two parties, often in the political sphere. A great king would often enter a suzerain-vassal covenant with several minor rulers, who would obey him and support him with taxes, conscripted soldiers, and so forth. The relationship between God and his people Israel was very often presented as a covenant, and this salt reminded the people of it. The details of different ways of preparing the grain were given because it is human nature for people to wriggle their way out of any obligation that might cost