סַלְכָה
𐤎𐤋𐤊𐤄
Salekhah
H5548 noun
SILEX Entry
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
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
uncertain (Baleadan) — uncertain
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1002 | בִּירָה | the citadel |
| H105 | אֲגַרְטָל | bowls of |
| H1081 | בַּלְאֲדָן | Baladan |
| H1085 | בִּלְדַּד | Bildad |
| H1095 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר | Belteshatsar |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5548-01 |
סַלְכָֽה | salekhah | HNp |
Salcah | Salcah | Salekhah | 3 |
H5548-02 |
וּ/בְ/סַלְכָה֙ | uvesalekhah | HC/R/Np |
and in Salcah | and in Salcah | and in Salekhah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5548-01 |
Deuteronomy 3:10 | סַלְכָ֖ה | salekhah | HNp |
Salchah | Salcah | Salekhah |
H5548-02 |
Joshua 12:5 | וּ/בְ/סַלְכָה֙ | uvesalekhah | HC/R/Np |
and in Salcah | and in Salcah | and in Salekhah |
H5548-01 |
Joshua 13:11 | סַלְכָֽה | salekhah | HNp |
Salcah | Salcah | Salekhah |
H5548-01 |
1 Chronicles 5:11 | סַלְכָֽה | salekhah | HNp |
Salecah | Salcah | Salekhah |