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סֻלָּם

𐤎𐤋𐤌

çullâm

H5551 noun

SILEX Entry

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

Definition

A structure or device facilitating ascent or descent, usually by providing steps or rungs; in context, a 'staircase' or 'ladder.' In its single biblical occurrence, it refers to a vertical or inclined means of access between two realms, whether literal or visionary. The semantic range includes both constructed stairs (permanent architectural feature) and portable ladders (temporary aid), though the term's only usage is somewhat ambiguous between these senses.

Semantic Range

ladder, stairway, staircase, ramp, instrument of ascent or descent, structure connecting levels

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root סָלַל (s-l-l), which means 'to pile up, heap, raise, cast up' (as in making a ramp, mound, or highway). The noun סֻלָּם is a nominal formation from this root, likely indicating an object which enables elevation or acts as a raised structure, such as a stair or ladder.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The word סֻלָּם appears only once in the Hebrew Bible (Genesis 28:12), where it describes the object in Jacob's vision at Bethel: a 'ladder' (or stairway) set up on the earth, reaching to heaven and used by messengers of God ascending and descending. The ambiguity in translation (ladder vs. stairway) arises due to the lack of additional biblical occurrences and the later development of architecture in Israelite society. In ancient Near Eastern contexts, monumental staircases or ramps were known, for example in ziggurats. The precise material and nature of the סֻלָּם in the vision is debated, but the imagery evokes access between the earthly and the divine. English translations have traditionally chosen 'ladder,' but 'stairway' or 'ramp' are equally possible given the root and ancient context. The word does not bear religious or ethnic connotations itself and is not reused elsewhere in the Bible, limiting assessment of semantic shifts over time. Distinct from מַעֲלֶה (stair, ascent) or מִגְרָפוֹת (steps, stairs), which have more concrete architectural applications, סֻלָּם is unique for its visionary and perhaps symbolic usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from סָלַל; a stair-case; ladder.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

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

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4546 מְסִלָּה on the raised causeway
H4547 מַסְלוּל raised roadway
H5536 סַל in the woven basket
H5538 סִלָּא Silla
H5549 סָלַל one lifting himself up

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5551-01 סֻלָּם֙ sulam HNcmsa a ladder elevating structure 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5551-01 Genesis 28:12 סֻלָּם֙ sulam HNcmsa a ladder elevating structure
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