Sela
Sela is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Negev in modern-day Israel. It appears across 2 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
This Sela, located at slightly different coordinates from the Petra-area site, may represent a distinct fortress or settlement in the broader Edomite territory. The name Sela, meaning "rock" or "crag," was likely applied to multiple defensible rocky outcrops throughout the Negev and Edomite regions. In the prophetic literature, Sela-like imagery pervades the oracles against Edom. Obadiah 1:3-4 addresses those who dwell "in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high," warning that even those who "set their nest among the stars" would be brought down. Jeremiah 49:16 echoes this language almost verbatim. These prophetic warnings targeted the pride and false security that Edom derived from its rocky fortresses. The broader theological message is clear: no natural or human-made fortification can protect a nation from divine judgment. Whether this Sela refers to a specific settlement or represents a broader regional designation, it participates in the scriptural theme that God alone is the true Rock and refuge (Psalm 18:2, Deuteronomy 32:4), while human strongholds built on pride and enmity toward God's people will inevitably fall.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
This location in the Negev-Edomite border region corresponds to the broader zone of rocky escarpments and fortified sites that characterized the frontier between Judah and Edom. Archaeological surveys in the Aravah and eastern Negev have documented numerous Iron Age fortresses and watchtowers built on rocky prominences, exploiting the natural defensive terrain. The site designated es-Sela, located roughly 4 kilometers northwest of Bozrah (Buseirah), features a dramatic rocky outcrop with Edomite remains and rock-cut installations including cisterns and chambers. Nabataean and later occupation layers are also present. The region's geology, dominated by Nubian sandstone with dramatic cliff formations, provided ideal conditions for the construction of defensible settlements throughout antiquity.
Verse Appearances (2)
Judg
2Chr
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
- Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Lawrence, D. et al. (2025) Villages to Empires: a settlement dataset for the Southern Levant. doi:10.5281/zenodo.15111732. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]