(1.) Heb. matstsab, a station; a place where one stands (1 Sam. 14:12); a military or fortified post (1 Sam. 13:23; 14:1, 4, 6, etc.). (2.) Heb. netsib, a prefect, superintendent; hence a military post (1 Sam. 10:5; 13:3, 4; 2 Sam. 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. (3.) Heb. matstsebah, properly a monumental column; improperly rendered pl. "garrisons" in Ezek. 26:11; correctly in Revised Version "pillars," marg. "obelisks," probably an idolatrous image. The Hebrew words so rendered in the Authorized Version are derivatives from the root natsab, to "place, erect," which may be applied to a variety of objects. + Mattsab and mattsabah undoubtedly mean a "garrison" or fortified post. (1 Samuel 13:23; 14:14; 1 Samuel 15; 2 Samuel 23:14) + Netsib is also used for a "garrison" in (1 Chronicles 11:16) but elsewhere for a "column" erected in an enemy's country as a token of conquest. (1 Samuel 13:3) + The same word elsewhere means "officers" placed over a vanquished people. (2 Samuel 8:6,14; 1 Chronicles 18:13; 2 Chronicles 17:2) + Mattsebah in (Ezekiel 26:11) means a "pillar."
Garrison