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Salt salted with a salty salt
1. Salt salted with a salty salt
The Beatitudes has an interesting verse about "
salt" that appears some other places in the
GNT (Greek New Testament).
This page looks at salt in general, salt in the
OT (Old Testament), and then the interesting salt in the
GNT.
Let us look at "
salt" in the
OT before moving the
GNT.
2. Lot and salt
Genesis 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. [kjv]
και επεβλεψεν η γυνη αυτου εις τα οπισω και εγενετο στηλη αλος [lxx]
Lot's wife became a pillar of "
salt". Is this literal "
salt" or does it have a deeper meaning? Note that both can be true.
Peter tells us the following.
2 Peter 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: [kjv]
και δικαιον λωτ καταπονουμενον υπο της των αθεσμων εν ασελγεια αναστροφης ερρυσατο [gnt]
This verse, and the one of Lot's wife, are important in the A is to B as C is to D analogy used by Peter in conveying end time false teachers, but may not be relevant in this discussion about salt.
3. Genesis 19:26
KJV: But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Hebrew: ותבט אשתו מאחריו ותהי נציב מלח׃
Greek: και επεβλεψεν η γυνη αυτου εις τα οπισω και εγενετο στηλη αλος
Latin: respiciensque uxor eius post se versa est in statuam salis
Wycliffe: And his wijf lokide abac, and was turned in to an ymage of salt.
Luther: Und sein Weib sah hinter sich und ward zur Salzsäule.
4. 2 Peter 2:7
KJV: And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
Greek: και δικαιον λωτ καταπονουμενον υπο της των αθεσμων εν ασελγεια αναστροφης ερρυσατο
5. Salt offerings
There are many verses about using salt in offerings, but these are not repeated here.
Would references to salt as part of offerings have relevance to the "salt" term in the GNT?
6. Ezekiel 16:4
Ezekiel 16:4 And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. [kjv]
και η γενεσις σου εν η ημερα ετεχθης ουκ εδησαν τους μαστους σου και εν υδατι ουκ ελουσθης ουδε αλι ηλισθης και σπαργανοις ουκ εσπαργανωθης [lxx]
Ezekiel has an interesting verse with "
salt" in it. Might it have any relevance to the "
salt" in the
GNT?
7. Ezekiel 16:4
KJV: And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.
Hebrew: ומולדותיך ביום הולדת אתך לא כרת שרך ובמים לא רחצת למשעי והמלח לא המלחת והחתל לא חתלת׃
Greek: και η γενεσις σου εν η ημερα ετεχθης ουκ εδησαν τους μαστους σου και εν υδατι ουκ ελουσθης ουδε αλι ηλισθης και σπαργανοις ουκ εσπαργανωθης
Latin: et quando nata es in die ortus tui non est praecisus umbilicus tuus et in aqua non es lota in salutem nec sale salita nec involuta pannis
Wycliffe: And whanne thou were borun, thi nawle was not kit awei in the dai of thi birthe, and thou were not waischun in watir in to helthe, nethir saltid with salt, nether wlappid in clothis.
Luther: Deine Geburt ist also gewesen: Dein Nabel, da du geboren wurdest, ist nicht verschnitten; so hat man dich auch mit Wasser nicht gebadet, daß du sauber würdest, noch mit Salz gerieben, noch in Windeln gewickelt.
8. 2 Kings 2:20-22 Healing salt
9. 2 Kings 2:20
KJV: And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
Hebrew: ויאמר קחו לי צלחית חדשה ושימו שם מלח ויקחו אליו׃
Greek: και ειπεν ελισαιε λαβετε μοι υδρισκην καινην και θετε εκει αλα και ελαβον προς αυτον
10. 2 Kings 2:21
KJV: And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
Hebrew: ויצא אל מוצא המים וישלך שם מלח ויאמר כה אמר יהוה רפאתי למים האלה לא יהיה משם עוד מות ומשכלת׃
Greek: και εξηλθεν ελισαιε εις την διεξοδον των υδατων και ερριψεν εκει αλα και ειπεν ταδε λεγει κυριος ιαμαι τα υδατα ταυτα ουκ εσται ετι εκειθεν θανατος και ατεκνουμενη
11. 2 Kings 2:22
KJV: So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
Hebrew: וירפו המים עד היום הזה כדבר אלישע אשר דבר׃
Greek: και ιαθησαν τα υδατα εως της ημερας ταυτης κατα το ρημα ελισαιε ο ελαλησεν
12. Salt of the earth and the bread of life
John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. [kjv]
ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους εγω ειμι ο αρτος της ζωης ο ερχομενος προς εμε ου μη πειναση και ο πιστευων εις εμε ου μη διψησει πωποτε [gnt]
… lyfes hlaf… [wes]
… hlaifs libainais… [got]
6:48 I am that bread of life. [kjv]
εγω ειμι ο αρτος της ζωης [gnt]
Perhaps the
"salt" of the "
earth" meaning is as simple as going with the
"bread" of "
life". The English saying "
bread and butter" might be expressed in the Middle East as "
bread and salt".
The Old English
"hlaf" and Gothic
"hlaifs" is the origin of the word "
Lord" for the protector of the bread, the sustainer of life.
13. John 6:35
KJV: And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Greek: ειπεν δε αυτοις ο ιησους εγω ειμι ο αρτος της ζωης ο ερχομενος προς με εμε ου μη πειναση και ο πιστευων εις εμε ου μη διψηση διψησει πωποτε
Wessex: Se haelend cwaeð to heom. Ic eom lyfes hlaf. ne hyngreð þe to me cymð. & ne þyrst þan naefre þe on me ge-lyfd.
Gothic: jah qath du im iesus: ik im sa hlaifs libainais; thana gaggandan du mis ni huggreith jah thana galaubjandan du mis ni thaurseith hvanhun.
Slavonic: Рече же им Иисус: Аз есмь хлеб животный: грядый ко Мне не имать взалкатися, и веруяй в Мя не имать вжаждатися никогдаже.
14. Bread and butter
In the Middle East, Greece, and Slavic countries, the idiomatic term for "
bread and butter" is "
bread and salt".
What might salt represent?
What might bread represent?
I was reading through a linguistics book (2017), in Greek with Greek examples, and a somewhat strange comment was made. The book was covering words in languages that go together in a specific languages but not necessarily in other languages. The Greek example given was that "bread" and "salt" go together in Greek in a manner similar to, as an example, how "bread" and "butter" go together in English (which, from other sources, arose in the 1700's). From a counterfactual point of view, would it make a difference (add meaning, change meaning, etc.) in the Bible if, for some reason, "bread" and "salt" go together as, in English, "bread" and "butter" go together?
15. John 6:48
KJV: I am that bread of life.
Greek: εγω ειμι ο αρτος της ζωης
16. Genesis 3:19 Sweat
Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. [kjv]
εν ιδρωτι του προσωπου σου φαγη τον αρτον σου εως του αποστρεψαι σε εις την γην εξ ης ελημφθης οτι γη ει και εις γην απελευση [lxx]
In the curse in Genesis 1, "
sweat", which is often "
salty", is mentioned, in connection with "
bread".
Sweat is salty. What might salt represent? How might it relate to bread?
17. Genesis 3:19
KJV: In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Hebrew: בזעת אפיך תאכל לחם עד שובך אל האדמה כי ממנה לקחת כי עפר אתה ואל עפר תשוב׃
Greek: εν ιδρωτι του προσωπου σου φαγη τον αρτον σου εως του αποστρεψαι σε εις την γην εξ ης ελημφθης οτι γη ει και εις γην απελευση
18. Matthew 5:13 Bread and salt
Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. [kjv]
υμεις εστε το αλας της γης εαν δε το αλας μωρανθη εν τινι αλισθησεται εις ουδεν ισχυει ετι ει μη βληθεν εξω καταπατεισθαι υπο των ανθρωπων [gnt]
What exactly is this "
savour"? For "
lost his savour" Luther uses the German word
"dumm" ≈ "dumb, stupid" which is the source of the adopted English word "
dummkopf" from the German which, as we will see, does fit the common meaning of the Greek word - that idea of empty minded.
We will come back to the "
trodden under foot".
19. End of page
2 Kings 2:20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. [kjv]
και ειπεν ελισαιε λαβετε μοι υδρισκην καινην και θετε εκει αλα και ελαβον προς αυτον [lxx]
2:21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. [kjv]
και εξηλθεν ελισαιε εις την διεξοδον των υδατων και ερριψεν εκει αλα και ειπεν ταδε λεγει κυριος ιαμαι τα υδατα ταυτα ουκ εσται ετι εκειθεν θανατος και ατεκνουμενη [lxx]
2:22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake. [kjv]
και ιαθησαν τα υδατα εως της ημερας ταυτης κατα το ρημα ελισαιε ο ελαλησεν [lxx]