5538. Silla

Lexical Summary

Silla: Silla

Original Word: סִלָּא
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: Cilla'
Pronunciation: sil-lah'
Phonetic Spelling: (sil-law')
KJV: Silla
NASB: Silla
Word Origin: [from H5549 (סָלַל - build)]

1. an embankment
2. Silla, a place in Jerusalem

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Silla

From calal; an embankment; Silla, a place in Jerusalem -- Silla.

see HEBREW calal

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a place in Jer.
NASB Translation
Silla (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

סִלָּא word in (unintelligible) designated location, ׳בֵּית מִלּאֹ הַיֹּרֵד ס 2 Kings 12:21; Th conjecture מְסִלָּה highway, Klo בְּמוֺרַד מִלּאֹ other conjectures in Benz.

Topical Lexicon

Location and Identification

Silla is mentioned only once in Scripture (2 Kings 12:20) as a place reached by a descent (“the road that goes down to Silla”). The name probably evokes a rocky outcrop or pile of stones, suggesting a natural landmark just outside the fortified area of ancient Jerusalem. While the precise site remains unconfirmed, many scholars relate it to the southeastern slopes of the City of David, near the Kidron Valley, where ancient paths dropped steeply toward the spring of Siloam and the village of Silwan—areas long associated with rocky terraces and stepped streets.

Biblical Occurrence

2 Kings 12:20: “Then his servants conspired against him and killed Joash at Beth-millo on the road that goes down to Silla.”

The verse forms part of the closing notice on the reign of King Joash (also called Jehoash) of Judah.

Historical Background

1. Early Reforms and Later Apostasy
• Joash began his kingship under the tutelage of the faithful priest Jehoiada, repairing the temple and leading national renewal (2 Kings 12:1–16).
• After Jehoiada’s death, Joash listened to ungodly counselors, tolerated idolatry, and ordered the stoning of Jehoiada’s son Zechariah (2 Chronicles 24:17–22).
• The assassination at Silla, therefore, represents divine justice against a king who turned from covenant faithfulness.

2. Internal Conspiracy
• The conspirators were not foreign enemies but Joash’s own servants (2 Kings 12:20; 2 Chronicles 24:25), underscoring moral rot within the court.
• Their ambush “on the road that goes down to Silla” implies a vulnerable moment—perhaps a transition from fortified space to more open terrain—symbolic of Joash’s spiritual descent.

Spiritual and Ministry Lessons

• Covenant Accountability: Silla highlights how leaders, though once zealous, must continue in obedience; early faithfulness does not shield later apostasy from judgment.
• God’s Sovereignty over Geography: Even a seemingly minor spot like Silla is woven into redemptive history, reminding readers that every place is under the Lord’s rule.
• Warning against Forsaking Truth: Joash’s trajectory warns congregations and leaders to guard against gradual compromise after seasons of blessing.

Archaeological and Geographical Considerations

• Proximity to Millo: The reference to Beth-millo (likely a fortress or earthwork buttressing Jerusalem’s northern wall) situates Silla along a descent east or south of this structure.
• Possible Correlation with Silwan: Modern Silwan preserves an ancient name and terrain fitting the description—a steep descent flanked by rock-cut tombs.
• Lack of Excavated Evidence: No inscription explicitly names סִלָּא; its identification remains inferential, yet the topographic details in Kings cohere with known geography, strengthening the historical reliability of the account.

Constructive Application

Pastors and teachers can use Silla as an illustration when addressing:
• The peril of drifting from early zeal (Hebrews 2:1).
• The certainty of divine justice, even when delayed.
• The importance of finishing well—contrasting Joash’s tragic end with Paul’s testimony in 2 Timothy 4:7.

Related Passages

• 2 Chronicles 24:23–25 – Parallel account highlighting God’s judgment.
• Deuteronomy 17:18–20 – The king’s mandate to remain anchored in the Law, violated by Joash.
• Psalm 1:1–6 – The contrasted paths of the righteous and the wicked; Silla marks where Joash’s chosen path culminated.

Though mentioned only once, Silla serves as a potent geographical witness to the truth that “God cannot be mocked” (Galatians 6:7), standing as a silent milestone on the downward road of a king who failed to keep covenant with the Lord.

Forms and Transliterations

סִלָּֽא׃ סלא׃ sil·lā silLa sillā

Englishman's Concordance

2 Kings 12:20
HEB: מִלֹּ֖א הַיּוֹרֵ֥ד סִלָּֽא׃
NAS: [as he was] going down to Silla.
KJV: of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.
INT: of Millo going to Silla

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5538
1 Occurrence

sil·lā — 1 Occ.