Original Word: מַצֶּבֶת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: matstsebeth
Pronunciation: mats-tseh'-beth
Phonetic Spelling: (mats-tseh'-beth)
KJV: pillar, substance
Word Origin: [from H5324 (נָצַב - set)]

1. something stationary, i.e. a monumental stone
2. also the stock of a tree

pillar, substance

From natsab; something stationary, i.e. A monumental stone; also the stock of a tree -- pillar, substance.

see HEBREW natsab

Word Origin
the same as matstsebah, q.v.

Overview

מַצֶּבֶת denotes an erected stone monument that serves as a visible, enduring witness—whether to covenant faithfulness, personal remembrance, or prophetic truth. Though used only six times, each occurrence highlights the importance of memorials in Israel’s history and theology.

Occurrences in Scripture

Genesis 35:14; Genesis 35:20; 2 Samuel 18:18 (twice); Isaiah 6:13 (twice)

Covenant Remembrance (Genesis 35:14)

“Jacob set up a pillar at the place where God had spoken with him, a stone marker, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it”. Jacob’s pillar anchors God’s promises in a physical location, turning the site into a perpetual reminder of divine encounter and commitment.

Funerary Memorial (Genesis 35:20)

“Jacob set up a marker on her grave; it is the marker of Rachel’s tomb to this day.” The stone links personal grief to the unfolding redemptive story, marking Rachel’s resting place for successive generations while affirming God’s presence in life and death.

Self-Exalting Monument (2 Samuel 18:18)

“During his lifetime Absalom had erected for himself a pillar in the King’s Valley, for he said, ‘I have no son to preserve my name.’ He named the pillar after himself, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.” Absalom’s pillar contrasts sharply with Jacob’s; it seeks personal legacy rather than divine glory. Its survival beyond Absalom’s death underscores the emptiness of self-centered ambition.

Prophetic Stump (Isaiah 6:13)

“And though a tenth remains in it, it will be burned again. As a terebinth or oak leaves a stump when it is felled, so the holy seed is the stump.” Here מַצֶּבֶת depicts the remnant as a seemingly lifeless, yet living stump—signifying judgment tempered by hope and prefiguring future restoration.

Historical and Cultural Background

Standing stones functioned widely in the Ancient Near East as boundary markers, treaty witnesses, and memorials. Israel adopted such practice with caution, recognizing the danger of idolatry (Deuteronomy 16:22). The biblical usage of מַצֶּבֶת confines the practice to legitimate memorialization rather than cultic worship.

Theological Significance

• Memorial of Divine Acts: Jacob’s pillars testify to God’s faithfulness.
• Legacy and Humility: Absalom’s monument warns against self-promotion.
• Death within Covenant: Rachel’s tombstone affirms God’s care in sorrow.
• Remnant Hope: Isaiah’s stump guarantees that God preserves a holy seed through judgment.

Ministry Applications

• Establish spiritual “stones of remembrance” (journals, worship milestones) to anchor faith communities in God’s past acts.
• Employ gravemarkers and funerary rituals that point to resurrection hope.
• Preach against self-aggrandizement in leadership, using Absalom as a cautionary tale.
• Encourage perseverance by highlighting Isaiah’s promise of a surviving seed amid trials.

Christological Perspective

The motif culminates in Jesus Christ—the rejected yet exalted Stone (Psalm 118:22; Acts 4:11). All covenant memories, funerary hopes, and remnant promises converge in Him, the everlasting monument of God’s redemptive purpose.

לַמַּצֶּ֙בֶת֙ למצבת מַצֶּ֙בֶת֙ מַצֶּ֣בֶת מַצֶּ֥בֶת מַצַּבְתָּֽהּ׃ מצבת מצבתה׃ lam·maṣ·ṣe·ḇeṯ lammaṣṣeḇeṯ lammatzTzevet maṣ·ṣaḇ·tāh maṣ·ṣe·ḇeṯ maṣṣaḇtāh maṣṣeḇeṯ matztzavTah matzTzevetInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts