Huzzab

HUZZAB (hŭz'ăb, Heb. hūtstsav). It is disputed whether the word in Nah.2.7 is to be taken as a noun or a verb. If a noun (kjv, rsv), it may be an epithet of Nineveh or of its queen. If a verb, it may be translated “it is decreed,” as in ASV and NIV. Moffatt and the Jewish version have “the queen.” Knox has “the warriors of Nineve(h).” Archaeology has as yet shed no light here.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

Its meaning is doubtful. According to Gesenius, it is a verb, Hoph. of tsabhabh, "flow," hence, to be rendered with preceding verse, "The palace is dissolved and made to flow down." Wordsworth made it Pual of natsabh, "fix": "The palace is dissolved, though established." Septuagint renders with the next word, he hupostasis apokaluphthe, "The foundation (or treasure) is uncovered." the King James Version, the Revised Version margin and the American Standard Revised Version text make it Hoph. of natsabh, "fix," hence, "It is decreed." Perhaps more probably, with the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) text and the American Revised Version margin, it is a name, or noun with the article (or the corruption of such a word), referring either to the Assyrian queen, or personifying Nineveh. No such queen is now known, but Assyriology may throw light. The "name" interpretation accords best with the general trend of the passage, which describes the discomfiture of a royal personage. BDB calls it "perhaps textual error." The Massoretic vocalization may be at fault.