Heb. matstsab, a station; a place where one stands ( 1 Samuel 14:12 ); a military or fortified post ( 1 Samuel 13:23 ; 14:1,4,6 , etc.). Heb. netsib, a prefect, superintendent; hence a military post ( 1 Samuel 10:5 ; 13:3,4 ; 2 Samuel 8:6 ). This word has also been explained to denote a pillar set up to mark the Philistine conquest, or an officer appointed to collect taxes; but the idea of a military post seems to be the correct one. Heb. matstsebah, properly a monumental column; improperly rendered pl. "garrisons" in Ezekiel 26:11 ; correctly in Revised Version "pillars," marg. "obelisks," probably an idolatrous image.
Source
- part_of
source-manifest/easton— Easton's Bible Dictionary (PD)