Although the two roots naẓab and yaẓab are distinct, yet their meaning
is, as you know, identical in all their various forms.
The verb has several meanings: in some instances it signifies “to
stand” or “to place oneself,” as “And his sister stood (va-tetaẓẓab)
afar off” (Exod. ii. 4); “The kings of the earth set themselves”
(yityaẓẓebu) (Ps. ii. 2); “They came out and stood” (niẓẓabim) (Num.
xvi. 27). In other instances it denotes continuance and permanence, as,
“Thy word is established (niẓẓab) in Heaven” (Ps. cxix. 89), i.e., it
remains for ever.
Whenever this term is applied to God it must be understood in the
latter sense, as, “And, behold, the Lord stood (niẓẓab) upon it” (Gen.
xxviii. 13), i.e., appeared as eternal and everlasting “upon it,”
namely, upon the ladder, the upper end of which reached to heaven,
while the lower end touched the earth. This ladder all may climb up who
wish to do so, and they must ultimately attain to a knowledge of Him
who is above the summit of the ladder, because He remains upon it
permanently. It must be well understood that the term “upon it” is
employed by me in harmony with this metaphor. “Angels of God” who were
going up represent the prophets. That the term “angel” was applied to
prophets may clearly be seen in the following passages: “He sent an
angel” (Num. xx. 16); “And an angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to
Bochim” (Judges ii. 1). How suggestive, too, is the expression
“ascending and descending on it”! The ascent is mentioned before the
descent, inasmuch as the “ascending” and arriving at a certain height
of the ladder precedes the “descending,” i.e., the application of the
knowledge acquired in the ascent for the training and instruction of
mankind. This application is termed “descent,” in accordance with our
explanation of the term yarad (chapter x.).
To return to our subject. The phrase “stood upon it” indicates the
permanence and constancy of God, and does not imply the idea of
physical position. This is also the sense of the phrase “Thou shalt
stand upon the rock” (Exod. xxxiii. 21). It is therefore clear that
niẓẓab and ʻamad are identical in this figurative signification. Comp.
“Behold, I will stand (ʻomed) before thee there upon the rock in Horeb”
(Exod. xvii. 6).