Topical Encyclopedia In biblical times, salt was a symbol of both preservation and desolation. While it was commonly used to preserve food and as a covenantal symbol, it also represented judgment and destruction when sown upon land. The act of sowing salt on a place was a ritualistic gesture to signify utter ruin and perpetual desolation, rendering the land barren and uninhabitable.One of the most notable instances of this practice is found in the account of Abimelech in the Book of Judges. After capturing the city of Shechem, Abimelech sought to ensure its complete destruction. Judges 9:45 states, "So Abimelech fought against the city that entire day, captured it, and killed the people who were in it. Then he demolished the city and sowed it with salt." This act was not merely a military tactic but a symbolic gesture to declare that Shechem would remain desolate and unproductive, a warning to others of the consequences of rebellion and disobedience. The use of salt in this context is deeply rooted in the ancient Near Eastern understanding of fertility and desolation. Salt, when spread over the ground, prevents vegetation from growing, thus transforming a once fertile area into a wasteland. This imagery is powerful in conveying the totality of divine judgment and the irreversible nature of God's wrath upon those who oppose His will. The prophetic literature of the Old Testament also employs the imagery of salt to describe desolation. In Jeremiah 17:6 , the prophet speaks of the cursed man who "will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives." Here, the salt land is emblematic of lifelessness and abandonment, a stark contrast to the blessings of a fruitful and thriving land promised to those who trust in the Lord. Furthermore, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah serves as a historical backdrop for the association of salt with divine judgment. Although the cities were not sown with salt, the aftermath of their destruction left the region, particularly the area around the Dead Sea, with high salt content, symbolizing the totality of God's judgment. Genesis 19:24-25 recounts, "Then the LORD rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus He destroyed these cities and the entire plain, including all the inhabitants of the cities and everything that grew on the ground." In the broader biblical narrative, the sowing of salt serves as a vivid reminder of the consequences of sin and rebellion against God. It underscores the seriousness with which God views covenantal faithfulness and the severe repercussions of turning away from His commandments. The imagery of salt as a tool of desolation is a sobering testament to the reality of divine justice and the enduring nature of God's decrees. Torrey's Topical Textbook Judges 9:45And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt. Torrey's Topical Textbook Library The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt Resources Why was Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the importance of the Dead Sea in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Who was Brigham Young? | GotQuestions.org Salt: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Salt of the Saving Efficacy of the Ekklesia of Christ Salt used for Ratifying Covenants Salt used for Seasoning Sacrifices Salt used for Strengthening New-Born Infants Salt used in Ratifying Covenants Salt: (Salted With Fire) Preparation of the Wicked For Salt: (Without Savour) Graceless Professors Salt: All Animal Sacrifices Were Required to be Seasoned With Salt: Characterised As Good and Useful Salt: Elisha Throws, Into the Pool of Jericho, to Purify It Salt: Liberally Afforded to the Jews After the Captivity Salt: Lost Its Savour when Exposed to the Air Salt: Lot's Wife Turned Into a Pillar of Salt: Miracles Connected With: Elisha Healed the Bad Water With Salt: Miracles Connected With: Lot's Wife Turned Into a Pillar of Salt: Often Found: Near the Dead Sea Salt: Partaking of Another's a Bond of Friendship Salt: Places Sown With, to Denote Perpetual Desolation Salt: Places where It Abounded Barren and Unfruitful Salt: The Valley of, Celebrated for Victories Related Terms Meat-offering (111 Occurrences) |
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