Genesis 14:18

“And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of El Elyon.”
Genesis 14:18 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

And Melchizedekוּמַלְכִּי צֶדֶקkingמֶלֶךְof Salemשָׁלֵםbrought outהוֹצִיאbreadלֶחֶםand wine;וָיָיִןheוְהוּאwas priestכֹהֵןof El Elyon.לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן

Explicit type · Hebrews 7:1-3

Go to Hebrews 7:1-3

Hebrews rereads Genesis 14:18-20: Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest, blesses Abraham and receives the tithe. Hebrews says that he has no father, mother, or genealogy, things the account does not mention, and declares him “made like the Son of God.”

The biblical author himself makes the connection, in these words:

ἀφωμοιωμένος δὲ τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ μένει ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸ διηνεκές “made like the Son of God, he remains a priest for all time” (Hebrews 7:3)

מַלְכִּיmalkiH4442ΜελχισέδεκMelchisedekG3198“Melchizedek”
שָׁלֵםshalemH8004ΣαλήμSalēmG4532“Salem”
כֹהֵןjohenH3548ἱερεὺςhiereusG2409“priest”

Genesis 14:18, word by word

And Melchizedekמַלְכִּיmalki

Melchizedek

Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of El Elyon. His name means "king of righteousness" (Hebrews 7:2). He appears in Genesis 14:18 and in Psalm 110:4; the letter to the Hebrews speaks of him in chapter 7.

Where else “malki” appears

kingמֶלֶךְmelech

king

A king who rules a people.

Where else “melech” appears

of Salemשָׁלֵםshalem

Salem

Salem, the city of Melchizedek, identified with Jerusalem. The name sounds like "peace".

Where else “shalem” appears

brought outהוֹצִיאhotsi

bring out

To lead someone out: "I led you out of Egypt".

Where else “hotsi” appears

breadלֶחֶםlechem

bread

Food made of kneaded, baked flour: the basis of each day's meal.

Where else “lechem” appears

and wineיָיִןyayin

wine

Wine; also drunkenness.

Where else “yayin” appears

was priestכֹהֵןchohen

priest

One who serves in the sanctuary and offers for the people.

Where else “chohen” appears

of El Elyonאֵלel

El, God, god

"El", an ancient Hebrew word for "God". Alone or with another title it is a name of the God of Israel: El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty). Neighboring peoples used the same word for their gods; then this translation writes "god" in lower case. It also means "mighty".

Where else “el” appears

of El Elyonעֶלְיוֹןelyon

Most High, Elyon

"Elyon": the highest, the Most High. It is a title of God: there is no one above him. As an adjective, upper, high.

Where else “elyon” appears

Translation note

“El Elyon” means “God Most High.” In verse 22 Abram says he has raised his hand “to YHWH, El Elyon.”

The context

17After he returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the Valley of the King).

18 · This verse (above)

19He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of El Elyon, owner of the heavens and earth;

Read all of Genesis 14

To study Genesis 14 in a group

1. What it says
What did Abram do when he heard that his relative Lot had been taken captive (vv. 14-16)?
2. What it means
What does Melchizedek, king of Salem, do, and what does he say when he blesses Abram (vv. 18-20)?
3. How I live it
How can you help a relative or friend in trouble without expecting anything in return, as Abram did (vv. 22-24)?

How to use it