garrison Summary and Overview

(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. 1. Mattsab and mattsabah undoubtedly mean a "garrison" or fortified post. #1Sa 13:23; 14:14, 12, 15; 2Sa 23:14| 2. Netsib is also used for a "garrison" in #1Ch 11:16| but elsewhere for a "column" erected in an enemy's country as a token of conquest. #1Sa 13:3| 3. The same word elsewhere means "officers" placed over a vanquished people. #2Sa 8:6,14; 1Ch 18:13; 2Ch 17:2| 4. Mattsebah in #Eze 26:11| means a "pillar."

GAR'RISON . See War.

Put in military posts to keep possession of a conquered country, as the Philistines held the land of Israel at the beginning of Saul's reign (1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Samuel 13:3); David, Syria (2 Samuel 8:6; 2 Samuel 8:14). In Ezekiel 26:11, "thy strong garrisons" (matzeboth uzzeek) literally, "the statues of thy strength", i.e. the forts. Or rather (Maurer), the obelisks in honor of the tutelary gods of Tyre (as Melecarte, the Tyrian Hercules whose temple stood in Old Tyre) shall go down to the ground before Nebuchadnezzar, the conqueror, just as he treated Egypt's idol statues (Jeremiah 43:11).