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Special Topic

SPECIAL TOPIC: SALT

Salt was very important in the ancient world because of its

  1. preservation of food
  2. enhancing taste of food

It became an item of commerce, like weights of metal, jewels, and fine cloth. It was somewhat rare and had to be imported to most places.

It was first used by the Assyrians as a way to destroy the fields and crops of enemies (i.e., fields sowed with salt, note Jdgs. 9:45.)

Salt that had been contaminated was used as a topping for roads and paths (cf. Matt. 5:13).

In the Bible it was

  1. used in preparing annual food (Job 6:6)
  2. used in preserving fish, meat, and pickling
  3. used as an antiseptic (rubbed on babies, Ezek. 16:4)
  4. used in sacrifices
    1. sacred incense (Exod. 30:35)
    2. animal offerings (Ezek. 43:24; see SPECIAL TOPIC: SIN OFFERING and SPECIAL TOPIC: BURNT OFFERINGS)
    3. meal offering (Lev. 2:13; SPECIAL TOPIC: MEAL OFFERINGS)
  5. used as covenant symbolism
    1. permanence (see NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 759)
    2. purity
    3. friendship
    4. Num. 18:19; 2 Chr. 13:5; Lev. 2:13
  6. used as a symbol of Christians
    1. Matt. 5:13 (positive, “you are the salt of the earth”)
    2. Matt. 5:13 (negative, “tasteless salt”)

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