בְּ/סֶ֣לַע
𐤁/𐤎𐤋𐤏
besela
in the rock
from an unused root meaning to be lofty; a craggy rock, literally or figuratively (a fortress); (ragged) rock, stone(-ny), strong hold.
Judges 21:13 · Word #9
Lexicon H5553
| Lemma | סֶלַע |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤎𐤋𐤏 |
| Transliteration | çelaʻ |
| Strong's | H5553 |
| In-context | in the rock |
Morphology HR/Ncmsc
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
| State | c — Construct — The noun is bound to the following word |
SIBI-P1 H5553-02
in the lofty crag
| Root | סלע (s-l-ʿ) |
| Core Meanings | loftiness, crag, cliff, rocky height, stronghold |
| Semantic Range | crag, cliff, rocky height, large rock formation, fortress-like rock, stronghold |
| Conceptual Significance | Often associated with refuge and security, סֶלַע evokes the image of a naturally fortified height. In biblical theology it frequently symbolizes divine protection, stability, and an unassailable place of safety. |
| Morphological Notes | Masculine singular noun in construct state (Ncmsc) with prefixed preposition בְ (“in”). Though in construct form, it functions here as a singular noun governed by the preposition. |
| Rendering Rationale | The noun סֶלַע denotes a high, craggy rock formation, reflecting the root idea of loftiness and rugged elevation. The form is masculine singular in the construct state with the prefixed preposition בְ (“in”), so the rendering preserves the singular masculine sense while conveying the elevated, rocky character inherent in the root. |
AI-generated (openai/gpt-5.2-chat-latest)
Words from Root סלע (loftiness, crag, cliff, rocky height, stronghold)
| SILEX Code | Transliteration | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
H5553-01 |
basela | in the lofty crag-rock |
H5553-03 |
hasala | the Lofty Crag |
H5553-04 |
hasela | the crag-rock |
Word Usage (59 occurrences of H5553)
| Location | Form | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numbers 20:8 | הַ/סֶּ֛לַע | hasela | rock |
| Numbers 20:8 | הַ/סֶּ֔לַע | hasela-2 | the-rock |
| Numbers 20:10 | הַ/סָּ֑לַע | hasala | the rock |