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סָלַל

𐤎𐤋𐤋

çâlal

H5549 verb

SILEX Entry

Root סלל to heap up, pile, raise, build up

Definition

To heap up, pile, or build up (as in raising a mound, road, or ramp); by extension, to elevate or make prominent, and in some contexts, to praise or extol. Reflexively, can mean to lift oneself up, to act proudly, or to oppose by standing in the way (as by forming a barrier). The primary sense concerns the physical act of constructing an embankment, particularly in preparation for travel, construction, or siege, but also extends metaphorically to social or emotional elevation.

Semantic Range

to pile up, to mound up (earth, stones), to build up (a road or ramp), to construct (as for a siege or path), to elevate (physically or figuratively), to extol, to exalt (oneself or another), to stand in opposition (by forming a barrier)

Root / Etymology

Root ס-ל-ל (סָלַל), likely with the core meaning 'to heap up, pile up.' From this concrete image, the term developed to denote not only the physical act of piling or building up (as with earth or stones), but also the more abstract notions of elevation or exaltation. There is occasional overlap with related roots such as סגל and סלם in sense of elevation or piling, but the core imagery in סָלַל is raising ground.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Hebrew, סָלַל most commonly appears in contexts of forming a road, path, or approach, as in mounding up earth to facilitate movement or construction (e.g., Isaiah 62:10, 'build up the highway'). It is also used for building siege ramps against cities (e.g., 2 Samuel 20:15). The metaphorical sense — to exalt or extol — is relatively rare but attested in poetic passages (Psalm 68:4). Reflexive usage may imply self-exaltation or self-promotion. In later periods, the figurative and reflexive senses become more prominent in poetic and wisdom literature. English translations often render the physical sense as 'cast up' or 'build up,' but this can be misleading if not clearly contextualized. Unlike רוּם (to be high, uplifted in rank or stature), סָלַל maintains a strong connection to the physical act of heaping or constructing.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to mound up (especially a turnpike); figurative, to exalt; reflexively, to oppose (as by a dam); cast up, exalt (self), extol, make plain, raise up.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

סלל (s-l-l) — heap up, pile up, raise, build up

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4546 מְסִלָּה on the raised causeway
H4547 מַסְלוּל raised roadway
H5536 סַל in the woven basket
H5538 סִלָּא Silla
H5550 סֹלְלָה the piled-up siege ramps

Word Forms

6 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5549-05 סֹֽלּוּ solu HVqv2mp build up Heap up! 5
H5549-06 וַ/יָּסֹ֣לּוּ vayasolu HC/Vqw3mp and they make they heaped up 2
H5549-04 סְלוּלָֽה selulah HVqsfsa cast up mounded-up one 2
H5549-01 מִסְתּוֹלֵ֣ל misetolel HVrrmsa exalting yourself one lifting himself up 1
H5549-02 סַלְסְלֶ֥/הָ saleseleha HVlv2ms/Sp3fs Exalt her Build her up 1
H5549-03 סָלּ֥וּ/הָ saluha HVqv2mp/Sp3fs pile her up heap her up 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5549-01 Exodus 9:17 מִסְתּוֹלֵ֣ל misetolel HVrrmsa exalting yourself one lifting himself up
H5549-05 Isaiah 57:14 סֹֽלּוּ solu HVqv2mp Build up Heap up!
H5549-05 Isaiah 57:14 סֹ֖לּוּ solu-2 HVqv2mp build up Heap up!
H5549-05 Isaiah 62:10 סֹ֣לּוּ solu HVqv2mp build up Heap up!
H5549-05 Isaiah 62:10 סֹ֤לּוּ solu-2 HVqv2mp build up Heap up!
H5549-04 Jeremiah 18:15 סְלוּלָֽה selulah HVqsfsa cast up mounded-up one
H5549-03 Jeremiah 50:26 סָלּ֥וּ/הָ saluha HVqv2mp/Sp3fs pile her up heap her up
H5549-05 Psalms 68:5 סֹ֡לּוּ solu HVqv2mp exalt Heap up!
H5549-02 Proverbs 4:8 סַלְסְלֶ֥/הָ saleseleha HVlv2ms/Sp3fs Exalt her Build her up
H5549-04 Proverbs 15:19 סְלֻלָֽה selulah HVqsfsa highway mounded-up one
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