City of Salt

SALT, CITY OF. A city in the wilderness of Judah, not far from the Dead Sea. It is mentioned as being between Nibshan and En Gedi (Josh.15.62). Its exact site is uncertain.

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SALT, CITY OF (עִיר־הַמֶּ֖לַח, City of Salt; LXX, A αἱ πόλεις ἁλω̂ν, the Cities of Salt). One of six cities allotted to Judah in the Wilderness (i.e., Midbar; Josh 15:61, 62). Four of these, Middin, Secacah, Nibshan, and the City of Salt, prob. are to be identified with four Iron II settlements in the Valley of Achor (modern Buqeiah). The City of Salt is modern Khirbet Qumran.

Bibliography

F. M. Cross, Jr. and J. T. Malik, “Explorations in the Judean Buge’ah,” BASOR, 142 (1956), 5-17.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

(`ir ha-melach; Codex Alexandrinus hai pol(e)is halon): One of the six cities in the wilderness of Judah mentioned between Nibshan and Engedi (Jos 15:62). The site is very uncertain. The large and important Tell el-Milch (i.e. "the salt hill"), on the route from Hebron to Akaba, is possible.