A masseba or matzeva[1] (Biblical Hebrew: ืึทืฆึตึผืึธื, romanized:ย maแนฃแนฃฤแธฤ, lit.โ'pillar, stele, baetyl',[a], plural maแนฃแนฃฤแธoแนฏ) is a term used in the Hebrew Bible for a baetyl, a type of sacred column or standing stone. In the Septuagint, it is translated as Koine Greek: ฯฯฮฎฮปฮท, romanized:ย stฤlฤ.
Archaeologists have adopted the term for these stones in Canaan and the pre-Islamic Arab state of the Nabataean Kingdom. Massevot can also mark graves.
Etymology
editThe Hebrew word is derived from a Semitic root meaning 'to stand', which led to the meaning "pillar".[2]
In transcription, many spellings are possible.[3]
Biblical narrative
editUse of the term can be found in Genesis 28:18, 28:22, 31:13, 31:45, 35:14, 35:20, Exodus 24:4, Deuteronomy 16:22 and Hosea 3:4.
Jacob
editThe Patriarch Jacob set up four massebot in the Hebrew Bible:
- In Bethel, the origin of the term baetyl. In Genesis 28, "Jacob then made a vow, saying, โIf God remains with me, protecting me on this journey that I am making, and giving me bread to eat and clothing to wear, and I return safe to my fatherโs houseโ Yahweh shall be my God. And this stone, which I have set up as a pillar, shall be Godโs abode; and of all that You give me, I will set aside a tithe for You.โ
- Miแนฃpฤ (Hebrew: ืึฐืึทืึดึผืฆึฐืคึธึผื, romanized:ย wษhammiแนฃpฤ)
- In Bethel a second time. In Genesis| 31:13, Yahweh says to Jacob, "I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to Me."
- At Rachel's grave: "Over her grave Jacob set up a pillar; it is the pillar at Rachelโs grave to this day." (Genesis|35:20|HE) It could also stand as a witness: upon confronting Jacob in Gilead: "And Laban said to Jacob, "Here is this mound and here the pillar which I have set up between you and me: this mound shall be witness and this pillar shall be witness that I am not to cross to you past this mound, and that you are not to cross to me past this mound and this pillar, with hostile intent." (Genesis 31:52)
Other
editMoses is mentioned as erecting an altar and 12 massebot, "according [representing?] to the twelve tribes of Israel", before ascending the mountain for 40 days and nights to meet with God.[4] He also commands the people to set up "large stones" and cover them in plaster upon entering Israel to write the religious law upon.[5]
Joshua set up a "large stone" to commemorate a covenant at Shechem. Though it is not called a massebah in text, its function is identical to massebot set up to commemorate treaties and events.[5]
Abimelech was crowned king near a massebah in Shechem, and Joash may have also been crowned near a massebah. Rehoboam erected massebot for the purposes of worship (indicated by their condemnation).[5]
Leviticus 26:1 may indicate a prohibition on the use of massebot as representations of God. The specific prohibition includes it in a list, prohibiting the creation of idols, graven images, erecting standing "images" (massebot), or any other image of stone with the intention of bowing before it.[6] Exodus 23:24 indicates that gentiles also erected massebot, which is likely the reason for this prohibition,[7] alongside consolidation of authorized ritual spaces to center on the Jerusalem Temple.[8] Deuteronomy 16:21-22 supports this by banning the creation of a particular kind of sacred grove/"asherah" near the creation of altars (given the use of the word asherah, it is referencing a pagan practice) and then bans erecting massebot, likely as a continuation of the previous passage.[9] However, Isaiah 19:19 mentions the future erection of massebot in a positive context outside of altars, shrines, or temples, indicating this was not a total ban in massebot.[10][5]
Archeology
editMassebot have been found inside shrines dating to the 8th century CE, indicating an aniconic usage of these as representations of the divine.[8] In Canaanite/Israelite contexts, they are usually undecorated, whereas similar standing stones in West Asia are not. [5]
See also
edit
- Asherah pole, Canaanite object honouring Asherah
- Bema and high place
- Ceremonial pole
- Lingam, abstract representation of the Hindu god Shiva
- Menhir, orthostat, or standing stone: upright stone, typically from the Bronze Age.
- Baetyl
Notes and references
edit- ^ Biblical Hebrew pronunciation: [หmatsหeหหbษห], Modern Hebrew หmatsษหva
- ^ Oxford Biblical Studies Online, Oxford University Press. Accessed 14 February 2022.
- ^ Jacobs, Louis (1999). "Tombstone". A Concise Companion to the Jewish Religion. Oxford University Press. ISBNย 9780192800886 โ via oxfordreference.com.
- ^ The Monument ("Matzeivah"), Maurice Lamm for Chabad.org. Accessed 17 Jan 2022.
- ^ "Exodus 24 - Hebrew English Translation Massoretic Text MT Interlinear Holy Name King James Version KJV Strong's Concordance Online Parallel Bible Study". qbible.com. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
- ^ a b c d e McKoy, Samuel. "The Sacred Standing Stones of Israel". ArmstrongInstitute.org. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
- ^ "Leviticus 26 - Hebrew English Translation Massoretic Text MT Interlinear Holy Name King James Version KJV Strong's Concordance Online Parallel Bible Study". www.qbible.com. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
- ^ "Exodus 23 - Hebrew English Translation Massoretic Text MT Interlinear Holy Name King James Version KJV Strong's Concordance Online Parallel Bible Study". www.qbible.com. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
- ^ a b Radley, Dario (2025-01-16). "Rare ritual structure from the First Temple period unearthed in Jerusalem's City of David". Archaeology News Online Magazine. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
- ^ "Deuteronomy 16 - Hebrew English Translation Massoretic Text MT Interlinear Holy Name King James Version KJV Strong's Concordance Online Parallel Bible Study". qbible.com. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
- ^ "Isaiah 19 - Hebrew English Translation Massoretic Text MT Interlinear Holy Name King James Version KJV Strong's Concordance Online Parallel Bible Study". qbible.com. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
External links
edit- "matzeva" at Encyclopรฆdia Britannica online
