What Is the Dead Sea — Meaning Explained

The Dead Sea — called the Salt Sea in the Old Testament — lies over 1,400 feet below sea level, making it the lowest body of water on earth. It is roughly 34 miles long and 9 miles wide, fed by the Jordan River but with no outlet. Its salinity is about ten times that of the ocean, making it impossible for fish and most plant life to survive — hence its name. The region around the Dead Sea includes the sites of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed by fire and brimstone for their wickedness. In Ezekiel's vision of restoration, the Dead Sea becomes a place of life, with fishermen spreading nets along its shores. For visitors today, the Dead Sea is a silent memorial to divine judgment — a landscape where life cannot thrive, reminding us of the wages of sin and the seriousness of God's justice.