5553. sela

Lexicon

sela: Rock, cliff

Original Word: סֶלַע
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: cela`
Pronunciation: seh'-lah
Phonetic Spelling: (seh'-lah)
Definition: Rock, cliff
Meaning: a craggy rock

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

ragged rock, stony, strong hold

From an unused root meaning to be lofty; a craggy rock, literally or figuratively (a fortress) -- (ragged) rock, stone(-ny), strong hold.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a crag, cliff
NASB Translation
cliff (4), cliffs (4), crag (2), crags (3), mountain* (1), Rock (1), rock (39), rocks (4), rocky (1), Sela (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. סֶ֫לַע₆₁ noun masculine^{Judges 6:20} crag, cliff, synonym צוּר; — absolute ׳ס Judges 6:20 +, סָ֑לַע Numbers 20:10 +; construct סֶ֫לַע 1 Samuel 23:28; suffix סַלְעִי 2 Samuel 22:2 +, סַלְעוֺ Isaiah 31:9; plural סְלָעִים Isaiah 2:21 +; —

1 literally cliff, crag Judges 6:20; Isaiah 2:21; Isaiah 7:19; Amos 6:12; Numbers 20:8 (twice in verse); Numbers 20:10 (twice in verse); Numbers 20:11(compare Nehemiah 9:15; Psalm 78:16, and contrast the צוּר of Exodus 17:6), Numbers 24:21; Deuteronomy 32:13 (not elsewhere Hexateuch), + 10 t.; ׳שֵׁן הַסּ 1 Samuel 14:4 (twice in verse) tooth of the crag, i.e. sharp crag, so Job 39:28; excavated in cliff as place of burial Isaiah 22:16; abode of wild animals, ׳יַעֲלֵיסֿ Isaiah 22:1, compare Psalm 104:18; Proverbs 30:26, of birds Job 39:28; Songs 2:14 (in figurative), compare Jeremiah 48:28, so of Edom Obadiah 3 = Jeremiah 49:16; compare (Numbers 24:21 above and) Isaiah 42:11; particular cliffs are: עֵיטָם ׳ס Judges 15:8,11 compare Judges 15:13, (הָ)רִמּוֺן ׳ס Judges 20:45,47 (twice in verse); Judges 21:13 הַמַּחְלְקוֺת ׳ס 1 Samuel 23:28 compare 1 Samuel 23:25; see also II.סֶלַע.

2 figurative, especially סַלְעִי of ׳י (only Psalms), Psalm 18:3 = 2 Samuel 22:2; Psalm 31:4; Psalm 42:10; Psalm 71:3; of Assyrian god Isaiah 31:9 (probably; compare צוּר Deuteronomy 32:31,37); כָּבֵד ׳צֵל ס Isaiah 32:2 (simile of protecting care); figurative of security Psalm 40:3 (feet on cliff), מְצָדוֺת סְלָעִים מִשְׂגַּבּוֺ Isaiah 33:16; symbol of obstinacy ׳חִזְּקוּ פְנֵיהֶם מִסּ Jeremiah 5:3; ׳צְחִיחַ ס (bare cliff, literally glare of [the] cliff), in figure of openness, flagrancy Ezekiel 24:7,8, of razed city Ezekiel 26:4,14 (only here Ezekiel); in figure of fall of Babylonian Jeremiah 51:25.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to be lofty.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G2911: κρημνός (kremnos) • A cliff or precipice.
• G4073: πέτρα (petra) • A rock or large stone, often used metaphorically for strength or stability.
• G4733: στερεόω (stereoō) • To make firm or solid, related to the concept of strength and stability.

These Greek terms share thematic connections with סֶלַע, emphasizing the ideas of strength, stability, and refuge found in the Hebrew usage.

Usage: The term סֶלַע is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote a rock or cliff, often symbolizing strength, refuge, or a natural fortress. It is used both literally and metaphorically.

Context: סֶלַע (Sela) appears in various contexts throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, often emphasizing the imagery of strength and protection. The word is frequently used to describe physical landscapes, such as cliffs or rocky terrains, which serve as natural fortresses or places of refuge. For instance, in Judges 15:8, Samson takes refuge in the "cleft of the rock" (סֶלַע) of Etam. The term also appears in poetic and prophetic literature, symbolizing God's protection and strength. In 2 Samuel 22:2-3, David declares, "The LORD is my rock (סֶלַע), my fortress and my deliverer," illustrating the metaphorical use of סֶלַע to describe divine security and stability. The city of Sela, mentioned in Isaiah 16:1, is another notable reference, highlighting its strategic and fortified nature. Overall, סֶלַע conveys the concept of an unyielding and secure place, both in the physical and spiritual realms.

Forms and Transliterations

בְּסֶ֣לַע בַּסֶּ֔לַע בַּסֶּ֖לַע בַּסֶּ֙לַע֙ בַסֶּ֖לַע בַסֶּ֣לַע בסלע הַסְּלָעִ֑ים הַסְּלָעִ֔ים הַסְּלָעִֽים׃ הַסֶּ֔לַע הַסֶּ֖לַע הַסֶּ֗לַע הַסֶּ֛לַע הַסֶּ֣לַע הַסֶּ֤לַע הַסֶּ֥לַע הַסָּ֑לַע הַסָּֽלַע׃ הסלע הסלע׃ הסלעים הסלעים׃ וְסַלְעוֹ֙ וּבַסְּלָעִ֔ים ובסלעים וסלעו מִסֶּ֔לַע מִסֶּ֛לַע מִסָּ֑לַע מֵהַסֶּ֖לַע מהסלע מסלע סְ֝לָעִ֗ים סְלָעִ֖ים סְלָעִים֙ סֶ֖לַע סֶ֗לַע סֶ֝֗לַע סֶ֣לַע סֶ֥לַע סֶ֭לַע סֶּ֖לַע סֶֽלַע־ סַֽלְעִ֥י סַלְעִ֖י סַלְעִ֣י סַלְעִי֮ סָ֑לַע סָֽלַע׃ סלע סלע־ סלע׃ סלעי סלעים bas·se·la‘ ḇas·se·la‘ basSela bassela‘ ḇassela‘ bə·se·la‘ beSela bəsela‘ has·sā·la‘ has·se·la‘ has·sə·lā·‘îm hasSala hassāla‘ hasSela hassela‘ hassəlā‘îm hasselaIm mê·has·se·la‘ mehasSela mêhassela‘ mis·sā·la‘ mis·se·la‘ misSala missāla‘ misSela missela‘ sā·la‘ sal‘î sal·‘î Sala sāla‘ salI se·la‘ se·la‘- sə·lā·‘îm Sela sela‘ sela‘- səlā‘îm selaIm ū·ḇas·sə·lā·‘îm ūḇassəlā‘îm uvasselaIm vasSela vesalO wə·sal·‘ōw wəsal‘ōw

Englishman's Concordance

Numbers 20:8
HEB: וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֧ם אֶל־ הַסֶּ֛לַע לְעֵינֵיהֶ֖ם וְנָתַ֣ן
NAS: and speak to the rock before their eyes,
KJV: and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes;
INT: and speak to the rock their eyes may yield

Numbers 20:8
HEB: מַ֙יִם֙ מִן־ הַסֶּ֔לַע וְהִשְׁקִיתָ֥ אֶת־
NAS: water for them out of the rock and let the congregation
KJV: to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give
INT: water out of the rock drink the congregation

Numbers 20:10
HEB: אֶל־ פְּנֵ֣י הַסָּ֑לַע וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם
NAS: before the rock. And he said
KJV: together before the rock, and he said
INT: together before the rock said Listen

Numbers 20:10
HEB: הַמֹּרִ֔ים הֲמִן־ הַסֶּ֣לַע הַזֶּ֔ה נוֹצִ֥יא
NAS: water for you out of this rock?
KJV: you water out of this rock?
INT: rebels at the rock of this bring

Numbers 20:11
HEB: וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־ הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּעֲמָ֑יִם
NAS: and struck the rock twice
KJV: he smote the rock twice:
INT: his hand and struck the rock his rod twice

Numbers 24:21
HEB: מֽוֹשָׁבֶ֔ךָ וְשִׂ֥ים בַּסֶּ֖לַע קִנֶּֽךָ׃
NAS: And your nest is set in the cliff.
KJV: and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
INT: your dwelling is set the cliff and your nest

Deuteronomy 32:13
HEB: וַיֵּנִקֵ֤הֽוּ דְבַשׁ֙ מִסֶּ֔לַע וְשֶׁ֖מֶן מֵחַלְמִ֥ישׁ
NAS: honey from the rock, And oil
KJV: honey out of the rock, and oil
INT: suck honey the rock and oil the flinty

Judges 1:36
HEB: מִֽמַּעֲלֵ֖ה עַקְרַבִּ֑ים מֵהַסֶּ֖לַע וָמָֽעְלָה׃ פ
KJV: to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.
INT: of the Amorites the ascent the rock and upward

Judges 6:20
HEB: וְהַנַּח֙ אֶל־ הַסֶּ֣לַע הַלָּ֔ז וְאֶת־
NAS: them on this rock, and pour
KJV: [them] upon this rock, and pour out
INT: and lay about rock this the broth

Judges 15:8
HEB: וַיֵּ֔שֶׁב בִּסְעִ֖יף סֶ֥לַע עֵיטָֽם׃ ס
NAS: in the cleft of the rock of Etam.
KJV: and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.
INT: and lived the cleft of the rock of Etam

Judges 15:11
HEB: אֶל־ סְעִיף֮ סֶ֣לַע עֵיטָם֒ וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ
NAS: to the cleft of the rock of Etam
KJV: to the top of the rock Etam,
INT: to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said

Judges 15:13
HEB: וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּהוּ מִן־ הַסָּֽלַע׃
NAS: and brought him up from the rock.
KJV: and brought him up from the rock.
INT: and brought from the rock

Judges 20:45
HEB: הַמִּדְבָּ֙רָה֙ אֶל־ סֶ֣לַע הָֽרִמּ֔וֹן וַיְעֹֽלְלֻ֙הוּ֙
NAS: toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon,
KJV: toward the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon:
INT: the wilderness unto the rock of Rimmon gleaned

Judges 20:47
HEB: הַמִּדְבָּ֙רָה֙ אֶל־ סֶ֣לַע הָֽרִמּ֔וֹן שֵׁ֥שׁ
NAS: toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon,
KJV: to the wilderness unto the rock Rimmon,
INT: the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon six

Judges 20:47
HEB: אִ֑ישׁ וַיֵּֽשְׁבוּ֙ בְּסֶ֣לַע רִמּ֔וֹן אַרְבָּעָ֖ה
NAS: and they remained at the rock of Rimmon
KJV: and abode in the rock Rimmon
INT: men remained the rock of Rimmon four

Judges 21:13
HEB: בִנְיָמִ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּסֶ֣לַע רִמּ֑וֹן וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ
NAS: who were at the rock of Rimmon,
KJV: of Benjamin that [were] in the rock Rimmon,
INT: of Benjamin who the rock of Rimmon and proclaimed

1 Samuel 13:6
HEB: בַּמְּעָר֤וֹת וּבַֽחֲוָחִים֙ וּבַסְּלָעִ֔ים וּבַצְּרִחִ֖ים וּבַבֹּרֽוֹת׃
NAS: in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars,
KJV: and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places,
INT: caves thickets cliffs cellars pits

1 Samuel 14:4
HEB: פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים שֵׁן־ הַסֶּ֤לַע מֵהָעֵ֙בֶר֙ מִזֶּ֔ה
NAS: there was a sharp crag on the one
KJV: [there was] a sharp rock on the one side,
INT: to the Philistines' A sharp crag side the one

1 Samuel 14:4
HEB: מִזֶּ֔ה וְשֵׁן־ הַסֶּ֥לַע מֵהָעֵ֖בֶר מִזֶּ֑ה
NAS: and a sharp crag on the other
KJV: and a sharp rock on the other side:
INT: the one sharp crag side the other

1 Samuel 23:25
HEB: לְדָוִ֔ד וַיֵּ֣רֶד הַסֶּ֔לַע וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר
NAS: and he came down to the rock and stayed
KJV: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode
INT: David came to the rock and stayed the wilderness

2 Samuel 22:2
HEB: וַיֹּאמַ֑ר יְהוָ֛ה סַֽלְעִ֥י וּמְצֻדָתִ֖י וּמְפַלְטִי־
NAS: The LORD is my rock and my fortress
KJV: The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress,
INT: said the LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer

1 Kings 19:11
HEB: הָרִ֨ים וּמְשַׁבֵּ֤ר סְלָעִים֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה
NAS: and breaking in pieces the rocks before
KJV: and brake in pieces the rocks before
INT: the mountains and breaking the rocks before the LORD

2 Chronicles 25:12
HEB: וַיְבִיא֖וּם לְרֹ֣אשׁ הַסָּ֑לַע וַיַּשְׁלִיכ֛וּם מֵֽרֹאשׁ־
NAS: them to the top of the cliff and threw them down
KJV: them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down
INT: and brought to the top of the cliff and threw the top

2 Chronicles 25:12
HEB: וַיַּשְׁלִיכ֛וּם מֵֽרֹאשׁ־ הַסֶּ֖לַע וְכֻלָּ֥ם נִבְקָֽעוּ׃
NAS: from the top of the cliff, so that they were all
KJV: from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.
INT: and threw the top of the cliff were all dashed

Nehemiah 9:15
HEB: לִרְעָבָ֔ם וּמַ֗יִם מִסֶּ֛לַע הוֹצֵ֥אתָ לָהֶ֖ם
NAS: water from a rock for them for their thirst,
KJV: water for them out of the rock for their thirst,
INT: their hunger water A rock brought their thirst

59 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5553
59 Occurrences

bas·se·la‘ — 3 Occ.
bə·se·la‘ — 2 Occ.
has·sā·la‘ — 5 Occ.
has·se·la‘ — 11 Occ.
has·sə·lā·‘îm — 5 Occ.
mê·has·se·la‘ — 1 Occ.
mis·sā·la‘ — 1 Occ.
mis·se·la‘ — 3 Occ.
sā·la‘ — 4 Occ.
sal·‘î — 5 Occ.
se·la‘ — 12 Occ.
sə·lā·‘îm — 3 Occ.
ū·ḇas·sə·lā·‘îm — 1 Occ.
ḇas·se·la‘ — 2 Occ.
wə·sal·‘ōw — 1 Occ.