סֶלַע
𐤎𐤋𐤏
Sela
H5554 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A mass of rock, crag, or cliff; also used as a proper noun for a specific city located in Edom/Idumaea. Primarily denotes a prominent rocky outcrop or geological formation, particularly one that is conspicuous, inaccessible, or suitable for defense. As a proper name, refers to the ancient city of Sela, noted for its strategic position in the Edomite territory.
Semantic Range
crag, cliff, mass of rock, prominent outcrop, rock formation, a place of refuge or defense, name of the Edomite/Edomite city Sela
Root / Etymology
From the root ס-ל-ע, meaning 'to split, cleave, break off a piece.' The noun סֶלַע derives from this root and denotes the result of such splitting—a distinct rock or cliff, often sharply defined and standing out in the landscape.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, סֶלַע occurs both as a common noun referring to a large rock formation or cliff and as a proper noun indicating a specific city. Unlike צוּר (ṣûr), another term for 'rock,' סֶלַע is more closely associated with vertical, prominent, or isolated rocks, often used for defensible positions (e.g., Isa 16:1; Jer 48:28). The city Sela in Edom, later identified with Hellenistic Petra, was famous for its stone constructions and defensibility. Usage of סֶלַע as a place name appears mostly in prophetic and historical books, whereas the generic noun sense appears in poetry and narrative. English translations sometimes obscure the local/historical meaning, particularly when translating as 'rock' rather than retaining the toponym. The term conveys both topographic feature and, by extension, ideas of security and inaccessibility, without the religious connotations that צּוּר ('rock' as a divine metaphor) sometimes carries.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as סֶלַע; Sela, the rock-city of Idumaea; rock, Sela(-h).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
סלע (s-l-ʿ) — to cleave, split, be rocky
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5554-03 |
סֶ֔לַע | sela | HNp |
Sela | crag of | 1 |
H5554-01 |
הַ/סֶּ֖לַע | hasela | HTd/Np |
Sela | the crag | 1 |
H5554-02 |
מִ/סֶּ֣לַע | misela | HR/Np |
from Sela | from a split crag | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5554-01 |
2 Kings 14:7 | הַ/סֶּ֖לַע | hasela | HTd/Np |
Sela | the crag |
H5554-02 |
Isaiah 16:1 | מִ/סֶּ֣לַע | misela | HR/Np |
from Sela | from a split crag |
H5554-03 |
Isaiah 42:11 | סֶ֔לַע | sela | HNp |
Sela | crag of |