Salathiel (Hastings' Dictionary)

1. The father of Zerubbabel, 1 Es 5'- ■'"■ " 6- (-aXofli^X, and so in the genealogies of Mt 1'= and Lk 3-''). See Shealtiel and Zerub- babel. 2. Another name of Esdras, 2 Es 3' (Sala- thiel). SALECAH (.-ipVP ; 'AcreXxa, -eXx^. 2f)cxa(, EXxcf, 'Axd ; Salecha, Salacha ; AV Salcah, in Dt 3" Salchah). — Salecah, one of the cities of Og (Jos 12'), was on the eastern boundary of Bashan, to w liich the kingdom of Og extended (Dt 3'», Jos 13"). Though not specially mentioned, it must have been included in ' all the kingdom of Og, king of Bashan,' which was given to the half tribe of Manassich (Jos 13'»). But in 1 Ch 5" the children of Gad are said to have dwelt ' in the land of Bashan unto Salecah.' Salecah was held by the Nabatteans under king Aretas (B.C. 9-a.D. 40), whose coins have been found in the ruins. It was an important place in Roman times, and was specially sacred to Allat, the mother of the gods. It is identical with the present Salkhad — the Sarkhad of Abulfeda, who mentions its numerous vineyards, and the Selcath of William of Tyre, in whose day it was a strong fortress. The town occupies a commanding posi- tion a little south of the last spurs of Jehel Uaurdn, at the point where the p'cat eastern road, that led from Gadara to the Persian Gulf, entered the desert. In the town, now occupied by Druses, there are many of the ancient houses — some almost perfect. The water-supply was, and still is, derived from rain water collected in reservoirs and cisterns. A conical volcanic hill rises to a height of over 300 ft. above the town, and in its crater stands the castle. It was built, or rebuilt, by the Romans, and must afterwards have been restored by the Arabs or the Seljiik Turks, for at the time of the Crusades it was an important fortress. From it the old Roman road can be seen running straight as an arrow over the plain towards Bosra and Gadara, and east- ward as it enters the desert on its way to the Persian Gulf (Porter, Giant Cities of Boshnn, p. 75 ; Heber-Percy, A Visit to Bashan anil Arqob). C. W. \VlLSON. SALEM (ZdXTjMot, AV Salum), 1 Ks 8' = Sh:inuiii, an ancestor of Ezra (cf. Ezr 7"); called also Sai.i, MAS (?), 2 Es 1'.