מְלַח
𐤌𐤋𐤇
mᵉlach
H4416 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Salt; a white, crystalline mineral substance used primarily as a seasoning, preservative, and in ritual contexts. In certain idiomatic expressions, refers to provisions or maintenance provided, by metonymy. In Aramaic contexts within the Hebrew Bible, used both literally (as a mineral) and figuratively.
Semantic Range
salt (mineral/seasoning), provision (by metonymy), maintenance (in phrase), item for ritual use
Root / Etymology
From the root מַלַח (mlḥ), 'to salt, to season, to preserve.' מְלַח is the Aramaic noun form for 'salt,' directly cognate to the Hebrew noun מֶלַח (melach) with the same meaning. The form here reflects the dialectal distinction in Aramaic.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מְלַח appears primarily in Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible, notably in Ezra 6:9 and 7:22, as part of inventory lists or royal decrees specifying items to be supplied to the Jerusalem Temple. Here, salt is a standard and valued commodity, associated both with ritual requirements and as a staple for daily life. In Aramaic and neighboring languages of the biblical period (including Akkadian and Ugaritic), salt was an essential preservative and traded good. The phrase 'salt of the palace' (Ezra 4:14) functions as an idiom for enjoying royal provision or support—possibly the earliest sense behind maintenance or livelihood (comparable to later Greek 'eats salt at the king's table'). In post-exilic and later periods, salt began to acquire broader metaphorical senses, but in the biblical Aramaic milieu, its meaning remains primarily literal or metonymic for provision. English translations sometimes render the Aramaic word in phrases as 'maintenance,' but its core meaning is still salt as an essential substance. Notably, the term does not specifically denote ethnic, religious, or geographic identities, but marks a basic dietary and ritual item across ancient Near Eastern societies.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) from מְלַח; salt; [phrase] maintenance, salt.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מלח (m-l-ḥ) — to salt, to season, to make salty, to preserve
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4408 | מַלּוּחַ | saltwort |
| H4414 | מָלַח | you were salted |
| H4415 | מְלַח | we have eaten salt |
| H4417 | מֶלַח | in the salt |
| H4418 | מָלָח | worn-out rags |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4416-01 |
מְלַ֤ח | melach | ANcmsc |
salt | salt | 2 |
H4416-02 |
וּ/מְלַ֖ח | umelach | AC/Ncmsa |
and salt | and salt | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences