uncleanness, but in connection with sanctification. So, then, the man that shows disregard is disregarding, not man, but God, who puts his holy spirit in you.”—1 Thess. 4:7, 8.

However, one of these spirit-begotten ones who constantly resists the spirit or ‘grieves’ it, ‘saddens’ it, ‘hurts’ it, will eventually cause God to withdraw his spirit. (Eph. 4:30, Kingdom Interlinear Translation; compare Isaiah 63:10.) One might go so far as to commit blasphemy against the spirit, which would be calamitous for him. (Matt. 12:31, 32; Luke 12:10) Therefore Peter and John stress the maintaining of holiness and the love of God and one’s brothers from the heart, displaying submission to and guidance by the spirit of God, and proving oneself a true, loyal son of God.—1 Pet. 1:14-16, 22; 1 John 2:18, 19; 3:10, 14.

SEER

The Hebrew word ro·ʼehʹ, “seer” is drawn from a root word meaning “to see,” literally or figuratively. Evidently a seer was a man enabled by God to discern the divine will, one having such insight. He was one whose eyes had been unveiled, as it were, to see or understand things that were not open to men in general and additionally was a man consulted by others for wise counsel on problems encountered. (1 Sam. 9:5-10) The Bible names Samuel (1 Sam. 9:9, 11, 18, 19; 1 Chron. 9:22; 29:29), Zadok (2 Sam. 15:27) and Hanani (2 Chron. 16:7, 10) as seers.

The designations “seer,” “prophet” and “visionary” are closely related in the Scriptures. The distinction between the terms may be that “seer” may relate to discernment, “visionary” to the manner in which the divine will was made known, and “prophet” more to the speaking forth or the proclamation of the divine will. Samuel, Nathan and Gad are all called prophets (1 Sam. 3:20; 2 Sam. 7:2; 24:11), but a distinction in the three words is indicated at 1 Chronicles 29:29: “among the words of Samuel the seer and among the words of Nathan the prophet and among the words of Gad the visionary.”

First Samuel 9:9 states: “The prophet of today used to be called a seer in former times.” This may have been for the reason that toward the close of the days of the Judges and during the reigns of the kings of Israel (who began in the days of Samuel) the prophet as a public proclaimer of God’s will came to be more prominent. Samuel is commonly called the first of the line of men called “the prophets.”—Acts 3:24; 13:20; see PROPHET.

SEGUB

(Seʹgub) [exalted].

1. Son of Hezron and father of Jair in the tribe of Judah.—1 Chron. 2:21, 22.

2. The youngest son of Hiel the Bethelite. In fulfillment of Joshua’s curse, Segub lost his life when his father rebuilt Jericho during the reign of King Ahab.—Josh. 6:26; 1 Ki. 16:34.

SEIR

(Seʹir) [hairy, shaggy].

1. A “Horite” whose seven “sons” were sheiks in the land of Seir prior to its being occupied by Esau (Edom). (Gen. 36:20, 21, 29, 30; 1 Chron. 1:38; compare Genesis 14:4-6.) Seir may have lived in the mountainous region S of the Dead Sea, and this area was perhaps named after him. Whether the seven “sons” of Seir were immediate offspring or included later descendants is uncertain.—See ANAH; DISHON.

2. The mountainous region between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqabah. (Gen. 36:8, 30; Deut. 2:1, 8) In Abraham’s time Horites inhabited Seir. (Gen. 14:6) Later, Abraham’s grandson Esau established interests in Seir, while his twin brother Jacob resided at Paddan-aram. (Gen. 32:3) But it seems that Esau did not complete the move to Seir until sometime after Jacob returned to Canaan. (Gen. 36:6-9) Finally Esau’s descendants, the Edomites, dispossessed the Horites (Deut. 2:4, 5, 12; Josh. 24:4) and the land came to be called Edom. However, the older name “Seir” was also applied to the descendants of Esau and to the area where they lived. (Num. 24:18; compare 2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chronicles 25:11.) It appears that during the reign of King Hezekiah men of the tribe of Simeon went to Mount Seir and, after they annihilated the remnant of the Amalekites, Simeonites began residing there. (1 Chron. 4:41-43) For details about the geography and history of Seir, see EDOM, EDOMITES.

3. A mountain between Baalah (Kiriath-jearim) and Chesalon on the N border of Judah’s territory. (Josh. 15:10) Seir is commonly identified with the ridge about nine miles (15 kilometers) W of Jerusalem, on the southern side of which lies the village of Saris.

SEIRAH

(Se·iʹrah) [possibly, wooded hills].

The place to which Ehud escaped after assassinating Moabite King Eglon. Its exact location, some place in the mountainous region of Ephraim, is not known today.—Judg. 3:26, 27.

SELA

(Seʹla) [rock].

1. A location on the boundary of Amorite territory after the Israelites took possession of the Promised Land. (Judg. 1:36) The site is unknown today. Some would identify this Sela with the one in Edom (2 Ki. 14:7), but there is no evidence that Amorite territory ever extended so far S into the region controlled by the Edomites.

2. A major Edomite city that was captured by Judean King Amaziah and renamed Joktheel. (2 Ki. 14:7) Sela may be the unnamed “fortified city” referred to at Psalm 108:10.

This city is commonly identified with Umm el-Bayyarah, a rocky acropolis lying about fifty miles (80 kilometers) S of the southern tip of the Dead Sea. This site is located in the W corner of the plain where the Nabatean city of Petra was later built. Accessible by means of a narrow, twisting gorge and surrounded by precipitous sandstone cliffs, this plain is well protected. The impressive ruins of Petra, including temples, tombs and dwellings hewn out of the rock, were no part of the ancient Edomite city of Sela.

3. A place mentioned in a pronouncement against Moab. (Isa. 15:1; 16:1) There is uncertainty as to whether or not it is the same site as No. 2 above.

SELAH

(Seʹlah).

A transliterated Hebrew expression found frequently in the Psalms and also appearing in Habakkuk, chapter 3. Although it is generally agreed to be a technical term for music or recitation, its exact significance is unknown. It is held to mean a “pause, suspension, or holding back,” either of the singing of the psalm for a musical interlude or of both singing and instrumental music for silent meditation. In either event, the pause was doubtless used to make the fact or sentiment just expressed more impressive, to allow the full import of the last utterance to sink in. The Septuagint rendering of Selah is di·aʹpsal·ma, defined as “a musical interlude.” Selah always appears at the end of a clause and generally at the end of a strophe, every occurrence being in a song containing some kind of musical direction or expression. In Psalm 9:16 it is accompanied by “Higgaion,” there understood by some to be associated with the music of the harp.

SELED

(Seʹled) [exultation].

A son of Nadab in the Jerahmeelite division of Judah’s genealogy. Seled died without sons.—1 Chron. 2:25, 30.

SELEUCIA

(Se·leuʹci·a).

A fortified Mediterranean port town serving Syrian Antioch and located about sixteen miles (26 kilometers) SW of that city. The two sites were connected by road; and the navigable Orontes River, which flowed past Antioch, emptied into the Mediterranean Sea a few miles S of Seleucia. Accompanied by Barnabas, Paul sailed from Seleucia at the start of his first missionary journey, in 47 C.E. (Acts 13:4) Though thereafter unnamed in the Acts account, Seleucia likely figured in events narrated therein. (Acts 14:26; 15:30-41) To distinguish this city from other similarly named sites in the ancient