עִיר הַמֶּלַח
𐤏𐤉𐤓 𐤄𐤌𐤋𐤇
ʻÎyr ham-Melach
H5898 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A toponym meaning 'City of Salt,' denoting a specific location in the southern territory allotted to the tribe of Judah; it refers primarily to an inhabited settlement near the Dead Sea, an area characterized by its salt-rich environment. The phrase is a compound: עִיר ('city/town') + הַ ('the', definite article) + מֶלַח ('salt'). Where it appears in the Hebrew Bible, it denotes a geographic locus linked with salt or salt production.
Semantic Range
city associated with salt, settlement in a salt-producing region, geographical name referring to urban center by the Dead Sea
Root / Etymology
Formed from the noun עִיר (city, town) and מֶלַח (salt), with the definite article הַ attached to the second element, producing 'City of the Salt.' The root of עִיר is ע־י־ר meaning 'to watch, awaken', which develops semantically into a center of population (city) presumed to be under watch or protection. מֶלַח derives from the root מ־ל־ח, meaning 'salt.' The construction follows a Hebrew pattern of place naming via genitive compounds.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עִיר הַמֶּלַח appears in Joshua 15:62 as one of the towns situated in the wilderness section of Judah’s tribal allotment. Its location is generally believed to be along the western shores of the Dead Sea, an area renowned for its salt deposits. The toponym reflects the distinctive geography and economic activity of the region. In modern translations, 'City of Salt' is a literal rendering, but often the Hebrew form is retained transliterated in academic works. There is no evidence that the settlement was ever known by a different name in antiquity; it is distinct from other biblical references to salt-related locations (e.g., מִדְבַּר־הַמֶּלַח, 'wilderness of salt'). In later periods, mapping and identification of the site become uncertain, but its association with salt endured as part of the toponym's memory.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from עִיר and מֶלַח with the article of substance interp.; city of (the) salt; Irham-Melach, a place near Palestine; the city of 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 |
| H4416 | מְלַח | salt |
| H4417 | מֶלַח | in the salt |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5898-01 |
הַ/מֶּ֖לַח | hamelach | HTd/Ncmsa |
of Salt | the salt | 1 |
H5898-02 |
וְ/עִיר | veir | HC/Ncfsc |
and City | city of salt | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5898-02 |
Joshua 15:62 | וְ/עִיר | veir | HC/Ncfsc |
and City | city of salt |
H5898-01 |
Joshua 15:62 | הַ/מֶּ֖לַח | hamelach | HTd/Ncmsa |
of Salt | the salt |