What does סֶלַע (selaʿ) mean in the Bible?
סֶלַע (selaʿ): Solid, towering rock used literally for refuge and figuratively for God as an unshakeable fortress
Hebrew · H5553
סֶלַע
A craggy rock , literally or figuratively (a fortress )
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סֶלַע H5553
Pronunciation selaʿ
What does סֶלַע (selaʿ) mean in the Bible?
סֶלַע (selaʿ): Solid, towering rock used literally for refuge and figuratively for God as an unshakeable fortress
Full entry for סֶלַע (H5553) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5553?
The BSB source-word alignment has 58 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include rock (7), of the rocks (6), the rock (6), . . . (4), the cliffs (3).
Where does סֶלַע (selaʿ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Numbers 20:8. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (9), Judges (8), Isaiah (7), Jeremiah (7).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It rock 7× Numbers 20:10, Judges 6:20, Isaiah 32:2, Ezekiel 24:7
of the rocks 6× Isaiah 7:19, Isaiah 57:5, Jeremiah 13:4, Jeremiah 16:16
the rock 6× Numbers 20:8, Numbers 20:11, Judges 15:13, Judges 20:45
. . . 4× Judges 20:47, 1 Samuel 14:4, 2 Chronicles 25:12
the cliffs 3× Psalms 104:18, Psalms 141:6, Jeremiah 51:25
a rock 2× Psalms 40:2, Jeremiah 23:29
among the rocks 2× 1 Samuel 13:6, Jeremiah 48:28
are my rock 2× Psalms 31:3, Psalms 71:3
at the rock 2× Judges 15:8, Judges 15:11
from the rock 2× Deuteronomy 32:13, Nehemiah 9:15
is my rock 2× 2 Samuel 22:2, Psalms 18:2
of the rock 2× Numbers 20:10, Song Of Solomon 2:14
the rocks 2× 1 Kings 19:11, Psalms 137:9
a rocky 1× Job 39:28
from the stone 1× Psalms 78:16
in a cliff 1× Numbers 24:21
in the cliffs 1× Isaiah 2:21
in the rock 1× Isaiah 22:16
in the rocks 1× Proverbs 30:26
mountain 1× Job 39:1
my Rock 1× Psalms 42:9
of a cliff 1× 2 Chronicles 25:12
on a cliff 1× Job 39:28
on the cliffs 1× Amos 6:12
than stone 1× Jeremiah 5:3
the mountain 1× Isaiah 33:16
Their rock 1× Isaiah 31:9
to the rock 1× 1 Samuel 23:25
were at the rock 1× Judges 21:13
Show sample aligned rows
Numbers 20:8 הַסֶּ֛לַע to the rock Article | Noun - masculine singular Numbers 20:8 הַסֶּ֔לַע to the rock Article | Noun - masculine singular Numbers 20:10 הַסָּ֑לַע to of the rock Article | Noun - masculine singular Numbers 20:10 הַסֶּ֣לַע to rock Article | Noun - masculine singular Numbers 20:11 הַסֶּ֛לַע to the rock Article | Noun - masculine singular Numbers 24:21 בַּסֶּ֖לַע to in a cliff Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Deuteronomy 32:13 מִסֶּ֔לַע to from the rock Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular Judges 6:20 הַסֶּ֣לַע to rock Article | Noun - masculine singular Judges 15:8 סֶ֥לַע to at the rock Noun - masculine singular construct Judges 15:11 סֶ֣לַע to at the rock Noun - masculine singular construct
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Numbers 20:8
Aligned rows 58
Books represented 17
Numbers 6 Deuteronomy 1 Judges 8 1 Samuel 4 2 Samuel 1 1 Kings 1 2 Chronicles 2 Nehemiah 1 Job 3 Psalms 9 Proverbs 1 Song Of Solomon 1 Isaiah 7 Jeremiah 7 Ezekiel 4 Amos 1 Obadiah 1
Source forms
סֶ֣לַע 4x se·la‘ Judges 15:11, Judges 20:45, Judges 20:47, Job 39:28
הַסֶּ֔לַע 3x has·se·la‘ Numbers 20:8, 1 Samuel 23:25, Jeremiah 49:16
הַסָּֽלַע׃ 3x has·sā·la‘ Judges 15:13, Psalms 137:9, Jeremiah 13:4
בְּסֶ֣לַע 2x bə·se·la‘ Judges 20:47, Judges 21:13
הַסֶּ֛לַע 2x has·se·la‘ Numbers 20:8, Numbers 20:11
הַסֶּ֣לַע 2x has·se·la‘ Numbers 20:10, Judges 6:20
הַסָּ֑לַע 2x has·sā·la‘ Numbers 20:10, 2 Chronicles 25:12
הַסְּלָעִ֑ים 2x has·sə·lā·‘îm Isaiah 2:21, Isaiah 7:19
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - masculine singular 16x Numbers 20:8, Numbers 20:10, Numbers 20:11, Judges 6:20
Noun - masculine singular 12x Job 39:1, Job 39:28, Psalms 40:2, Psalms 141:6
Article | Noun - masculine plural 5x Isaiah 2:21, Isaiah 7:19, Isaiah 57:5, Jeremiah 16:16
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular 5x 2 Samuel 22:2, Psalms 18:2, Psalms 31:3, Psalms 42:9
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular 5x Numbers 24:21, Proverbs 30:26, Isaiah 22:16, Jeremiah 48:28
Noun - masculine singular construct 4x Judges 15:8, Judges 15:11, Judges 20:45, Judges 20:47
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular 4x Deuteronomy 32:13, Nehemiah 9:15, Psalms 78:16, Jeremiah 5:3
Noun - masculine plural 3x 1 Kings 19:11, Psalms 104:18, Isaiah 33:16
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Solid, towering rock used literally for refuge and figuratively for God as an unshakeable fortress
Source Gloss
a craggy rock , literally or figuratively (a fortress )
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Solid, towering rock used literally for refuge and figuratively for God as an unshakeable fortress
a craggy rock, literally or figuratively (a fortress) BDB: crag Usage: (ragged) rock, stone(-ny), strong hold.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
A natural fortress or stronghold providing protection and refuge
Showing 1 selected witness from 59 lexical occurrence verses.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain