Azen refers to a digging implement, likely a spade or mattock used in agricultural and military contexts. In Deuteronomy, it appears as the implement every soldier was to carry for sanitation purposes in the camp — digging to cover excrement and maintain ritual purity.
The command in Deuteronomy 23 for Israel's warriors to carry a digging tool reflects the theological principle that God's presence in the camp demanded holiness in every dimension of life — including the mundane. Purity before God was not merely spiritual but embodied in practical daily habits. The holy God walks among His people.