BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

The Edomite Stronghold of Sela

Is this where 10,000 Edomites were thrown to their deaths?

In one of the Old Testament’s colder and more brutal episodes, King Amaziah of Judah (c. 801–783 B.C.E.), after having slain nearly 10,000 Edomites in battle near the southern end of the Dead Sea, is said to have thrown another 10,000 captives from the top of nearby Sela, where they were “dashed to pieces” (2 Chronicles 25:12; 2 Kings 14:7). While the Biblical account provides only vague clues as to where this horrible event took place (Sela simply means “rock” in Hebrew), the archaeology of a little-known mountaintop stronghold in southern Jordan may hold the answer.

Surrounded by deep ravines amid the rugged highlands of southern Jordan, the steep-sided “rock” of es-Sela may be where King Amaziah of Judah slaughtered 10,000 Edomites.

Located just 3 miles north of the Edomite capital of Bozrah (modern Buseirah) in the rugged highlands of southern Jordan is an imposing natural rock fortress that still carries the name es-Sela. Surrounded on all sides by deep ravines, the towering, steep-sided rock of es-Sela rises more than 600 feet above the surrounding valleys, culminating in a broad, flat summit that can only be reached by an ancient, well-hidden staircase that follows a narrow cleft in the eastern face of the mountain. Though es-Sela has not been excavated, surface finds from the summit indicate it was occupied during several periods (including the Early Bronze Age and Nabatean period), but saw its most extensive occupation and use during the early to mid-first millennium B.C.E., the time of the Biblical Edomites.

The gate area and natural rock tower that forms the only entrance to the mountaintop fortress of es-Sela. The narrow entryway leading into the city can be seen at lower left. Photo by Ian Rybak.

Es-Sela’s defensive character is immediately apparent after one ascends the many switchbacks of the worn staircase and passes through the narrow, rock-cut passageway that served as the stronghold’s only entrance. Flanking the passage are natural rock towers outfitted with guard chambers and topped by the remnants of well-built fortification walls. Positioned along the edges of the summit are numerous rock-cut rooms and chambers with strategic views over the surrounding valleys, while more than two dozen cisterns are carved in the plateau’s white sandstone bedrock, all of which collected vital, life-sustaining rain water through an interconnected system of channels and diversion walls.


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Since es-Sela has not been excavated, it is difficult to know how or on what occasions the Edomites made use of their mountaintop fortress, although some sense of the site’s importance is evidenced by the mysterious rock-cut buildings and features that cover the summit. In addition to the myriad chambers and rooms carved into the summit’s numerous stony domes (which probably functioned as dwellings), there are more enigmatic features, like a carved staircase that seemingly goes nowhere, and a massive “throne-like” seat positioned in the center of an otherwise empty chamber. And on a large stone slab just peaking out of the soil, there is a worn but delicately carved image of a bull’s head, probably a depiction of the widely worshiped storm god Hadad.

Carved into the cliff face is this depiction of a Mesopotamian royal figure standing before several astral symbols. The scene likely depicts the Babylonian king Nabonidus, who campaigned through Edom in the mid-sixth century B.C.E. Photo by Arkady Alperovitch.

But the clearest indication of es-Sela’s importance during the time of the Edomites comes from a monumental relief carved into a sheer rock face about half way up the steepest part of the mountain. The heavily worn but clearly discernible Mesopotamian-style relief shows a royal figure with a conical cap carrying a long staff and facing symbols of the sun, moon and stars. These figures are surrounded by the faint traces of a lengthy neo-Babylonian cuneiform inscription, much too worn to be read. The scene’s iconography, however, strongly suggests it was carved to commemorate the conquest of es-Sela and Edom during the southern campaign of the Babylonian king Nabonidus (555–539 B.C.E.), who famously took up residence in northwest Arabia during much of his reign.*



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Of course, none of this sheds any light on Amaziah’s slaughter of the Edomites as recorded in the Bible. Indeed, other candidates for Biblical Sela have been proposed, namely the steep-sided mountain of Umm el-Biyara in nearby Petra.** Although we won’t know more about es-Sela’s Edomite history until the site is systematically explored and excavated, the available evidence shows that this fascinating mountaintop stronghold was certainly an important place of refuge for the Edomites throughout the Iron Age, at least down to the time of Nabonidus and perhaps during the reign of Amaziah as well.


This Bible History Daily article was originally published in December 2012.


Glenn J. Corbett is associate director of the ACOR’s Photo Archive American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR) in Amman, Jordan, director of the Wadi Hafir Petroglyph Survey and contributing editor at the Biblical Archaeology Society. He received his Ph.D. in Near Eastern archaeology from the University of Chicago, where his research focused on the epigraphic and archaeological remains of pre-Islamic Arabia.


Notes:

* See “Who Was Nabondius?” sidebar to Matt Waters, “Making (Up) History,” Archaeology Odyssey, November/December 2005.

** See Joseph J. Basile, “When People Lived at Petra,” Archaeology Odyssey, July/August 2000.


More images from es-Sela:

The top of es-Sela can only be reached via an ancient staircase (the lowest flights of which have recently been refurbished) that follows a narrow cleft in the rock face.

The top of es-Sela can only be reached via an ancient staircase (the lowest flights of which have recently been refurbished) that follows a narrow cleft in the rock face.

In the area near the gatehouse, the towering, dome-shaped rocks atop es-Sela were further fortified with well-built stone walls, the remains of which can still be seen today.

In the area near the gatehouse, the towering, dome-shaped rocks atop es-Sela were further fortified with well-built stone walls, the remains of which can still be seen today.

Spread across the summit of es-Sela are numerous rock-cut rooms and chambers, including this dwelling or guard chamber that was outfitted with a cistern. Photo by Ian Rybak.

Spread across the summit of es-Sela are numerous rock-cut rooms and chambers, including this dwelling or guard chamber that was outfitted with a cistern. Photo: Ian Rybak.

Among the more interesting features found atop es-Sela is this carved staircase that appears to lead nowhere.

Among the more interesting features found atop es-Sela is this carved staircase that appears to lead nowhere.

Inside one of the many carved-out chambers on the summit of es-Sela is this large stone block, seemingly carved in the shape of a giant seat or throne.

Inside one of the many carved-out chambers on the summit of es-Sela is this large stone block, seemingly carved in the shape of a giant seat or throne.

Carved in shallow relief into the summit’s sandstone bedrock is a worn but easily discernible drawing of a bull’s head, most likely the widely worshiped storm god Hadad.

Carved in shallow relief into the summit’s sandstone bedrock is a worn but easily discernible drawing of a bull’s head, most likely the widely worshiped storm god Hadad.

The location of the Nabonidus relief on the rock of es-Sela is circled in red on this photograph. Photo by Ian Rybak.

The location of the Nabonidus relief on the rock of es-Sela is circled in red on this photograph. Photo: Ian Rybak.


Related reading from Bible History Daily:

The Nabonidus Inscription at Sela

Evidence of Elusive Edom

Who Were the Ammonites, Moabites and Edomites in the Bible?

Ancient Reservoir Provided Water for First Temple Period Jerusalem


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22 Responses

  1. […] by Judah, the House of David. In the tenth and first half of the ninth centuries B.C.E., the kingdom of Edom did not yet exist. The area southeast of the Dead Sea was apparently controlled by Judah. Thus, […]

  2. I’m simply an avid reader who felt he could add a personal observation. In the picture of the domed shape rock with the two men, that rock sure looks like a pigeon to me, complete with a beak. Also, those stairways to nowhere could possibly be made for the chief priest to worship his god in front of the people, or maybe for a tribal priest to address his tribe. Any feedback to my comments will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

  3. Nancey says:

    Fascinating and wonderful to read and to know that the information being found and discovered via archaeology is a solid proving ground.
    Blessings

  4. Tina says:

    The “steps to nowhere” are not to be found only in Sela but in all Europe (as far as I know). You find a couple in Spain, one in central Italy (they say it’s etruscan), one in France, another in Chekia, one in Turkey, one in Portugal, cities in Trakia (Bulgary), another in Germany etc. etc. They are MANY. what we can presume is a) that the same people went around these countries b) that a common culture spread from somewhere around. I have not an answer.
    It would be interesting to know the ADN of the Edomites, and verify if other people in the world have the same haplogroups.
    P.S. the idea that the steps to nowhere was a “silence tower” of Mazdeism was also my idea. The silence tower where a high place for the dead to be devored by the rapacius. The Mazdeists thought that neither the fire could receive a dead body, as it was impure. They were worshippers of the fire and for that they had “fire altars” where to burn a flame forever.
    Nevertheless, if one observes these steps on the top, one can see that there is a Platform where presumably a sacrifice was made, and its blood could fell down into small traces on the rock up to fertilize the ground…..
    For those who want to know more, I invite them to see the FB Group “Megalithic altars, Altari Megalitici, Altares Megaliticos”

  5. Ramzi Samawi says:

    I tell you my friends lots of things from Exodus time and many other things from the Bible both the Old and New Testament were going through Jordan. You must be careful though when you read anything because it is not an easy thing to consider all the ditails together in your mind since that it is many articles done by different minds of thinking

  6. Ramzi Samawi says:

    If it is the Bible saying and also the Archaeolgy says. The excavations are still very letel nothing is so clearly done. But it is a place to be visited surly to be enjoyed .

  7. Frederick Edelstein says:

    Williiam G, There was an ark in Heaven that Moses modeled the Earthly one from. Exodus 25:40 – “See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” The Heavenly Ark is good enough for me, but the earthly one may still be around. If it is to be found, it may be brought as a “Shai” as in Isaiah 18:7 “In that time shall a present (Shai) be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people (Kush) tall and of glossy skin, and from a people terrible from their beginning onward; a nation that is sturdy and treaded down, whose land the rivers divide, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.”

  8. Robert Newman says:

    This article has no substance. The modern name of this site matches the ancient one, other than that the identification of the site with 2 Ki 14:7 is pure speculation.

  9. Dan says:

    I believe that the “steps to nowhere” were carved so that the Nabataeans could carry their dead to the top and leave them there. When I examined Sela in detail, I felt that this is actually an exposure platform, similar to later ones carved at Petra and Al Beidha. After the birds had eaten the flesh, the bones were gathered and buried in family tombs. Exposure platforms were high up, so that the smell of the decaying body rose, making the area livable for others around. The Roman historian Strabo mentions these exposure platforms as well. I visited this site several times about ten years ago when surveying the area for nabataea.net

  10. Angelos says:

    The staircase to nowhere reminds me of something similar I have seen. In the museum of Athens there is a little golden Broach that shows a similar staircase but at the end there is an image of the Ark of the Covenant .

  11. William G Simpson says:

    John, the Apostle, in The Revelation of Jesus Christmas says that the Ark is in Heaven. That settles it for me.

    1. Lavona says:

      Hi William,
      The Ark of Noah was found in the ’50’s and fully researched in 1977 in what is now known as Turkey. A few weeks ago, I wondered whether the Turkish government was allowing foreign visitors to finally visit the area or if I could find the original airing from ABC’s World News broadcast from 1977-78. I did a search on Youtube to see if the broadcast was there. It was. And, Turkey now allows tourists to visit the site. Tourist cannot tread on the site, however, there’s a wonderful vantage point where you can see the remnants of it. Also, I found and watched the original coverage on ABC News regarding The Ark of Noah. The link is attached. https://youtu.be/oQwfU7DvUyE And, below is the link to the tourist site. https://adventurefolio.com/noahs-ark-site-in-turkey/

      Blessings, L.

  12. Vlad says:

    Wonderful article, scratching my head over the comment section…

  13. Ruba says:

    “Other than Israel, no country has as many Biblical sites and associations as Jordan. Delve into this legendary land with the free eBook Jordan: The Other Biblical Land.”

    What about Iraq? Mesopotamia; Babylon – both mentioned heavily in the Bible? What about the Garden of Eden, Abraham, Jonah, Ezekiel, and many other Prophets whose tombs and homes remain there?

  14. peeyush raj says:

    quite amazing

  15. elasticintelligence.zendesk.com says:

    elasticintelligence.zendesk.com

    The Edomite Stronghold of Sela: Is this where 10,000 Edomites were thrown to their deaths? – Biblical Archaeology Society

  16. collections agency for small business in Perrysburg says:

    collections agency for small business in Perrysburg

    The Edomite Stronghold of Sela: Is this where 10,000 Edomites were thrown to their deaths? – Biblical Archaeology Society

  17. recommended reading says:

    What’s up, its fastidious piece of writing regarding media print, we all
    understand media is a wonderful source of facts.

  18. Provocari vestimentare imbracaminte online says:

    Wow, superb blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
    you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is wonderful, let
    alone the content!

  19. more detail click here says:

    This is my first time pay a quick visit at here and
    i am actually happy to read all at one place.

  20. Victor Barney says:

    Great article! Just wanted to add, as written that Hebrew is the ONLY spiritually inspired language(Zeph. 3:9, Acts 26:14, 1 Cor. 4:6) & the name “Jesus” added in the early 1300’s by Petrus Galatinus in Rome CAN NOT be translated into Hebrew, although “horse” comes close, don’t you think? WATCH!

Write a Reply or Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


22 Responses

  1. […] by Judah, the House of David. In the tenth and first half of the ninth centuries B.C.E., the kingdom of Edom did not yet exist. The area southeast of the Dead Sea was apparently controlled by Judah. Thus, […]

  2. I’m simply an avid reader who felt he could add a personal observation. In the picture of the domed shape rock with the two men, that rock sure looks like a pigeon to me, complete with a beak. Also, those stairways to nowhere could possibly be made for the chief priest to worship his god in front of the people, or maybe for a tribal priest to address his tribe. Any feedback to my comments will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

  3. Nancey says:

    Fascinating and wonderful to read and to know that the information being found and discovered via archaeology is a solid proving ground.
    Blessings

  4. Tina says:

    The “steps to nowhere” are not to be found only in Sela but in all Europe (as far as I know). You find a couple in Spain, one in central Italy (they say it’s etruscan), one in France, another in Chekia, one in Turkey, one in Portugal, cities in Trakia (Bulgary), another in Germany etc. etc. They are MANY. what we can presume is a) that the same people went around these countries b) that a common culture spread from somewhere around. I have not an answer.
    It would be interesting to know the ADN of the Edomites, and verify if other people in the world have the same haplogroups.
    P.S. the idea that the steps to nowhere was a “silence tower” of Mazdeism was also my idea. The silence tower where a high place for the dead to be devored by the rapacius. The Mazdeists thought that neither the fire could receive a dead body, as it was impure. They were worshippers of the fire and for that they had “fire altars” where to burn a flame forever.
    Nevertheless, if one observes these steps on the top, one can see that there is a Platform where presumably a sacrifice was made, and its blood could fell down into small traces on the rock up to fertilize the ground…..
    For those who want to know more, I invite them to see the FB Group “Megalithic altars, Altari Megalitici, Altares Megaliticos”

  5. Ramzi Samawi says:

    I tell you my friends lots of things from Exodus time and many other things from the Bible both the Old and New Testament were going through Jordan. You must be careful though when you read anything because it is not an easy thing to consider all the ditails together in your mind since that it is many articles done by different minds of thinking

  6. Ramzi Samawi says:

    If it is the Bible saying and also the Archaeolgy says. The excavations are still very letel nothing is so clearly done. But it is a place to be visited surly to be enjoyed .

  7. Frederick Edelstein says:

    Williiam G, There was an ark in Heaven that Moses modeled the Earthly one from. Exodus 25:40 – “See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” The Heavenly Ark is good enough for me, but the earthly one may still be around. If it is to be found, it may be brought as a “Shai” as in Isaiah 18:7 “In that time shall a present (Shai) be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people (Kush) tall and of glossy skin, and from a people terrible from their beginning onward; a nation that is sturdy and treaded down, whose land the rivers divide, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.”

  8. Robert Newman says:

    This article has no substance. The modern name of this site matches the ancient one, other than that the identification of the site with 2 Ki 14:7 is pure speculation.

  9. Dan says:

    I believe that the “steps to nowhere” were carved so that the Nabataeans could carry their dead to the top and leave them there. When I examined Sela in detail, I felt that this is actually an exposure platform, similar to later ones carved at Petra and Al Beidha. After the birds had eaten the flesh, the bones were gathered and buried in family tombs. Exposure platforms were high up, so that the smell of the decaying body rose, making the area livable for others around. The Roman historian Strabo mentions these exposure platforms as well. I visited this site several times about ten years ago when surveying the area for nabataea.net

  10. Angelos says:

    The staircase to nowhere reminds me of something similar I have seen. In the museum of Athens there is a little golden Broach that shows a similar staircase but at the end there is an image of the Ark of the Covenant .

  11. William G Simpson says:

    John, the Apostle, in The Revelation of Jesus Christmas says that the Ark is in Heaven. That settles it for me.

    1. Lavona says:

      Hi William,
      The Ark of Noah was found in the ’50’s and fully researched in 1977 in what is now known as Turkey. A few weeks ago, I wondered whether the Turkish government was allowing foreign visitors to finally visit the area or if I could find the original airing from ABC’s World News broadcast from 1977-78. I did a search on Youtube to see if the broadcast was there. It was. And, Turkey now allows tourists to visit the site. Tourist cannot tread on the site, however, there’s a wonderful vantage point where you can see the remnants of it. Also, I found and watched the original coverage on ABC News regarding The Ark of Noah. The link is attached. https://youtu.be/oQwfU7DvUyE And, below is the link to the tourist site. https://adventurefolio.com/noahs-ark-site-in-turkey/

      Blessings, L.

  12. Vlad says:

    Wonderful article, scratching my head over the comment section…

  13. Ruba says:

    “Other than Israel, no country has as many Biblical sites and associations as Jordan. Delve into this legendary land with the free eBook Jordan: The Other Biblical Land.”

    What about Iraq? Mesopotamia; Babylon – both mentioned heavily in the Bible? What about the Garden of Eden, Abraham, Jonah, Ezekiel, and many other Prophets whose tombs and homes remain there?

  14. peeyush raj says:

    quite amazing

  15. elasticintelligence.zendesk.com says:

    elasticintelligence.zendesk.com

    The Edomite Stronghold of Sela: Is this where 10,000 Edomites were thrown to their deaths? – Biblical Archaeology Society

  16. collections agency for small business in Perrysburg says:

    collections agency for small business in Perrysburg

    The Edomite Stronghold of Sela: Is this where 10,000 Edomites were thrown to their deaths? – Biblical Archaeology Society

  17. recommended reading says:

    What’s up, its fastidious piece of writing regarding media print, we all
    understand media is a wonderful source of facts.

  18. Provocari vestimentare imbracaminte online says:

    Wow, superb blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
    you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is wonderful, let
    alone the content!

  19. more detail click here says:

    This is my first time pay a quick visit at here and
    i am actually happy to read all at one place.

  20. Victor Barney says:

    Great article! Just wanted to add, as written that Hebrew is the ONLY spiritually inspired language(Zeph. 3:9, Acts 26:14, 1 Cor. 4:6) & the name “Jesus” added in the early 1300’s by Petrus Galatinus in Rome CAN NOT be translated into Hebrew, although “horse” comes close, don’t you think? WATCH!

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