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נְצִיב

𐤍𐤑𐤉𐤁

nᵉtsîyb

H5333 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נצב to stand, set up, establish, station

Definition

Something set or stationed in a fixed place; most often refers to a standing object (such as a pillar or monument), or, by extension, an appointed official or military post. The term is used both concretely for physical structures or markers and, in administrative contexts, for officials who are designated to hold an office or oversee a territory or function. Its semantic range spans from literal pillars or standing stones to authoritative positions of oversight.

Semantic Range

standing object, pillar, monument, boundary marker, official, overseer, military officer, prefect, garrison post

Root / Etymology

From the root נצב (n-ts-b), which fundamentally means 'to stand, set up, take one's stand.' The noun נְצִיב derives from the participial form, meaning 'one who/that which is set up or stands.' Thus, it can refer to both literal objects that are fixed in position (like pillars or monuments) and to people who are appointed or established in a position (such as overseers or officials).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, נְצִיב appears in both physical and administrative contexts. As a physical object, it can refer to pillars or standing stones set up as memorials or boundary markers (cf. Genesis 19:26: Lot's wife becomes a נְצִיב of salt). As an administrative title, it refers to officials or overseers who are stationed or appointed, particularly by monarchs (e.g., Solomon's prefects: 1 Kings 4:19). The designation is not exclusively military, but often involves authority, oversight, or responsibility over a region or task—whether civil or martial. The later use of 'garrison' in some English translations reflects military officials or posts but should not limit the term only to military settings. The term is distinct from other administrative titles such as פֶּחָה (pēḥāh, 'governor') or שָׁלִיט (shalit, 'ruler'), often denoting a more specific function, locality, or object. Over time, translations have sometimes narrowed the meaning to 'statue' or 'officer,' but in the biblical text the nuance is broader, encompassing any entity appointed or erected to stand in a perennial position. The meaning did not shift significantly between Israelite and Persian periods, though administrative titles became more formalized in later eras.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or נְצִב; from נָצַב; something stationary, i.e. a prefect, a military post, a statue; garrison, officer, pillar.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נצב (n-ts-b) — stand, set up, establish, station

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4673 מַצָּב the standing-post
H4674 מֻצָּב one stationed
H4675 מַצָּבָה the standing-post
H4676 מַצֵּבָה the standing-pillar
H4678 מַצֶּבֶת to the standing stone

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5333-04 נְצִבִים֙ netsivim HNcmpa garrisons stationed ones garrisons 5
H5333-02 נְצִ֥יב netsiv HNcmsc garrison stationed one garrison 3
H5333-05 וּ/נְצִ֥יב unetsiv HC/Ncmsa and garrison and stationed one and garrison 2
H5333-03 נְצִבֵ֣י netsivey HNcmpc garrison stationed-ones of garrison of 1
H5333-01 ה/נציבים hntsyvym HTd/Ncmpa of the overseers the stationed-ones the overseers 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5333-02 Genesis 19:26 נְצִ֥יב netsiv HNcmsc pillar stationed one pillar
H5333-03 1 Samuel 10:5 נְצִבֵ֣י netsivey HNcmpc garrison stationed-ones of garrison of
H5333-02 1 Samuel 13:3 נְצִ֤יב netsiv HNcmsc garrison stationed one garrison
H5333-02 1 Samuel 13:4 נְצִ֣יב netsiv HNcmsc garrison stationed one garrison
H5333-04 2 Samuel 8:6 נְצִבִים֙ netsivim HNcmpa garrisons stationed ones garrisons
H5333-04 2 Samuel 8:14 נְצִבִ֗ים netsivim HNcmpa garrisons stationed ones garrisons
H5333-04 2 Samuel 8:14 נְצִבִ֔ים netsivim-2 HNcmpa garrisons stationed ones garrisons
H5333-05 1 Kings 4:19 וּ/נְצִ֥יב unetsiv HC/Ncmsa and officer and stationed one and officer
H5333-05 1 Chronicles 11:16 וּ/נְצִ֣יב unetsiv HC/Ncmsc and garrison and stationed one and garrison
H5333-04 1 Chronicles 18:13 נְצִיבִ֔ים netsivim HNcmpa garrisons stationed ones stationed ones
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