The Biblical Covenant of Salt in Leviticus 2

Leviticus 2:13 mandates the inclusion of salt with all grain offerings, stating, "Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt; neither shall you allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt" ^[1]. This verse highlights the significance of salt, not merely as a seasoning, but as an essential component of the "covenant of your God."

The passage appears within Leviticus 2, which details the regulations for grain offerings (also called meal offerings or meat offerings in older translations) ^{[1, 11]}. These offerings were voluntary acts of worship, often expressing gratitude or devotion, and typically consisted of fine flour, oil, and frankincense, sometimes baked or parched ^[7]. The broader context of Leviticus establishes the sacrificial system through which ancient Israel was to approach God, emphasizing purity, holiness, and adherence to divine commands ^[1].

In ancient Israel, salt was an indispensable commodity, used not only for seasoning food for both humans and animals but also as a preservative, particularly in a warm climate ^{[2, 5]}. The Israelites had access to abundant salt supplies from the southern shores of the Dead Sea ^{[2, 3]}. Beyond its practical uses, salt held symbolic weight, representing permanence and incorruption ^{[12, 13]}.

The Hebrew word for "covenant," berith, is derived from a root meaning "to cut," referring to the ancient practice of cutting animals in two and parties passing between the parts to ratify an agreement ^{[4, 6]}. This ritual underscored the solemnity and binding nature of a covenant. The New Testament equivalent, diatheke, is often translated as "testament" but also refers to a covenant ^{[4, 6]}.

The phrase "covenant of salt" (Hebrew: berith melach) appears in other biblical texts, such as Numbers 18:19 and 2 Chronicles 13:5, further emphasizing its enduring and perpetual nature ^{[5, 13, 14]}. The inclusion of salt in offerings symbolized the lasting obligation and unbreakable bond between God and His people ^[5]. Just as salt preserves food from decay, it signified the incorruptible and perpetual nature of the covenant ^{[12, 13]}.

Interpretations of the "covenant of salt" vary among traditions. Rabbinic thought, as seen in the Babylonian Talmud, connects the concept of covenant used with salt to the concept of covenant used with afflictions. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish suggests that just as salt preserves meat, afflictions preserve a person from sin, implying a connection between enduring hardship and maintaining the covenant ^{[8, 9, 10]}.

commentators often emphasize the symbolic qualities of salt. John Gill, one theologian, suggests that the salt in the offering denotes the "savory and acceptableness of Christ as a meat offering" and the "perpetuity of his sacrifice" ^[11]. He also connects it to the "grave and gracious conversation of those that are Christ's" ^[11]. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, in their commentary, highlight salt's preservative property as an emblem of "incorruption and purity, as well as of a perpetual covenant—a perfect reconciliation and lasting friendship" ^[12]. Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist commentator, contrasts salt with leaven and honey, which were forbidden in fire offerings. While leaven symbolized pride, hypocrisy, malice, and wickedness due to its swelling and souring properties, salt represented purity and preservation ^[15].

The "covenant of salt" thus functioned as a powerful symbol within Israelite worship, signifying the enduring, incorruptible, and binding nature of God's relationship with His people, a relationship that was to be reflected in the purity and faithfulness of their offerings and lives ^{[12, 13]}.

Sources

Leviticus “Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt; neither shall you allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt. -- Leviticus 2:13”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Salt — Indispensable as salt is to ourselves, it was even more so to the Hebrews, being to them not only an appetizing condiment in the food both of man, (Job 11:6) and beset, (Isaiah 30:24) see margin, and a valuable antidote to the effects of the heat of the climate on animal food, but also entering largely into the religious services of the Jews as an accompaniment to the various offerings presented on the altar. (Leviticus 2:13) They possessed an inexhaustible and ready supply of it on the southern shores of the Dead Sea. [[1037]Sea, The Salt, THE SALT] There is o”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Salt, Valley Of — a valley in which occurred two memorable victories of the Israelite arms: + That of David over the Edomites. (2 Samuel 8:13; 1 Chronicles 18:12) + That of Amaziah. (2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chronicles 25:11) It is perhaps the broad open plain which lies at the lower end of the Dead Sea, and intervenes between the lake itself and the range of heights which crosses the valley at six or eight miles to the south. This same view is taken by Dr. Robinson. Others suggest that it is nearer to Petra. What little can be inferred from the narrative as to its situation f”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Covenant — A contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. Berith is derived from a root which means "to cut," and hence a covenant is a "cutting," with reference to the cutting or dividing of animals into two parts, and the contracting parties passing between them, in making a covenant (Gen. 15; Jer. 34:18, 19). The corresponding word in the New Testament Greek is diatheke, which is, however, rendered "testament" generally in the Authorized Version. It ought to be rendered, just as the word berith o”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Salt — Used to season food (Job 6:6), and mixed with the fodder of cattle (Isa. 30:24, "clean;" in marg. of R.V. "salted"). All meat-offerings were seasoned with salt (Lev. 2:13). To eat salt with one is to partake of his hospitality, to derive subsistence from him; and hence he who did so was bound to look after his host's interests (Ezra 4:14, "We have maintenance from the king's palace;" A.V. marg., "We are salted with the salt of the palace;" R.V., "We eat the salt of the palace"). A "covenant of salt" (Num. 18:19; 2 Chr. 13:5) was a covenant of perpetual obligat”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Covenant — The Heb. berith means primarily "a cutting," with reference to the custom of cutting or dividing animals in two and passing between the parts in ratifying a covenant. (Genesis 15; Jeremiah 34:18,19) In the New Testament the corresponding word is diathece (diatheke), which is frequently translated testament in the Authorized Version. In its biblical meaning two parties the word is used-- + Of a covenant between God and man; e.g. God covenanted with Noah, after the flood, that a like judgment should not be repeated. It is not precisely like a covenant between”
Leviticus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Leviticus 2:14: Green ears of corn dried by the fire - Green or half-ripe ears of wheat parched with fire is a species of food in use among the poor people of Palestine and Egypt to the present day. As God is represented as keeping a table among his people, (for the tabernacle was his house, where he had the golden table, shewbread, etc)., so he represents himself as partaking with them of all the aliments that were in use, and even sitting down with the poor to a repast on parched corn! We have already seen that these green ears were presented as a sort of eucharistical offerin”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 5a.19: And that is the statement of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The word covenant is used with regard to salt, and the word covenant is used with regard to afflictions. The word covenant is used with regard to salt, as it is written: “The salt of the covenant with your God should not be excluded from your meal-offering; with all your sacrifices you must offer salt” (Leviticus 2:13). And the word covenant is used with regard to afflictions, as it is written: “These are the words of the covenant” (Deuteronomy 28:69). Just as, in the coven”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 128b.9:19: And that is the statement of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The word covenant is used with regard to salt, and the word covenant is used with regard to afflictions. The word covenant is used with regard to salt, as it is written: “The salt of the covenant with your God should not be excluded from your meal-offering; with all your sacrifices you must offer salt” (Leviticus 2:13). And the word covenant is used with regard to afflictions, as it is written: “These are the words of the covenant” (Deuteronomy 28:69). Just as, in the c”
Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot 128a.9:19: And that is the statement of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, as Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The word covenant is used with regard to salt, and the word covenant is used with regard to afflictions. The word covenant is used with regard to salt, as it is written: “The salt of the covenant with your God should not be excluded from your meal-offering; with all your sacrifices you must offer salt” (Leviticus 2:13). And the word covenant is used with regard to afflictions, as it is written: “These are the words of the covenant” (Deuteronomy 28:69). Just as, in the c”
Leviticus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Leviticus 2:13: And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt,.... Which makes food savoury, and preserves from putrefaction; denoting the savouriness and acceptableness of Christ as a meat offering to his people, he being savoury food, such as their souls love, as well as to God the Father, who is well pleased with his sacrifice; and also the perpetuity of his sacrifice, which always has the same virtue in it, and of him as a meat offering, who is that meat which endures to everlasting life, Joh 6:27 and also the grave and gracious conversation of those that”
Leviticus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Leviticus 2:13: every . . . meat offering shalt thou season with salt--The same reasons which led to the prohibition of leaven, recommended the use of salt--if the one soon putrefies, the other possesses a strongly preservative property, and hence it became an emblem of incorruption and purity, as well as of a perpetual covenant--a perfect reconciliation and lasting friendship. No injunction in the whole law was more sacredly observed than this application of salt; for besides other uses of it that will be noticed elsewhere, it had a typical meaning referred to by ”
Leviticus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Leviticus 2:13: 2:13 In ancient times, salt represented permanence because it preserved food. A covenant of salt (see study notes on Num 18:19; 2 Chr 13:5) denoted an enduring covenant that was renewed with successive generations.”
2 Chronicles (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Chronicles 13:5: 13:5 a lasting covenant: Literally a covenant of salt. Salt was required with a grain offering (Lev 2:13). The social and religious background for this phrase is unknown. However, salt was used as a preservative and provided an apt metaphor for a permanent covenant.”
Leviticus (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Leviticus 2:11: Here, I. Leaven and honey are forbidden to be put in any of their meat-offerings: No leaven, nor any honey, in any offering made by fire, Lev 2:11. 1. The leaven was forbidden in remembrance of the unleavened bread they ate when they came out of Egypt. So much despatch was required in the offerings they made that it was not convenient they should stay for the leavening of them. The New Testament comparing pride and hypocrisy to leaven because they swell like leaven, comparing also malice and wickedness to leaven because they sour like leaven, we are to understa”

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