Topical Bible: Salt Sea or Dead Sea

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The Salt Sea, commonly known as the Dead Sea, is a significant geographical and historical landmark in biblical narratives. It is located in the Jordan Rift Valley, bordered by modern-day Jordan to the east and Israel and Palestine to the west. The Dead Sea is renowned for its high salinity, which prevents most aquatic life from thriving, hence its name.

Biblical References:

The Salt Sea is mentioned several times in the Bible, often as a geographical marker or boundary. In Genesis 14:3, it is referred to in the context of the battle of the kings: "All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea)." This passage highlights the Salt Sea as a significant landmark during the time of Abraham.

In the division of the Promised Land, the Salt Sea serves as a boundary for the tribes of Israel. Joshua 15:5 states, "The eastern border was the Salt Sea, as far as the mouth of the Jordan." This indicates its role in delineating the territory of the tribe of Judah.

The Salt Sea is also mentioned in the context of God's judgment. In Genesis 19, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, located near the Salt Sea, are destroyed by divine intervention. The aftermath of this event is believed to have contributed to the region's desolate and barren landscape.

Geographical and Historical Significance:

The Dead Sea is one of the world's saltiest bodies of water, with a salinity of around 30%, making it nearly ten times saltier than most oceans. This high salinity is due to the sea's location in a deep basin with no outlet, causing water to evaporate and leave behind salt deposits.

Historically, the Dead Sea region has been a source of various minerals, including potash and bromine. Its unique properties have made it a site for health and therapeutic treatments, attracting visitors for centuries.

Symbolism and Theological Implications:

In biblical symbolism, the Salt Sea often represents desolation and judgment. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah near its shores serves as a stark reminder of God's wrath against sin. However, the prophets also speak of a future transformation. In Ezekiel 47:8-9, a vision is described where the waters of the Dead Sea are healed: "These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah. When they enter the sea, the salty waters there become fresh. Wherever the river flows, there will be swarms of living creatures."

This prophetic vision symbolizes restoration and the life-giving power of God's presence, contrasting the current lifelessness of the Dead Sea. It serves as a metaphor for spiritual renewal and the hope of redemption.

Cultural and Religious Impact:

The Dead Sea has been a site of religious significance for millennia. It is associated with the Essenes, a Jewish sect that lived in the nearby Qumran caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. These scrolls have provided invaluable insights into the religious practices and beliefs of the Second Temple period.

In Christian tradition, the Dead Sea region is often visited by pilgrims seeking to connect with the biblical history and spiritual heritage of the area. Its stark landscape and historical associations continue to inspire reflection on the themes of judgment, redemption, and the transformative power of God.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Salt Sea or Dead Sea

[SEA, THE SALT, THE SALT]

Library

The Sea of Sodom
... "Let him devote the use of such a thing to the bituminous sea." "Let the price of
an oblation for sin, the owner whereof is dead, depart into the salt sea.". ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 5 the sea of.htm

A Nation's Struggle for a Home and Freedom.
... Between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea the Jordan is fordable at thirty ... and
those that went down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were wholly ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study xii a nations struggle.htm

Fragment ix. Of Abraham and Lot. ...
... of ??lam. And they met by the Salt Sea, which is now called the Dead Sea.
In it I have seen very many wonderful things. For that ...
/.../africanus/the writings of julius africanus/fragment ix of abraham and.htm

Chapter xiv
... that is, the Salt Sea," does not commit the author of it, as commentators so frequently
assert at this point, to the view that the entire Dead Sea is the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xiv.htm

Lot's Flight from Sodom.
... In Palestine, the land in which Jesus dwelt when He was upon earth, there is an
inland sea, called the Dead Sea. Its waters are very salt, and no trees grow ...
/.../anonymous/mother stories from the old testament/lots flight from sodom.htm

'The Waters Saw Thee; they were Afraid'
... that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea failed, and ... Looking
down the course, the water flowed naturally to the Dead Sea; and, in effect ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the waters saw thee they.htm

Chapter xix
... For it is a well-known fact that the southern end of the Dead Sea hardly exceeds ...
agent is labelled "lava" (Jamieson), or "huge waves of the Salt Sea" (Procksch ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xix.htm

Letter Lxxi. To Lucinius.
... upon the pleasant gardens; [2219] for these are watered not, as the holy land, from
heaven but by Jordan's muddy stream made salt by contact with the Dead Sea. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter lxxi to lucinius.htm

Whether that Fire Will Consume the Other Elements?
... xx, 13): "The sea gave up the dead that were ... literally we must reply that by the
sea two things ... of the waters, and their disposition, as containing salt and as ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether that fire will consume.htm

The River of Life
... then turns south, down into the dull, leaden waters of the Dead Sea, which it ... very
solemnly the Prophet's optimism pauses, and he says that the salt marshes by ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the river of life.htm