Lexical Summary melach: salt Original Word: מְלַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance maintenance, salt (Aramaic) from mlach; salt -- + maintenance, salt. see HEBREW mlach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to melach Definition salt NASB Translation salt (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs מְלַח noun masculine salt (see Biblical Hebrew); — ׳מ absolute Ezra 6:9; Ezra 7:22 (both for sacrifices), construct Ezra 4:14. Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope מְלַח (melach) in Ezra is an Aramaic term for common table salt, but in Scripture the concept of “salt” consistently carries economic, ritual, and symbolic weight. Though מְלַח itself appears only in Ezra’s Aramaic chapters, it participates in the broader biblical theology of salt that stretches from Genesis to Revelation. Occurrences in Ezra • Ezra 4:14 records the enemies of Judah writing to Artaxerxes that they “eat the salt of the palace,” an idiom for enjoying the king’s provisions and therefore owing him loyalty. These three verses link salt to covenant loyalty (4:14) and to Temple worship (6:9; 7:22). Historical and Cultural Setting In the Persian period salt was a state-controlled commodity. Accepting a ruler’s salt was tantamount to entering a covenant of fidelity. At the same time, Temple liturgy required salt for every grain offering (Leviticus 2:13) and for seasoning burnt offerings (Ezekiel 43:24). Thus the decrees of Ezra not only met dietary needs but also reinstated proper sacrificial worship according to Mosaic law. Ritual and Theological Significance 1. Purity and Preservation: Salt’s antiseptic qualities made it a fitting emblem of purification. “Season all your grain offerings with salt” (Leviticus 2:13) indicates that nothing offered to God should be corrupt or decaying. Economic Dimension Salt functioned as currency and ration. Persia’s willingness to fund limitless salt for Jewish worship reflects both geopolitical strategy and divine providence: God used imperial resources to re-establish His prescribed worship in Jerusalem. Broader Biblical Theology of Salt • Judgment: Lot’s wife became “a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26), and barren lands are compared to salt flats (Jeremiah 17:6). Practical Ministry Implications 1. Worship Integrity: Like the priests of Ezra’s day, believers must offer service seasoned with sincerity and moral purity. Christological Fulfillment Jesus embodies and perfects every Old Testament symbol. He is the agent who preserves His people from corruption (Jude 24) and establishes an everlasting covenant. Through Him, the Church becomes the true “salt of the earth,” extending the legacy of מְלַח from Persian-era Jerusalem to the ends of the world. Forms and Transliterations וּמְלַ֖ח ומלח מְלַ֣ח ׀ מְלַ֤ח מלח mə·laḥ meLach məlaḥ ū·mə·laḥ umeLach ūməlaḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 4:14 HEB: קֳבֵל֙ דִּֽי־ מְלַ֤ח הֵֽיכְלָא֙ מְלַ֔חְנָא INT: according to have maintenance of the palace the service Ezra 6:9 Ezra 7:22 3 Occurrences |