What does מָלַח (mālaḥ) mean in the Bible?
מָלַח (mālaḥ): Salt as both preservative and destroyer: purifying disintegration and covenant seasoning combined.
Hebrew · H4414
מָלַח
Properly, to rub to pieces or pulverize; intransitively, to disappear as dust; also to salt whether internally (to season with salt) or externally (to rub with salt)
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מָלַחH4414
Pronunciationmālaḥ
What does מָלַח (mālaḥ) mean in the Bible?
מָלַח (mālaḥ): Salt as both preservative and destroyer: purifying disintegration and covenant seasoning combined.
Full entry for מָלַח (H4414) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4414?
The BSB source-word alignment has 5 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (1), And you shall season (1), rubbed with salt (1), seasoned with salt (1), will vanish (1).
Where does מָלַח (mālaḥ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 30:35. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (2), Exodus (1), Isaiah (1), Leviticus (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It. . .1×Ezekiel 16:4
And you shall season1×Leviticus 2:13
rubbed with salt1×Ezekiel 16:4
seasoned with salt1×Exodus 30:35
will vanish1×Isaiah 51:6
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 30:35מְמֻלָּ֖חtoseasoned with saltVerb - Pual - Participle - masculine singularLeviticus 2:13תִּמְלָח֒toAnd you shall seasonVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularIsaiah 51:6נִמְלָ֙חוּ֙towill vanishVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluralEzekiel 16:4וְהָמְלֵ֙חַ֙torubbed with saltConjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Infinitive absoluteEzekiel 16:4הֻמְלַ֔חַתְּto. . .Verb - Hofal - Perfect - second person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 30:35
Aligned rows5
Books represented4
Exodus1Leviticus1Isaiah1Ezekiel2
Source forms
הֻמְלַ֔חַתְּ1xhum·la·ḥatEzekiel 16:4
וְהָמְלֵ֙חַ֙1xwə·hā·mə·lê·aḥEzekiel 16:4
מְמֻלָּ֖ח1xmə·mul·lāḥExodus 30:35
נִמְלָ֙חוּ֙1xnim·lā·ḥūIsaiah 51:6
תִּמְלָח֒1xtim·lāḥLeviticus 2:13
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hofal - Infinitive absolute1xEzekiel 16:4
Verb - Hofal - Perfect - second person feminine singular1xEzekiel 16:4
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural1xIsaiah 51:6
Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singular1xExodus 30:35
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular1xLeviticus 2:13
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Salt as both preservative and destroyer: purifying disintegration and covenant seasoning combined.
Source Gloss
properly, to rub to pieces or pulverize; intransitively, to disappear as dust; also to salt whether internally (to season with salt) or externally (to rub with salt)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Salt as both preservative and destroyer: purifying disintegration and covenant seasoning combined.
properly, to rub to pieces or pulverize; intransitively, to disappear as dust; also to salt whether internally (to season with salt) or externally (to rub with salt) BDB: salt Usage: × at all, salt, season, temper together, vanish away.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups4Aligned forms4
Pualintensive passive — intensive action received by the subject1×
Participle passiveExod 30:351×
Hophalcausative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action1×
PerfectEzek 16:41×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action1×
PerfectIsa 51:61×
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense1×
ImperfectLev 2:131×
Word Origins
מָלַח is built from this root: