Tuesday, 13 October 2026

What is Petra in Hebrew name know as any explanation?

 In the Hebrew Bible, the ancient city of Petra is known by the Hebrew name Sela (סֶלַע). 

The Meaning and Explanation
  • Literal Translation: Both the Greek name Petra (πέτρα) and the Hebrew name Sela (סֶלַע) mean "rock" or "cliff". This is a direct reference to the geography of the city, which is famously carved into vibrant sandstone cliff faces. 
  • Biblical Mentions: The name Sela appears in several Old Testament passages. For example, in Isaiah 16:1, it says, "Send lambs as tribute to the ruler of the land, from Sela, across the desert..." It is also mentioned as a stronghold of the Edomites (the descendants of Esau). 
  • The Name Joktheel: According to 2 Kings 14:7, when King Amaziah of Judah conquered the Edomite city of Sela, he renamed it Joktheel (meaning "the godliness of God" or "subdued by God"). However, the historic area is most widely recognized in biblical history as Sela. 
Other Ancient Names for Petra
  • Raqmu / Rekeme: The native people who built the iconic treasury building, the Nabataeans, actually called the city Raqmu (or Rekeme). In Arabic, this root means "to color" or "to decorate," likely describing the beautifully layered, colorful sandstone rocks. 
When the Greeks and later the Romans took control of the region, they translated the local Hebrew and Nabataean concepts of "The Rock" into their own language, leaving us with the name Petra. 

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