Sela

Sela is a city in the country of Edom, also written Selah. It appears in the historical record as a stronghold captured and renamed by Amaziah of Judah, and again in the prophets as a starting point for tribute lambs sent toward Zion.

Captured by Amaziah

The capture is recorded among Amaziah's victories over Edom: "He slew of Edom in the Valley of Salt ten thousand, and took Sela by war, and called the name of it Joktheel, to this day" (2Ki 14:7). The notice ties the city to the Valley of Salt campaign and records the renaming to Joktheel as still standing at the time of the chronicler.

Sela in the Moab Oracle

In the oracle concerning Moab, Selah (the same name) is the place from which lambs are dispatched: "Send⁺ the lambs for the ruler of the land from Selah to the wilderness, to the mount of the daughter of Zion" (Isa 16:1). The verse names Sela as the origin point of the tribute, with the lambs travelling across the wilderness toward the mountain of the daughter of Zion.