covenant of salt

English

Etymology

A Biblical reference, as in Leviticus: "every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt." (Leviticus 2:13)

Pronunciation

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Noun

covenant of salt (plural covenants of salt)

1. (archaic, idiomatic) A long-lasting agreement.
   • 1658, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia epidemica: or, Enquiries into very many received tenents, and commonly presumed truths‎^[1], page 306:

     ... God gave the Kingdom unto David for ever, or by a Covenant of Salt.