King James Bible Dictionary

Used to season food (Job 6:6), and mixed with the fodder of cattle (Isaiah 30:24, "clean;" in marg. of R.V. "salted"). All meat-offerings were seasoned with salt (Leviticus 2:13). To eat salt with one is to partake of his hospitality, to derive subsistence from him; and hence he who did so was bound to look after his host's interests (Ezra 4:14, "We have maintenance from the king's palace;" A.V. marg., "We are salted with the salt of the palace;" R.V., "We eat the salt of the palace").

A "covenant of salt" (Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5) was a covenant of perpetual obligation. New-born children were rubbed with salt (Ezekiel 16:4). Disciples are likened unto salt, with reference to its cleansing and preserving uses (Matthew 5:13). When Abimelech took the city of Shechem, he sowed the place with salt, that it might always remain a barren soil (Judges 9:45). Sir Lyon Playfair argues, on scientific grounds, that under the generic name of "salt," in certain passages, we are to understand petroleum or its residue asphalt. Thus in Genesis 19:26 he would read "pillar of asphalt;" and in Matthew 5:13, instead of "salt," "petroleum," which loses its essence by exposure, as salt does not, and becomes asphalt, with which pavements were made.

The Jebel Usdum, to the south of the Dead Sea, is a mountain of rock salt about 7 miles long and from 2 to 3 miles wide and some hundreds of feet high.

Lot's wife turned into a pillar of
Genesis 19:26

The city of Salt
Joshua 15:62

The valley of salt
2 Samuel 8:13; 2 Kings 14:7

Salt Sea
Genesis 14:3; Numbers 34:12; Deuteronomy 3:17; Joshua 3:16; Joshua 12:3; Joshua 15:2

Saltpits
Zephaniah 2:9

All animal sacrifices were required to be seasoned with
Leviticus 2:13; Ezra 6:9; Ezekiel 43:24; Mark 9:49

Used in ratifying covenants
Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5

Elisha casts salt into the pool of Jericho to purify it
2 Kings 2:20-21

Figurative:

Of the saving efficacy of the church
Matthew 5:13; Mark 9:49-50; Luke 14:34

Of wise conversation
Colossians 4:6

Indispensable as salt is to ourselves, it was even more so to the Hebrews, being to them not only an appetizing condiment in the food both of man, (Job 11:6) and beset, (Isaiah 30:24) see margin, and a valuable antidote to the effects of the heat of the climate on animal food, but also entering largely into the religious services of the Jews as an accompaniment to the various offerings presented on the altar. (Leviticus 2:13) They possessed an inexhaustible and ready supply of it on the southern shores of the Dead Sea. [SEA, THE SALT, THE SALT] There is one mountain here called Jebel Usdum, seven miles long and several hundred feet high, which is composed almost entirely of salt. The Jews appear to have distinguished between rock-salt and that which was gained by evaporation as the Talmudists particularize one species (probably the latter) as the "salt of Sodom." The salt-pits formed an important source of revenue to the rulers of the country, and Antiochus conferred a valuable boon on Jerusalem by presenting the city with 375 bushels of salt for the temple service. As one of the most essential articles of diet, salt symbolized hospitality; as an antiseptic, durability, fidelity and purity. Hence the expression "covenant of salt," (Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 18:19; 2 Chronicles 13:5) as betokening an indissoluble alliance between friends; and again the expression "salted with the salt of the palace." (Ezra 4:14) not necessarily meaning that they had "maintenance from the palace," as Authorized Version has it, but that they were bound by sacred obligations fidelity to the king. So in the present day, "to eat bread and salt together" is an expression for a league of mutual amity. It was probably with a view to keep this idea prominently before the minds of the Jews that the use of salt was enjoined on the Isr'lites in their offerings to God.

SALT, noun [Gr.; Latin The radical sense is probably pungent, and if s is radical, the word belongs to the root of Latin salio; but this is uncertain.]

1. Common salt is the muriate of soda, a substance used for seasoning certain kinds of food, and for the preservation of meat, etc. It is found native in the earth, or it is produced by evaporation and crystallization from water impregnated with saline particles.

2. In chimistry, a body compounded of an acid united to some base, which may be either an alkali, an earth, or a metallic oxyd. Accordingly, salts are alkaline, earthy, or metallic. Many compounds of this kind, of which common salt (muriate of soda, ) is the most distinguished, exist in nature; but most of these, together with many others not known in nature, have been formed by the artificial combination of their elements. Their entire number exceeds 2000. When the acid and base mutually saturate each other, so that the individual properties of each are lost, the compound is a neutral salt; when the acid predominates, it is a super salt; and when the base predominates, it is a sub salt Thus we have a subcarbonate, a carbonate, and a supercarbonate of potash.

3. Taste; sapor; smack.

We have some salt of our youth in us.

4. Wit; poignancy; as Attic salt

SALT, adjective

1. Having the taste of salt; impregnated with salt; as salt beef; salt water

2. Abounding with salt; as a salt land. Jeremiah 17:6.

3. Overflowed with salt water, or impregnated with it; as a salt marsh.

4. Growing on salt marsh or meadows and having the taste of salt; as salt grass or hay.

5. Producing salt water; as a salt spring.

6. Lecherous; slacious.

SALT, noun

1. The part of a river near the sea, where the water is salt

2. A vessel for holding salt

SALT, verb transitive

1. To sprinkle, impregnate or season with salt; as, to salt fish, beef or pork.

2. To fill with salt between the timbers and planks, as a ship, for the preservation of the timber.

SALT, verb intransitive To deposit salt from a saline substance; as, the brine begins to salt [Used by manufacturers.]

SALT, noun A leap; the act of jumping. [Not in use.]

(Joshua 3:16). See DEAD SEA.

[SEA, THE SALT, THE SALT]

the fifth of the six cities of Judah which lay in the "wilderness." (Joshua 15:62) Mr. Robinson expresses his belief that it lay somewhere near the plain at the south end of the Salt Sea.

One of the cities of Judah (Joshua 15:62), probably in the Valley of Salt, at the southern end of the Dead Sea.

A place where it is said David smote the Syrians (2 Samuel 8:13). This valley (the' Arabah) is between Judah and Edom on the south of the Dead Sea. Hence some interpreters would insert the words, "and he smote Edom," after the words, "Syrians" in the above text. It is conjectured that while David was leading his army against the Ammonites and Syrians, the Edomites invaded the south of Judah, and that David sent Joab or Abishai against them, who drove them back and finally subdued Edom. (Comp. title to Psalms 60.)

Here also Amaziah "slew of Edom ten thousand men" (2 Kings 14:7; comp. 8:20-22 and 2 Chronicles 25:5-11).

a valley in which occurred two memorable victories of the Isr'lite arms:

1. That of David over the Edomites. (2 Samuel 8:13; 1 Chronicles 18:12)
2. That of Amaziah. (2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chronicles 25:11) It is perhaps the broad open plain which lies at the lower end of the Dead Sea, and intervenes between the lake itself and the range of heights which crosses the valley at six or eight miles to the south. This same view is taken by Dr. Robinson. Others suggest that it is nearer to Petra. What little can be inferred from the narrative as to its situation favors the latter theory.

SALT'ANT, adjective [Latin saltans, from salto, to leap.] Leaping; jumping; dancing.

SALTA'TION, noun [Latin saltatio, from salto, to leap.]

1. A leaping or jumping.

2. Beating or palpitation; as the saltation of the great artery.

SALT'CAT, noun A lump or heap of salt, made at the salt-works, which attracts pigeons.

SALT'-CELLAR, noun [salt and cellar.] A small vessel used for holding salt on the table.

SALT'ED, participle passive Sprinkled, seasoned or impregnated with salt.

SALT'ER, noun

1. One who salts; one who gives or applies salt.

2. One that sells salt.

SALT'ERN, noun A salt-work; a building in which salt is made by boiling or evaporation.

SALT'IER, noun [Latin salto, to leap.]

In heraldry, one of the honorable ordinaries, in the form of St. Andrew's cross.

SALT'INBANCO, noun A mountebank; a quack. [Not in use.]

SALT'ING, participle present tense Sprinkling, seasoning or impregnating with salt.

SALT'ING, noun The act of sprinkling or impregnating with salt.

SALT'ISH, adjective Somewhat salt; tinctured or impregnated moderately with salt.

SALT'ISHLY, adverb With a moderate degree of saltness.

SALT'ISHNESS, noun A moderate degree of saltness.

SALT'LESS, adjective Destitute of salt; insipid.

SALT'LY, adverb With taste of salt; in a salt manner.

SALT'-MINE, noun A mine where fossil salt is obtained.

SALT'NESS, noun

1. The quality of being impregnated with salt; as the saltness of sea water or of provisions.

2. Taste of salt.

First occurrence in the Bible(KJV): Mark 9:50

SALT'-PIT, SALT'-PAN, noun A pan, bason or pit where salt is obtained or made.

SALTPE'TER, 'TRE, noun [salt and Gr. stone.] A neutral salt formed by the nitric acid in combination with potash, and hence denominated nitrate of potash. It is found native in the East Indies, in Spain, in Naples and other places. It is also found on walls sheltered from rain, and it is extracted by lixiviation from the earths under cellars, stables and barns, etc.

SALTPE'TROUS, adjective Pertaining to saltpeter, or partaking of its qualities; impregnated with saltpeter.

SALT'-PIT, SALT'-PAN, noun A pan, bason or pit where salt is obtained or made.

SALTS, noun The salt water of rivers entering from the ocean.

SALT'-WATER, noun Water impregnated with salt; sea water.

SALT'-WORK, noun A house or place where salt is made.

SALT'-WORT, noun A plant of the genus Salicornia; jointed glasswort.