Dead Sea in the Torah
ים המלח
Called the 'Salt Sea' in the Tanakh, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth. Its shores were the setting for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The prophet Ezekiel had a powerful vision of living waters flowing from the Temple to the Dead Sea, turning its salt water fresh — a messianic prophecy of ultimate renewal and healing.
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David Shankbone (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Key Verses
6 selected passages mentioning Dead Sea
The Arabah, the Salt Sea, under the slopes of Pisgah
וְהָֽעֲרָבָ֖ה וְהַיַּרְדֵּ֣ן וּגְבֻ֑ל מִכִּנֶּ֗רֶת וְעַ֨ד יָ֤ם הָֽעֲרָבָה֙ יָ֣ם הַמֶּ֔לַח תַּ֛חַת אַשְׁדֹּ֥ת הַפִּסְגָּ֖ה מִזְרָֽחָה׃
fContinuing vv. 8–10; cf. 4.47–49. [We also seized] the Arabah, from the foot of the slopes of Pisgah on the east, to the edge of the Jordan, and from Chinnereth down to the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea.
These waters flow toward the eastern region and into the sea — and the waters shall be healed
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י הַמַּ֤יִם הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ יוֹצְאִ֗ים אֶל־הַגְּלִילָה֙ הַקַּדְמוֹנָ֔ה וְיָרְד֖וּ עַל־הָעֲרָבָ֑ה וּבָ֣אוּ הַיָּ֔מָּה אֶל־הַיָּ֥מָּה הַמּוּצָאִ֖ים וְנִרְפּ֥אוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃
“This water,” he told me, “runs out to the eastern region, and flows into the Arabah; and when it comes into the sea, into the sea of foul waters,ethe sea of foul waters I.e., the Dead Sea. the water will become wholesome.
The Valley of Siddim — which is the Salt Sea
כׇּל־אֵ֙לֶּה֙ חָֽבְר֔וּ אֶל־עֵ֖מֶק הַשִּׂדִּ֑ים ה֖וּא יָ֥ם הַמֶּֽלַח׃
all the latter joined forces at the Valley of Siddim, now the Dead Sea.aDead Sea Heb. “Salt Sea.”
The Lord rains brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah
וַֽיהֹוָ֗ה הִמְטִ֧יר עַל־סְדֹ֛ם וְעַל־עֲמֹרָ֖ה גׇּפְרִ֣ית וָאֵ֑שׁ מֵאֵ֥ת יְהֹוָ֖ה מִן־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
GOD rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfurous fire from GOD out of heaven—
Lot's wife looks back and becomes a pillar of salt
וַתַּבֵּ֥ט אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מֵאַחֲרָ֑יו וַתְּהִ֖י נְצִ֥יב מֶֽלַח׃
Lot’sgLot’s Lit. “His.” wife looked back,hback Lit. “behind him.” and she thereupon turned into a pillar of salt.
The border goes down to the Salt Sea
וְיָרַ֤ד הַגְּבוּל֙ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה וְהָי֥וּ תוֹצְאֹתָ֖יו יָ֣ם הַמֶּ֑לַח זֹאת֩ תִּהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֥ם הָאָ֛רֶץ לִגְבֻלֹתֶ֖יהָ סָבִֽיב׃
The boundary shall then descend along the Jordan and terminate at the Dead Sea.That shall be your land as defined by its boundaries on all sides.
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