What Does Selah Mean In the Bible?
Names have a wonderful history and can have a special significance, especially if you do a little digging!
Meanings and significances can vary, too, depending upon the origins of the name and the culture it is being used in, among some other variables. Religion can even affect the meaning of a name–for example, some names have a particular meaning or significance in the Bible!
One example of a name that appears in Christianity is the name Selah. Read on to learn more about the name Selah as well as the meaning of the name in the Christian Bible.
Meaning of the Name Selah
First things first, what does the name Selah mean? Selah is a Hebrew name and appears in the Bible. This name is also gender-neutral, so it can be a name used for either boys or girls. It can be translated from Hebrew to mean either boulder or rock.
There are some other spellings of Selah that we might see, such as Sala or Salah. These are more commonly Greek spellings of the name. Selah can be a great name choice for your child if you want to imbue a sense of strength and solidity, just like the rocks or boulders from which the name gets its meaning.
Unlike some names that can be attributed to the Christian religion but are not found in the Bible, the name Selah is also the name of a famous figure in the Bible and can be found more than once. We will go over this further below. Selah also appears in the Psalms as a word meaning to stop and listen.
This can be another great interpretation of Selah if you are choosing to use it as a baby name for your child.
Also Read – What do birth marks mean in the Bible?
Significance of the Name Selah
Selah, in the Bible, is a figure who was the ancestor of the Israelites and Ishmarelites.
This figure is a man, though the name can be used for either men or women. It has a special significance as a name because of this special figure, as well as the meaning of the name itself. Selah was one of the 70 elders that Moses gathered in the desert under God’s command.
His name is listed on the Table of Nations in Genesis 10. This name can be a very special callback to an important historical figure who was there in the very beginning. Selah also has another meaning and significance. It can be found in the psalms of the Christian Bible.
When Selah is seen in the psalms, it is at the end and is a word that is used as a liturgical musical pause. It gives the instruction to stop and listen, and it is at this point that we can pause and reflect. It can also give us a special moment or pause to bring us closer to God and hear His voice.
Name History of the Name Selah
As mentioned above, Selah is a Hebrew name. However, there are other spellings of this name such as Sala or Salah, and they have Greek origins. Selah means rock or boulder, and it is a gender-neutral name that can be seen for either men or women. It is a name that is not very common but is more popular for girls than for boys. For girls, the name Selah was the 386th most popular name in 2021.
For boys, however, Selah was the 8102nd most popular name in 2021. There are a few celebrities who have the name Selah, including Selah Louise Marley, who is the daughter of the singer Lauryn Hill. Another example is Selah Sue, though she was born Sanne Greet.A Putseys. She is a Belgian singer and songwriter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Selah mean?
Selah is a name that is gender-neutral, so it can be used for either boys or girls. It is Hebrew and can be translated to mean boulder or rock. The word can also be seen in the Bible at the end of the Psalms and can be interpreted as a liturgical musical mark to stop and listen.
Who is Selah in the Bible?
Selah is a Biblical figure in the Christian Bible. The name is seen with a few different spellings, but the person is still the same! In the Bible, Selah was an ancestor of the Israelites and the Ishmaelites.
This is according to the Table of Nations in Genesis 10. Selah is one of the table’s seventy names. These were the 70 elders that Moses gathered in the desert on God’s command. There is mention of Selah in other parts of the Bible, too–namely, Genesis 11:12-15, Chronicles 1:18-24, and Luke 3:35-36.
What is the purpose of Selah?
When Selah is seen in the Bible, it can have a few different purposes. For instance, there is the name Selah, which is the name of one of the ancestors of the Israelites and Ishmaelites. However, this is also a word that can be found at the end of the psalms.
When Selah is seen at the end of the psalms, it has a different purpose. It is not referring to Selah the person, but is a liturgical musical mark. It means to stop and listen or pause to give praise–it can also be an indication that there is a musical interlude then in the psalm.
What is a Selah moment?
A Selah moment refers to a voluntary and intentional pause for reflection. Selah is a Hebrew word for this kind of special, significant pause. A Selah moment is, therefore, that kind of pause or this kind of moment. In times of pausing, we can get a revelation from God that can help to bring us closer to Him.
Selah and Selah moments put us in a special position. They position us in a way that we can hear God’s voice and find ourselves even more powerfully in His presence so that we can become closer to God.
