METALS MENTIONED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. 



267 



In the days of David "Abisbai, the son of Zeruiah, slew of 

 the Edomites in the valley of salt 18,000." (n Sam. viii, 13. 

 I Chron. xviii, 12.) Two accounts of same battle. 



B.C. 896. The men of Jericho said unto Elisha, The 

 situation of this city is pleasant, but the water is naught. 

 " And he said, bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein, and 

 they brought it to him. And he went forth unto the spring of 

 the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the 

 Lord, I have healed these waters ; so the waters were healed." 

 <n Kings ii, 20, 21.) 



B.C. circum 827. Amaziah, King of Judah, slew of Edom in 

 the valley of salt 12,000." (n Kings xiv, 7.) 



B.C. circum 630. As I live, saith the Lord of hosts, the God 

 of Israel, surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of 

 Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and salt pits, 

 ■and a perpetual desolation." (Zeph. ii, 9.) 



B.C. 519. Darius made a decree to facilitate the progress in 

 the erection of the temple, that of the King's good, even of the 

 tribute beyond the river, including that which was necessary 

 " for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, 

 and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are 

 at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail." 

 .(Ezra vi, 9.) 



B.C. circum 457. Artaxerxes made a decree to all the treasurers 

 which were beyond the river that whatsoever Ezra the priest 

 should require of them should be done speedily, including 

 salt, without prescribing how much." (Ezra vii, 22.) 

 Salt SyxMbolically. 



Overwhelmed with grief, Job exclaimed, " Can that which is 

 unsavoury be eaten without salt ? " (Job vi, 6.) 



B.C. 957. There was war between Abijah, king of Judah, 

 and Jeroboam, king of Israel. The former set the battle in 

 array with 400,000 chosen valiant men of war, the latter with 

 800,000 chosen mighty men of valour. And Jeroboam stood 

 upon mount Zemaraim, which is mount Ephraim, and said 

 Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel, " Ought ye not to know 

 that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to 

 David for ever, even to him and his sons by a covenant of salt." 

 (2 Chron. xiii, 5.) 



Sulphub (Gophreth) and Bitumen {Zepheth). 



B.C. 1898. "The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah 

 hrimstone (sulphur) and from the Lord out of heaven." 

 <Gen. xix, 24; xiv, 10.) 



