Skip to main content

Place

Sela

Edomite city

A rock fortress of Edom captured and renamed by King Amaziah of Judah, often identified with the site later known as Petra.

4 appearances3 Bible books1 known aliases

Who or what is this?

Sela is a prominent fortified rock city in Edom, whose name means 'the rock' in . In 2 Kings 14:7 and 2 Chronicles 25:11–12, King Amaziah of captured it in battle and renamed it Joktheel; the Chronicler adds that he threw ten thousand prisoners from its heights. The prophets and allude to Edom's pride in its rocky stronghold, which many scholars identify with the site later known as Petra. Isaiah 16:1 calls on to 'send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness,' and Isaiah 42:11 anticipates the inhabitants of Sela singing for joy at Israel's redemption.

People, places, and events in this story

These connections are explicitly linked in this entity's source description.

Places in this story

Places explicitly linked from this entity's description. Select a marker to open its page.

Where this appears in Scripture

Start with the key scenes, then open the complete evidence by book or reference type.

Key passages

All appearances4