### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mikreh**, represented by `{{H4379}}`, means a **pit (for salt)** or **(salt-) pit**. It is an exceedingly rare term, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible. Its singular use provides a very specific and vivid image of desolation and barrenness.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H4379}}` is in a prophecy of judgment against Israel's enemies. In [[Zephaniah 2:9]], the LORD of hosts declares that Moab and the children of Ammon will become like Sodom and Gomorrah. Their land is prophesied to become a place for the "breeding of nettles, and **saltpits**, and a perpetual desolation." The presence of a **saltpit** here signifies a land that has been rendered completely sterile and uninhabitable as a direct result of divine judgment.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several words in the surrounding text clarify the meaning of `{{H4379}}`:
* `{{H4417}}` **melach** (salt): This word for **salt** is used alongside `{{H4379}}` to form the compound term "saltpits." Salt in scripture can be associated with covenants but also with permanent desolation, as when a land is sown with it to make it barren [[Deuteronomy 29:23]].
* `{{H8077}}` **shᵉmâmâh** (desolation): This term describes the ultimate state of the land containing the **saltpits**. It means **devastation** and is promised as a "perpetual desolation" for Moab and Ammon [[Zephaniah 2:9]].
* `{{H2738}}` **chârûwl** (nettle): A **nettle** or bramble, this word describes the kind of useless and thorny vegetation that will take over the cursed land, further emphasizing its state of neglect and ruin [[Zephaniah 2:9]].
* `{{H5467}}` **Çᵉdôm** (Sodom): The judgment that produces **saltpits** is explicitly compared to the destruction of **Sodom**, a place that became a byword for complete and fiery overthrow by God [[Genesis 19:24]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4379}}` is tied directly to its role in divine judgment.
* **Symbol of Barrenness:** A **saltpit** serves as a potent symbol of a land made completely unfruitful by a divine curse. It represents a reversal of blessing into a state of perpetual desolation, as seen in the fate promised to Moab and Ammon [[Zephaniah 2:9]].
* **Execution of Divine Justice:** The transformation of a nation's territory into **saltpits** and nettles is presented as a just consequence for pride against the LORD [[Jeremiah 48:26]]. The judgment is delivered by the "God of Israel," showing His authority over all nations [[Zephaniah 2:9]].
* **Land for the Remnant:** The very same verse that promises **saltpits** for Moab and Ammon concludes with a promise of restoration for God's people. The desolation of the enemy makes way for "the residue of my people" to spoil them and "the remnant of my people" to possess their land [[Zephaniah 2:9]].
### Summary
In summary, while `{{H4379}}` **mikreh** appears only once, its context gives it profound meaning. It is not merely a geographic feature but a symbol of irreversible judgment and sterility. Used in the prophecy against Moab and Ammon, the **saltpit** illustrates the ultimate consequence of opposing the God of Israel, transforming a nation's land into a perpetual desolation. This act of judgment simultaneously clears the way for the inheritance of God's remnant, making **mikreh** a powerful and concise image of divine justice.
TRV