Samuel 13:3, like the stelae erected by Sesostris in conquered countries in token of subjugation, Herod. 2:102, 106).
4. An improper rendering, Ezekiel 26:11, of מִצְּבָה , smatstsebah', which always designates a standing object, either an architact-tsal or monumental column (usually rendered "pillar;" in the passage of Ezekiel perhaps referring to those of the Tyrian temples; comp. Herod. 2:14), or an idolatrous "image" (q.v.). (See FORTIFICATION).