### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **melach**, represented by `{{H4417}}`, is the primary term for **salt**. It appears 28 times across 26 unique verses in the Bible. Based on a root meaning to pulverize, its base definition describes salt as a powder that is easily dissolved. In scripture, its use extends from a literal substance to a powerful symbol of permanence, judgment, and purification.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H4417}}` is used in several distinct ways. Geographically, it defines "the **salt** sea" as a major landmark and boundary ([[Genesis 14:3]], [[Joshua 15:5]]). It is also a tool of judgment and ruin; a cursed land is described as "brimstone, and **salt**, and burning" [[Deuteronomy 29:23]], and Abimelech sowed a conquered city with **salt** to ensure its desolation [[Judges 9:45]]. Conversely, salt is an agent of healing when the prophet Elisha uses it to purify waters and end barrenness [[2 Kings 2:21]]. Most significantly, it symbolizes permanence in the "covenant of **salt**" [[Numbers 18:19]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words expand upon the concept of salt and its effects:
* `{{H1285}}` **bᵉrîyth** (covenant): This term is essential for understanding the "covenant of **salt**," which signifies a lasting and unbreakable compact, such as the one establishing David's kingdom forever [[2 Chronicles 13:5]].
* `{{H4414}}` **mâlach** (to salt whether internally (to season with salt) or externally (to rub with salt)): This is the root verb from which **melach** derives. It is used for the command to **season** every meat offering, linking salt to the act of sacrifice [[Leviticus 2:13]].
* `{{H7495}}` **râphâʼ** (to heal): This word is used when Elisha employs **salt** to purify Jericho's water supply, showing its role as an instrument to **heal** the land and reverse a curse [[2 Kings 2:21]].
* `{{H5333}}` **nᵉtsîyb** (pillar): This word describes the result of divine judgment on Lot's wife, who became a **pillar** of **salt** after looking back at Sodom [[Genesis 19:26]].
* `{{H2232}}` **zâraʻ** (to sow): Used in a symbolic act of destruction, an enemy king would **sow** a defeated city with **salt** to render it permanently barren [[Judges 9:45]].
* `{{H1614}}` **gophrîyth** (brimstone): This substance often appears alongside **salt** as an element of divine judgment, describing a land made utterly desolate and uninhabitable [[Deuteronomy 29:23]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H4417}}` is multifaceted, representing both divine blessing and curse.
* **Covenant Permanence:** The "covenant of **salt**" symbolizes an enduring and incorruptible promise from God. This is seen in His commitment to the Aaronic priesthood [[Numbers 18:19]] and the Davidic dynasty [[2 Chronicles 13:5]].
* **Irreversible Judgment:** Salt is an agent of sterility and desolation. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah left the land as **salt** and burning [[Deuteronomy 29:23]], and the fate of Moab was to become **saltpits** and a perpetual desolation [[Zephaniah 2:9]].
* **Sacred Seasoning:** The requirement to include **salt** in every offering underscores its importance in making a sacrifice acceptable and complete before God ([[Leviticus 2:13]], [[Ezekiel 43:24]]).
* **Divine Restoration:** In a striking reversal of its destructive quality, **salt** in the hands of God's prophet becomes an instrument of healing and life, cleansing the waters and ending barrenness [[2 Kings 2:21]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4417}}` is far more than a simple seasoning. It is a cornerstone of biblical symbolism, embodying the profound duality of divine action. It represents the unbreakable nature of God's covenants, the severity of His judgment on sin, and His power to purify and restore life. From a pillar of judgment to a covenant of promise, **salt** illustrates how a common substance can convey the weightiest theological truths.
TRV