מְלַח (me.lach)
me.lach
to eat salt
A:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:V
Word Overview
The Aramaic verb melach means literally to eat salt. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Ezra 4:14, where officials warn King Artaxerxes about the political risks of allowing Jerusalem’s walls to be rebuilt.
In this context, the phrase "we have tasted the salt" is an idiom for sharing a common meal and thus a bond of loyalty. By stating they had eaten salt with the king, the writers emphasized their long-standing allegiance and contrasted it with the potential treason of supporting the Jewish reconstruction efforts.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
In Ezra 4:14, the phrase 'eating salt' serves as a powerful metaphor for loyalty and shared commitment. The officials writing to King Artaxerxes use this imagery to highlight their deep bond with the crown, contrasting it with any suggestion of disloyalty. This ancient idiom reminds us that true faithfulness is often demonstrated through consistent, tangible actions rather than mere words.
For your daily walk, this word invites reflection on the covenants you keep. Whether in marriage, friendship, or service to God, integrity means staying true to those who have trusted you. It challenges us to examine whether our lives reflect a genuine commitment to the relationships and responsibilities we hold dear.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- we eat salt1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְלַ֔חְנָא1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 4:14
Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not appropriate for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king,
This verse uses the idiom of eating salt to establish the writers' political loyalty and warn against supporting the Jewish reconstruction efforts.