The Dead Sea is filled with water so rich in salt and other mineral content that it supports the human body.
In other words you can’t sink while floating in (on) it.
In ancient times crude oil would periodically bubble up to the surface and solidify into a tar-like substance that harvesters chopped into blocks and towed to the shore for sale.
When melted down again, it made a good adhesive to cement building blocks together, and the Egyptians used it in their embalming procedure as well.
It was so prevalent on the water’s surface that the Romans called the Dead Sea “Lake Asphaltus” using the word from which we get asphalt.
From time to time, during an electrical storm, lightning would strike the surface setting the solidified tar aflame.
When that happened they called it “The Lake of Fire.”
Imagine this. You’re in deep water. As long as you keep your head above the surface you can breath.
But the surface is on fire, so you hold your breath to sink under the surface to escape the flames.
But the water pushes you back up like a cork into the fire. On it goes day and night.
You twist and turn and squirm on the surface looking for some kind of respite, however brief.
You’d welcome death and long for it, but you can’t die because there’s no escape from the punishment.
Get the picture?
That was pretty deep (and descriptive).