What does מַצֵּבָה (maṣēbāh) mean in the Bible?
מַצֵּבָה (maṣēbāh): Physical monument that marks a sacred place or commemorates a covenant; often polemically associated with idolatry
Hebrew · H4676
מַצֵּבָה
Something stationed , i.e. a column or (memorial stone); by analogy, an idol
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מַצֵּבָה H4676
Pronunciation maṣēbāh
What does מַצֵּבָה (maṣēbāh) mean in the Bible?
מַצֵּבָה (maṣēbāh): Physical monument that marks a sacred place or commemorates a covenant; often polemically associated with idolatry
Full entry for מַצֵּבָה (H4676) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4676?
The BSB source-word alignment has 32 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the sacred pillars (5), as a pillar (3), their sacred pillars (3), a pillar (2), pillars (2).
Where does מַצֵּבָה (maṣēbāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 28:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (9), 2 Kings (6), Deuteronomy (3), Exodus (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It the sacred pillars 5× 2 Kings 18:4, 2 Chronicles 14:3, 2 Chronicles 31:1, Jeremiah 43:13
as a pillar 3× Genesis 28:18, Genesis 28:22, Genesis 31:45
their sacred pillars 3× Deuteronomy 7:5, Deuteronomy 12:3, Hosea 10:2
a pillar 2× Genesis 35:14, Genesis 35:20
pillars 2× Exodus 24:4, Ezekiel 26:11
the [sacred] pillar 2× 2 Kings 10:26, 2 Kings 10:27
[sacred] pillars 1× 2 Kings 17:10
a sacred pillar 1× Deuteronomy 16:22
and [this] pillar 1× Genesis 31:52
and a pillar 1× Isaiah 19:19
and here is the pillar 1× Genesis 31:51
and sacred pillars 1× Micah 5:13
and smash their sacred stones 1× Exodus 23:24
He smashed the sacred pillars 1× 2 Kings 23:14
or sacred pillar 1× Leviticus 26:1
pillar 1× Genesis 31:52
sacred pillar 1× Hosea 3:4
sacred pillars 1× 1 Kings 14:23
the pillar 1× Genesis 31:13
the sacred pillar 1× 2 Kings 3:2
their sacred stones 1× Exodus 34:13
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 28:18 מַצֵּבָ֑ה to as a pillar Noun - feminine singular Genesis 28:22 מַצֵּבָ֔ה to as a pillar Noun - feminine singular Genesis 31:13 מַצֵּבָ֔ה to the pillar Noun - feminine singular Genesis 31:45 מַצֵּבָֽה׃ to as a pillar Noun - feminine singular Genesis 31:51 הַמַצֵּבָ֔ה to and here is the pillar Article | Noun - feminine singular Genesis 31:52 הַמַּצֵּבָ֑ה to and [this] pillar Article | Noun - feminine singular Genesis 31:52 הַמַּצֵּבָ֥ה to pillar Article | Noun - feminine singular Genesis 35:14 מַצֵּבָ֗ה to a pillar Noun - feminine singular Genesis 35:20 מַצֵּבָ֖ה to a pillar Noun - feminine singular Exodus 23:24 מַצֵּבֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ to and smash their sacred stones Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 28:18
Aligned rows 32
Books represented 12
Genesis 9 Exodus 3 Leviticus 1 Deuteronomy 3 1 Kings 1 2 Kings 6 2 Chronicles 2 Isaiah 1 Jeremiah 1 Ezekiel 1 Hosea 3 Micah 1
Source forms
מַצֵּבָ֑ה 3x maṣ·ṣê·ḇāh Genesis 28:18, Deuteronomy 16:22, Hosea 3:4
מַצֵּבָ֔ה 3x maṣ·ṣê·ḇāh Genesis 28:22, Genesis 31:13, Exodus 24:4
הַמַּצֵּב֔וֹת 2x ham·maṣ·ṣê·ḇō·wṯ 2 Kings 23:14, 2 Chronicles 14:3
מַצְּבַ֣ת 2x maṣ·ṣə·ḇaṯ 2 Kings 3:2, 2 Kings 10:27
הַמַצֵּבָ֔ה 1x ha·maṣ·ṣē·ḇå̄h Genesis 31:51
הַמַּצֵּבָ֑ה 1x ham·maṣ·ṣê·ḇāh Genesis 31:52
הַמַּצֵּבָ֥ה 1x ham·maṣ·ṣê·ḇāh Genesis 31:52
הַמַּצֵּב֣וֹת 1x ham·maṣ·ṣê·ḇō·wṯ 2 Chronicles 31:1
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular 9x Genesis 28:18, Genesis 28:22, Genesis 31:13, Genesis 31:45
Article | Noun - feminine plural 4x 2 Kings 18:4, 2 Kings 23:14, 2 Chronicles 14:3, 2 Chronicles 31:1
Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural 4x Exodus 23:24, Exodus 34:13, Deuteronomy 12:3, Hosea 10:2
Article | Noun - feminine singular 3x Genesis 31:51, Genesis 31:52
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular 2x Leviticus 26:1, Isaiah 19:19
Noun - feminine plural 2x 2 Kings 17:10, Hosea 10:1
Noun - feminine plural construct 2x 2 Kings 10:26, Jeremiah 43:13
Noun - feminine singular construct 2x 2 Kings 3:2, 2 Kings 10:27
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Physical monument that marks a sacred place or commemorates a covenant; often polemically associated with idolatry
Source Gloss
something stationed , i.e. a column or (memorial stone); by analogy, an idol
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Physical monument that marks a sacred place or commemorates a covenant; often polemically associated with idolatry
something stationed, i.e. a column or (memorial stone); by analogy, an idol BDB: pillar Usage: garrison, (standing) image, pillar.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
מַצֵּבָה is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain