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selah

English translation: forever

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Hebrew term or phrase:selah
English translation:forever
Entered by: John Kinory (X)

21:42 May 24, 2002
Hebrew to English translations [Non-PRO]
/ theolgical studies
Hebrew term or phrase: selah
In psalms 140:3 the verse closes with this word.
Dorien
Forever
Explanation:
SElah is quite an obscure word, which occurs in a great many psalms. Often, it follows the word 'amen' (amen means 'in faith', 'let it be so').

Acc. to my best sources, 'selah' probably means 'forever', 'for eternity'. This makes sense after 'amen':

Let it be so forever.

Selected response from:

John Kinory (X)
Local time: 09:08
Grading comment
Thank you for taking time out to look this up for me. I thought the Torah only included the first 5 books (as they are listed in the king james version) and would not have included the psalms of david ..or is there a separate hebrew bible that has an alternative listing of books? just curious.

Thanks again
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3Forever
John Kinory (X)
4selah=for ever
eliuri
4 -1Amen
Penina Wolicki


  

Answers


5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Forever


Explanation:
SElah is quite an obscure word, which occurs in a great many psalms. Often, it follows the word 'amen' (amen means 'in faith', 'let it be so').

Acc. to my best sources, 'selah' probably means 'forever', 'for eternity'. This makes sense after 'amen':

Let it be so forever.




    Sapir Hebrew dictionary
    Native Hebrew speaker and translator
John Kinory (X)
Local time: 09:08
PRO pts in pair: 4
Grading comment
Thank you for taking time out to look this up for me. I thought the Torah only included the first 5 books (as they are listed in the king james version) and would not have included the psalms of david ..or is there a separate hebrew bible that has an alternative listing of books? just curious.

Thanks again

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sue Goldian: Even Shoshan agrees with you :-) and so do I. Note to asker - it's 140:4, not 140:3.
9 hrs
  -> I remembered Even Shoshan, but don't have it to hand. The numbering of verses varies between the Hebrew and the English versions of the Bible (King James does not number the introductory verse). Thanks!
agree  Yaara Di Segni
10 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Igal Moria
7 days
  -> Thanks
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1 day 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
selah=for ever


Explanation:
Actually its Psalm 140:4. But this term is very common in psalms



eliuri
Local time: 04:08
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 7

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  John Kinory (X): I already gave this answer above (but 'forever' as one word). If you agree with me, why not say so, rather than copy my answer? It's 140:4 in Hebrew, but 140:3 in the King James English numbering.
13 hrs
  -> My apologies, Mr Kinory. I hadnt seen your answer. Since the question pertained to the Hebrew term, I felt that the numbering of the verse should have been in accordance with that of the Masoretic Text.
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1 day 5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Amen


Explanation:
It is literally, I believe also forever, but is used in the form of Amen also.

Penina Wolicki
PRO pts in pair: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  John Kinory (X): No, these are quite distinct terms (seed above)
8 hrs
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