סַלְכָה (sal.khah)
sal.khah
Salecah
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
Salcah, or Salchah, is a proper noun referring to a city located on the eastern border of Bashan. The sources identify it as the extreme eastern limit of that region, situated at the southern end of the Hauran mountain range. Its name translates to "migration," a meaning that may reflect its position as a frontier settlement or its historical role in tribal movements.
Geographically, Salcah lies approximately ninety kilometers east of the Jordan River, near the modern site known as Sulkhad. In the biblical narrative, it is most frequently mentioned in the book of Joshua, where it is recorded as part of the territory allocated to the tribe of Gad. It also appears briefly in Chronicles and Deuteronomy, anchoring the description of Israel’s eastern boundaries.
Though the word itself does not carry complex theological nuance, its location marks a significant boundary in the ancient landscape. By appearing in the allocation lists for Gad, Salcah helps define the extent of the inheritance given to that tribe, serving as a concrete marker of the land’s reach into Bashan.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read about Salcah, it is easy to skim past a list of ancient city names. Yet these boundaries were real places where people lived, worked, and claimed their inheritance. The name itself suggests movement or migration, reminding us that God’s people often find their home in transition. This city marked the far eastern edge of Bashan, showing just how vast the territory God provided was for the tribe of Gad.
For your faith life, this detail highlights the tangible nature of God's promises. He did not speak in vague abstractions but gave specific land to His people. Similarly, our spiritual inheritance is not a shadowy concept but a real security given by Christ. We can trust that the same God who mapped out ancient borders knows the exact place we belong today.
Salcah stands as a quiet witness to God’s faithfulness in setting limits and providing boundaries. It invites us to rest in the certainty that our lives are held within His purposes. May you find peace in knowing that your place in God’s family is secure, just as Salcah was fixed on the map of Israel.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Salecah3×
- and/ over/ Salecah1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סַלְכָֽה\׃2×
- סַלְכָ֖ה1×
- וּ/בְ/סַלְכָה֙1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 3:10
We took all the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, to Salecah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
This verse establishes Salcah as the ultimate eastern limit of the conquest, showing the full extent of the land taken from King Og.
-
Joshua 13:11
and Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah;
Here the word anchors the territorial description for Gad, marking the boundary where Bashan ends and the wilderness begins.
-
I Chronicles 5:11
The sons of Gad lived beside them in the land of Bashan to Salecah:
This later record confirms that Salcah remained a significant landmark defining the Gadite settlement long after the initial conquest.