עִיר־הַמֶּ֫לַח
ir ham.me.lach
City of Salt
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew term עִיר־הַמֶּ֫לַח (lemmatized as "City of Salt") provides a unique geographical reference in the Bible. Based on its definition and occurrence, this term likely describes a specific location known for its saltiness, possibly a settlement, city, or region where salt was prevalent. With only two occurrences in the Bible, "City of Salt" seems to be a proper noun, designating a particular place rather than a generic term for a salt-rich area. The significance of this term lies in its connection to this specific geographical location, which might have held cultural, economic, or historical importance. Further research into the biblical context of these two occurrences would be necessary to fully understand the implications of this term in its original setting. In its simplest form, "City of Salt" is a descriptive label that highlights the unique characteristics of a place where salt was an integral part of the environment. The lack of broader semantic range or metaphorical usage suggests that this term was primarily used to identify a specific location rather than convey a specific idea or concept.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences across the text