Valley of Salt in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Gee', more accurately "ravine," Melach. The battle field between Judah and Edom where David and Amaziah conquered Abishai. (See JOAB; DAVID; AMAZIAH; ABISHAI.) (2 Samuel 8:13; 1 Chronicles 18:12; Psalm 60 title; 1 Kings 11:15-16; 2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chronicles 25:11). (See EDOM Near the salt mountain (Usdum), the upper part of the Arabah or plain S. of the Salt Sea; the boundary between Judah and Edom. Grove objects to this identification with the plain intervening between the Dead Sea and the heights which cross the valley seven miles to the S. For (1) ge is not elsewhere applied to a broad valley or sunk plain like the lower Ghor; 'eemeq or biquaah would be the name. (2) 'Arabah was the Hebrew name. (3) "Salt" is not necessarily the right translation of Melach. (4) Amaziah brought 10,000 prisoners to Sela (Petra), Edom's stronghold, and cast them down; he would scarcely bring so many prisoners from near the Dead Sea, 50 miles through a hostile and difficult country; more likely the valley of Salt was nearer Petra.