סַלְסִלָּה
𐤎𐤋𐤎𐤋𐤄
çalçillâh
H5552 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A container woven from flexible materials, typically branches or twigs—most often used for carrying or holding items such as produce or other goods; in other contexts, a hanging or pendulous basket. The term reflects a receptacle made of intertwined natural materials, with possible emphasis on the structure or form rather than specific use.
Semantic Range
basket, woven container, receptacle fashioned from twigs or branches, hanging basket
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root סלה (s-l-h), which is thought to denote 'to weave, to plait, to twist.' The noun form סַלְסִלָּה is derived by reduplication, intensifying the sense of plaiting or weaving, and refers to the result of such an action—a woven container. The root itself may not occur elsewhere, suggesting derivative status or onomatopoeic repetition.
Historical & Contextual Notes
סַלְסִלָּה occurs infrequently in the Hebrew Bible (notably in Amos 8:1-2), where it denotes a basket, often in a cultic or agricultural context. The basket in question may be thought of as woven of slim, pliable branches or twigs (as the morphology suggests), used for carrying fruit or produce, particularly figs. In later Hebrew, the cognate סל (sal) becomes more common as a term for basket generally. The Septuagint renders it as κάνιστρον ('wicker basket'), indicating continuity of the basic sense but not necessarily pinpointing the precise type of basket described. English translations often render the term generally as 'basket,' which can obscure the nuance of woven material and form; some traditions use 'summer fruit basket' based on context. There is no association with ethnic or geographic identities in biblical usage, and the meaning is stable across its attestations.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from סָלָה; a twig (as pendulous); basket.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
סלה (s-l-h) — to weave, to plait, to twist
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5541 | סָלָה | you weighed |
| H5542 | סֶלָה | Lift-up pause |
| H5543 | סַלּוּ | to Sallai |
| H5544 | סִלּוֹן | projecting thorn-brier |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5552-01 |
סַלְסִלּֽוֹת | salesilot | HNcfpa |
the branches | plaited baskets | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5552-01 |
Jeremiah 6:9 | סַלְסִלּֽוֹת | salesilot | HNcfpa |
the branches | plaited baskets |