5554. Sela

Lexicon

Sela: Rock, cliff

Original Word: סֶלַע
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Cela`
Pronunciation: seh'-lah
Phonetic Spelling: (seh'-lah)
Definition: Rock, cliff
Meaning: Sela

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

rock, Selah

The same as cela'; Sela, the rock-city of Idumaea -- rock, Sela(-h).

see HEBREW cela'

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from the same as sela
Definition
a city in Edom
NASB Translation
Sela (3).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

II. סֶ֫לַע proper name, of a location in Edom, ׳מֵהַהַסּ Judges 1:36 (strike out מֵ, compare GFM); ׳הַסּ captured in war 2 Kings 14:7 (and called יָקְתְאֵל); ׳מִסּ Isaiah 16:1; site dubious; old identification with Petra denied, plausibly, by Buhl^Edom GFM^{Ju, 36} (who thinks of an actual cliff), but held Benz^{2Kings 14:7} Bd^{Pal (1898), 206}; ᵐ5 (ἡ)πέτρα.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Hebrew root סֶלַע (sela), meaning "rock" or "cliff."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There are no direct Greek equivalents for the proper noun סֶלַע (Sela) in the Strong's Greek lexicon, as it is a specific place name unique to the Hebrew context. However, the concept of a "rock" or "cliff" can be related to Greek terms such as πέτρα (petra, Strong's Greek 4073), which also means "rock" and is used metaphorically in the New Testament.

Usage: Sela is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote a city or region, particularly associated with the Edomites. It is often identified with the city of Petra, known for its rock-cut architecture and strategic location.

Context: • Sela is mentioned in the Old Testament as a significant city in the territory of Edom. The name itself means "rock," reflecting the city's geographical features, characterized by its rocky cliffs and fortifications.
• In 2 Kings 14:7, Sela is referenced in the context of King Amaziah of Judah's military campaign against Edom: "He struck down ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and took Sela by war. He called it Joktheel, as it is to this day" (BSB).
• The city is also mentioned in Isaiah 16:1, where it is suggested as a place to send tribute: "Send the tribute lambs to the ruler of the land, from Sela in the desert to the mount of the Daughter of Zion" (BSB).
• Sela's strategic importance is underscored by its location along trade routes and its defensible position, making it a valuable asset for controlling the region.
• The identification of Sela with Petra is supported by archaeological and historical evidence, as Petra was a major city of the Nabateans, known for its impressive rock-cut architecture and its role as a trading hub.

Forms and Transliterations

הַסֶּ֖לַע הסלע מִסֶּ֣לַע מסלע סֶ֔לַע סלע has·se·la‘ hasSela hassela‘ mis·se·la‘ misSela missela‘ se·la‘ Sela sela‘

Englishman's Concordance

2 Kings 14:7
HEB: וְתָפַ֥שׂ אֶת־ הַסֶּ֖לַע בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֤א
NAS: 10000and took Sela by war, and named
KJV: and took Selah by war,
INT: thousand and took Sela war and called

Isaiah 16:1
HEB: מֹשֵֽׁל־ אֶ֖רֶץ מִסֶּ֣לַע מִדְבָּ֑רָה אֶל־
NAS: of the land, From Sela by way of the wilderness
KJV: of the land from Sela to the wilderness,
INT: to the ruler of the land Sela of the wilderness to

Isaiah 42:11
HEB: יָרֹ֙נּוּ֙ יֹ֣שְׁבֵי סֶ֔לַע מֵרֹ֥אשׁ הָרִ֖ים
INT: sing the inhabitants rock the tops of the mountains

3 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5554
3 Occurrences

has·se·la‘ — 1 Occ.
mis·se·la‘ — 1 Occ.
se·la‘ — 1 Occ.