H4415 H4415
to eat salt (with someone), assume obligations of loyalty
This Aramaic denominative verb literally means to eat salt but carries the idiomatic sense of entering covenant loyalty. In Ezra 4:14, Persian officials remind the king that they 'have eaten the salt of the palace'—a vivid image for their sworn allegiance. Ancient Near Eastern culture viewed sharing salt as creating binding obligations, making this more than a simple meal reference.
Sentidos
1. sense 1 — The phrase 'we have eaten the salt of the palace' in Ezra 4:14 declares covenant loyalty to the Persian king. Across languages, translators preserve the literal eating imagery (English 'ate', Spanish 'comimos'), though the underlying meaning is pledged allegiance. Syriac usage confirms that salt-eating idiomatically signified intimate loyalty and binding obligation in Aramaic culture. 1×
AR["مَلَحْنَا"]·ben["খাই"]·DE["[מלחנא]"]·EN["we-ate"]·FR["[מלחנא]"]·heb["מלחנא"]·HI["हम-पाते-हैं-सहायता"]·ID["kami-makan"]·IT["[מלחנא]"]·jav["kang-ratu"]·KO["우리가-먹는다"]·PT["comemos-sal"]·RU["солим"]·ES["comemos"]·SW["tunakula-chumvi"]·TR["yedik"]·urd["نمک-کھایا-ہم-نے"]
Sentidos Relacionados
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
Referencia BDB / Léxico
† [מְלַח] vb. denom. c. acc. cogn., eat salt;— Pe. Pf. 1 pl. מְלַחְנָא Ezr 4:14 we have eaten the salt of the palace (so most), i.e. have assumed obligations of loyalty, cf. M 69 * K§ 71, 2 (and Syriac ܐܶܬܡܰܠܰܚ be intimate with PS2134); Str (after NesMM 30 f.) thinks n. c. sf.: our salt is the salt of the palace.