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סַלְכָה

𐤎𐤋𐤊𐤄

Salekhah

H5548 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain; proper name, place designation

Definition

Toponym: Salcah — a city located in the extreme southeastern boundary of Bashan, east of the Jordan River. Primarily designates a fortified site mentioned in Israelite territorial descriptions. No evidence of the term being used with the verbal nuance 'walking' in the Hebrew Bible; its lexical function is as a proper name denoting a specific location.

Semantic Range

Salcah (Salchah, Salkha) as a fortified city in Bashan; strict use as a geographic designation; no attested verbal or nominal use beyond the place name

Root / Etymology

etymology uncertain. The form סַלְכָה (Salcah) does not derive from any attested Hebrew root with clear semantics; connection to a hypothetical root meaning 'to walk' is purely speculative and not supported by extant usage. Likely a loanword or local toponym incorporated into the Hebrew narrative.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical texts, Salcah (סַלְכָה) consistently refers to a specific city or district on the periphery of Bashan, often cited in boundary demarcations for tribal allocations (e.g., Deuteronomy 3:10; Joshua 12:5; Joshua 13:11). The association with Bashan situates it culturally and administratively in the Aramean and Israelite historical context. Later Greco-Roman sources refer to the town as Salchah or Salkha, and it is identifiable with the modern-day Syrian town Salkhad. No evidence in pre-exilic or later Hebrew literature indicates any generic use of the term beyond the place name. Traditional renderings such as 'Salcah' in English Bibles strictly transliterate the place-name, as its original meaning and nuance are lost or were never Hebrew in origin. Contrast with parallel toponyms in Transjordanian lists; the name has no theological or religious significance.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root. meaning to walk; walking; Salcah, a place East of the Jordan; Salcah, Salchah.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

uncertain (uncertain) — proper name, place designation

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar
H1114 בִּלְשָׁן Bilshan
H1150 בִּנְעָא Bin'a
H116 אֱדַיִן and then

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5548-01 סַלְכָ֖ה salekhah HNp Salcah Salcah 3
H5548-02 וּ/בְ/סַלְכָה֙ uvesalekhah HC/R/Np and in Salcah and in Salcah 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5548-01 Deuteronomy 3:10 סַלְכָ֖ה salekhah HNp Salchah Salcah
H5548-02 Joshua 12:5 וּ/בְ/סַלְכָה֙ uvesalekhah HC/R/Np and in Salcah and in Salcah
H5548-01 Joshua 13:11 סַלְכָֽה salekhah HNp Salcah Salcah
H5548-01 1 Chronicles 5:11 סַלְכָֽה salekhah HNp Salecah Salcah
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