Sela, or Petra
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(rock; stone) (Judg. 1:36; 2 Kings 14:7; Isa. 16:1)—the principal city of Edom. Its names in several languages all mean “rock”: Hebrew Sela, Greek Petra, and Arabic Hajar. One of the most remarkable cities of the ancient world, it stood near the foot of Mount Hor, about three days’ journey from Jericho and the same distance from Mount Sinai. High mountains rose on every side, and houses were cut into the cliffs. Judges 1:36 appears to mention it first. Amaziah besieged and captured it and called it Joktheel (2 Kings 14:7).
Isaiah calls it Sela or Petra in his prophecy against Moab (Isa. 16:1), and Obadiah says of Edom, “thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?” (Obad. 3).