מֶלַח
properly, powder, i.e. (specifically) salt (as easily pulverized and dissolved)
Definition
The Hebrew word מֶלַח (melach) primarily means 'salt.' In its most basic sense, it refers to the common mineral used for seasoning, preservation, and ritual purposes (Leviticus 2:13). It also denotes geographical features, specifically the 'Salt Sea' (the Dead Sea) and the 'Valley of Salt,' which are barren, lifeless areas (Genesis 14:3, 2 Samuel 8:13). Furthermore, salt symbolizes permanence and covenant, as seen in God's 'covenant of salt' with Israel's priesthood (Numbers 18:19).
Biblical Usage
מֶלַח is used 25 times across the Torah, Historical Books, and Prophets. Its usage falls into three main categories: 1) Literal salt for food and offerings (Leviticus 2:13, Job 6:6). 2) As a toponym for the Salt Sea (Dead Sea) and the Valley of Salt (Deuteronomy 3:17, 2 Chronicles 25:11). 3) In symbolic or covenantal language, representing durability, judgment, and purification (Numbers 18:19, Ezekiel 47:11). The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is famously linked to a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).
Etymology
Derived from the root מָלַח (H4414), which means 'to rub to pieces, pulverize' or 'to salt, season.' This root highlights salt's physical property of being easily crushed into powder. The noun form מֶלַח thus carries the sense of something that is pulverized or dissolved, fitting its description as a soluble mineral.
Semantic Range
Salt holds significant theological weight in the Old Testament. It symbolizes God's eternal, unbreakable covenant, as illustrated by the 'covenant of salt' given to Aaron's lineage (Numbers 18:19, 2 Chronicles 13:5). It also represents purification, being required on all grain offerings (Leviticus 2:13). Conversely, salted land signifies divine judgment and barrenness, a curse of infertility (Deuteronomy 29:23, Judges 9:45). Understanding these layers enriches readings of covenant, consecration, and judgment.
In the ancient Near East, salt was a vital commodity for preserving food without refrigeration. Its use in covenants mirrored secular treaties, where sharing salt signified a binding, lasting agreement. The 'Valley of Salt' and 'Salt Sea' were known as desolate, uninhabitable places, making them powerful metaphors for complete destruction. Salting a conquered city's fields was a known military practice to induce long-term famine.
There are no direct synonyms for 'salt' as a substance, but related concepts include: תְּהוֹם (tehom, H8415) — the deep or abyss, sometimes associated with the salt sea; and שָׁמִיר (shamir, H8068) — a hard, possibly sharp substance, contrasting salt's solubility.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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