(; ) is a word used 74 times in the [[Hebrew Bible]]. Its etymology and precise meaning are unknown, though various interpretations have been proposed.
It is probably either a liturgical-musical mark or an instruction on the reading of the text, with the meaning of "stop and listen". Another proposal is that can be used to indicate that there is to be a musical interlude at that point in the Psalms.
It should not be confused with the Hebrew word () meaning "rock".
Occurrences
This word occurs 71 times in 39 of the
Psalms, and three times in Habakkuk 3: altogether 74 times in the Bible.
It is found at the end of Psalms 3, 24, and 46, and in most other cases at the end of a verse, the exceptions being Psalms 55:19, 57:3, and Habakkuk 3:3, 9, 13.
At least some of the Psalms were sung accompanied by musical instruments and there are references to this in many chapters. Thirty-one of the thirty-nine psalms with the caption "To the choir-master" include the word .
Interpretations
Historical
The significance of this term was apparently not known even by ancient
Bible commentary. This can be seen by the variety of renderings given to it. The
Septuagint, Symmachus, and
Theodotion translate it as (, or "apart from psalm") — a word as enigmatic in Greek as is in Hebrew. The
Hexapla simply transliterates it as σελ ().
[ Aquila,][ AlHaTorah Concordance: סלה] Jerome, and the Targum translate it as "always", and in Jewish liturgy the word is used to mean "forever" (notably in the second to last blessing of the Amidah).[
]
According to Hippolytus, the Greek term διάψαλμα signified a change in rhythm or melody at the places marked by the term, or a change in thought and theme.[De Lagarde, "Novæ Psalterii Græci Editionis Specimen" 10] Against this explanation, Baethgen notes that also occurs at the end of some psalms.["Psalmen," p. 15, 1st ed. Göttingen, 1892]
Modern (1900s)
Imperative: "lift up", "exalt"; pause
One proposed meaning assigns it to the root סלל, as an imperative mood that should properly have been vocalized סֹלָּה, .[Ewald, "Kritische Grammatik der Hebräischen Sprache," p. 554; König, "Historisch-Kritisches Lehrgebäude der Hebräischen Sprache," ii., part i., p. 539] The meaning of this imperative is given as "lift up", equivalent to "loud" or "fortissimo", a direction to the accompanying musicians to break in at the place marked with crash of and blare of , the orchestra playing an interlude while the singers' voices were hushed. The effect, as far as the singer was concerned, was to mark a pause. Similarly, another opinion understands being held to be a variant of the verb (meaning "pause"). But as the interchange of (ש) and (ס) is not usual in Biblical Hebrew, and as the meaning "pause" is not held to be applicable in the middle of a verse, or where a pause would interrupt the sequence of thought, this proposition has met with little favor.[" Selah", in The Jewish Encyclopedia. Re-accessed 28 November 2021.]
The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (2006) states that the main derivation of the Hebrew word is found through the dynamic verb verb root סֶ֜לָה which means "to lift up (voices)" or "to exalt", and also carries a close connotational relationship to the verb סָלַל, which is similar in meaning: "to lift up" or "to cast up". The word סֶלָה, which shifts the accent back to the last syllable of the verb form, indicates that in this context, the verb is being used in the imperative mood as somewhat of a directive to the reader. As such, perhaps the most instructive way to view the use of this word, particularly in the context of the Psalms, would be as the writer's instruction to the reader to pause and exalt the Lord.[Brown, F., S. Driver, and C. Briggs. The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.: Peabody, MA, 2006. p. 699]
Marker between paragraphs or of a quotation
Heinrich Grätz argues that introduces a new paragraph, and also in some cases a quotation (e.g., Psalms 57:8-12 from 108:2-6). The fact that the term occurs four times at the end of a Psalm would not weigh against this theory. The Psalms were meant to be read in sequence, and, moreover, many of them are fragments; indeed, Psalms 9 and 10 are considered one psalm in the Septuagint; the Septuagint also omits the word διάψαλμα (, "pause") at the end of Psalms 3, 24, 46 and 68.[Grätz, H., "Kritischer Commentar zu den Psalmen", i. 93 ff., quoted in "Selah", Jewish Encyclopedia. Re-accessed 28 November 2021.]
Benno Jacob concludes (1) that since no etymological explanation is possible, signifies a pause in or for the Temple song; and (2) that its meaning was concealed lest the Temple privileges should be obtained by the synagogues or perhaps even by the churches.[B. Jacob in Stade's "Zeitschrift" xvi (1896), p. 129 ff., quoted in "Selah", Jewish Encyclopedia. Re-accessed 28 November 2021.]
Other proposals
Another interpretation claims that comes from the primary Hebrew root word (סָלָה), meaning "to hang", and by implication "to measure (weigh)".
Philosophy
The term is used by the Czech philosopher John Amos Comenius (1592–1670) at the end of his book Kšaft umírající matky, Jednoty bratrské. Likewise, appears several times in the Wanderer and Shadow's song in Among the Daughters of the Desert from Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Eliphas Levi (1810–1875), in his work "Transcendental Magic", says "Selah! Fiat! So mote it be!" at the end of one of his magical invocations of the elemental spirits.
Rastafari usage
is used in [[Iyaric]] Rastafarian vocabulary. It can be heard at the end of spoken-word segments of some [[reggae]] songs. Its usage here, again, is to accentuate the magnitude and importance of what has been said, and often is a sort of substitute for [[amen]].
As a given name
"Selah" has been used as a female given name in the US since 2005. In 2024, the name reached 280th place in the US, with 1122 recorded births. The name has also seen usage in the Netherlands, reaching 481st place in 2016, with 26 births, and 467th place in 2024, with 28 births.
Institutions named Selah
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The Selah Workshop of the Israel Center for Jewish-Christian Relations, Galilee, Israel
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Selah: The Israel Crisis Management Center, helps "immigrants to struggling with tragedy"
See also
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Jewish prayer
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List of Jewish prayers and blessings
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Salah
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Selah (band)
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Selah, Washington (a US city)
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Selah (biblical figure)
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Saleh (prophet)
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Saleh
