Near East, it is sometimes called Seleucia Pieria. It was just N of modern-day Suveydiye or Samandag in Turkey. Silt from the Orontes has converted ancient Seleucia’s harbor into a marsh.

SELF-CONTROL

A number of original-language words convey the thought of keeping in check, restraining or controlling one’s person, actions or speech. (Gen. 43:31; Esther 5:10; Ps. 119:101; Prov. 10:19; Jer. 14:10; Acts 24:25) Self-control is a ‘fruit of God’s spirit’ (Gal. 5:22, 23) and Jehovah, though possessing unlimited powers, has exercised it at all times. Rather than taking immediate action against wrongdoers, he has allowed time to pass so that they might have the opportunity to turn from their bad ways and thereby gain his favor.—Jer. 18:7-10; 2 Pet. 3:9.

However, once it was firmly established that those to whom time for repentance had been extended would not avail themselves of his mercy, Jehovah rightly ceased to refrain from executing his judgment. A case in point involves the desolators of Jerusalem. Failing to recognize that Jehovah allowed them to gain control of the Israelites to discipline them for unfaithfulness, these desolators treated the Israelites without mercy and carried the discipline farther than God’s judgment had required. (Compare Isaiah 47:6, 7; Zechariah 1:15.) Jehovah had foreknown this and, through the prophet Isaiah, indicated that the time would come when he would no longer hold back from punishing the desolators: “I have kept quiet for a long time. I continued silent. I kept exercising self-control. Like a woman giving birth I am going to groan, pant, and gasp at the same time. I shall devastate mountains and hills, and all their vegetation I shall dry up.”—Isa. 42:14, 15.

Christ Jesus also exercised self-control. The apostle Peter, when calling to the attention of house servants the need to be in subjection to their owners, wrote: “In fact, to this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely. . . . When he was being reviled, he did not go reviling in return. When he was suffering, he did not go threatening, but kept on committing himself to the one who judges righteously.”—1 Pet. 2:21-23.

In the “last days” lack of self-control was to be one of the characteristics marking those who would not be practicing true Christianity. (2 Tim. 3:1-7) However, since Christians are to be imitators of God and of his Son (1 Cor. 11:1; Eph. 5:1), they should strive to cultivate self-control in all things. (1 Cor. 9:25) The apostle Peter stated: “Supply to your faith virtue, to your virtue knowledge, to your knowledge self-control, to your self-control endurance, to your endurance godly devotion, to your godly devotion brotherly affection, to your brotherly affection love. For if these things exist in you and overflow, they will prevent you from being either inactive or unfruitful regarding the accurate knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—2 Pet. 1:5-8.

The quality of self-control should especially be in evidence among those serving as overseers in Christian congregations. (Titus 1:8) If overseers are to deal effectively with problems inside the congregation, they must maintain self-control in word and deed. The apostle Paul counseled Timothy: “Further, turn down foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing they produce fights. But a slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all, qualified to teach, keeping himself restrained under evil, instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed.”—2 Tim. 2:23-25.

Failure to exercise self-control in a given situation can tarnish a long record of faithful service and plunge one into all kinds of difficulties. Illustrating this is what happened to King David. Though loyal to true worship and having love for the righteous principles of God’s law (compare Psalm 101), David committed adultery with Bath-sheba and this led to his having her husband Uriah placed in a battle position where death was a near certainty. As a consequence, for years afterward, David was plagued with severe difficulties within his family. (2 Sam. 12:8-12) His case also demonstrates the wisdom of avoiding situations that can lead to a loss of self-control. Whereas he could have left the rooftop of his palace, David evidently kept on looking at Bath-sheba as she bathed herself and so came to have a passion for her.—2 Sam. 11:2-4.

Similarly, it would not be good for a person lacking self-control to remain single when he could enter into an honorable marriage and thereby protect himself against committing fornication. In this regard, the apostle Paul wrote: “If they do not have self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be inflamed with passion.”—1 Cor. 7:9, 32-38.

SELF-WILL

The Greek term rendered “self-willed” (Titus 1:7; 2 Pet. 2:10, AS, AV, NW) literally means “self-pleasing” and “denotes one who, dominated by self-interest, and inconsiderate of others, arrogantly asserts his own will.” (An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, by W. E. Vine, Vol. III, p. 342) Self-will is therefore a quality that is out of harmony with the spirit of Christianity. Especially should it not be reflected by Christian overseers. (Titus 1:5, 7) The apostle Peter described individuals who had departed from proper Christian conduct as being “daring” and “self-willed.”—2 Pet. 2:10.

SEMACHIAH

(Sem·a·chiʹah) [Jehovah has sustained].

A Levite grandson of Obed-edom assigned as a gatekeeper to the S of the sanctuary during David’s reign. Semachiah and his fleshly brothers are commended for their capabilities.—1 Chron. 26:1, 4, 6-8, 15.

SEMEIN

(Semʹe·in).

A descendant of David and ancestor of Jesus’ mother Mary.—Luke 3:26.

SENAAH

(Se·naʹah) [perhaps, hated].

Over three thousand “sons of Senaah” returned from exile in Babylon with Zerubbabel in 537 B.C.E. (Ezra 2:1, 2, 35; Neh. 7:38) Senaah may be the same as Hassenaah, a name having the Hebrew definite article has.—Neh. 3:3.

Many of the names in the lists of Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 are apparently places rather than people, and Senaah is accordingly thought by some to be a place a few miles N of Jericho, where Eusebius and Jerome mention a tower “Magdalsenna.” Nearby is Khirbet el-ʽAuja el Foka, often identified as Senaah, with its postexilic settlement Sheikh-Teruni also close by.

SENEH

(Seʹneh) [thorny].

A “toothlike crag” facing Geba and lying to the S of another crag called by the name Bozez, both crags being situated between the towns of Michmash and Geba and figuring in the account of Jonathan’s attack on the Philistines. (1 Sam. 14:4, 5) No positive location can now be assigned to these crags, but they are generally considered to have been in the vicinity of the Wadi Suweinit, which runs between Michmash and Geba.—See BOZEZ.

SENIR

(Seʹnir) [possibly, coat of mail].

The Amorite name for Mount Hermon. (Deut. 3:9) Since 1 Chronicles 5:23 mentions “Senir and Mount Hermon,” the name “Senir” may also have been used to denote a part of the Hermon or Anti-Lebanon range. Senir was a source of juniper timbers (Ezek. 27:5) and a haunt of lions and leopards. (Song of Sol. 4:8) One Assyrian inscription describes Senir (Sa-ni-ru) as “a mountain, facing the Lebanon.”—See HERMON.

SENNACHERIB

(Sen·nachʹer·ib) [Sin (the moon god) has multiplied the brothers; or, may Sin replace the (lost) brothers].

Son of Sargon II and king of Assyria. He inherited from his father an empire of great strength, but was obliged to spend most of his