Text -- Hebrews 7:1-6 (NET)

The Nature of Melchizedek’s Priesthood

7:1 Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him. 7:2 To him also Abraham apportioned a tithe of everything. His name first means king of righteousness, then king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 7:3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time. 7:4 But see how great he must be, if Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe of his plunder. 7:5 And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, although they too are descendants of Abraham. 7:6 But Melchizedek who does not share their ancestry collected a tithe from Abraham and blessed the one who possessed the promise.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Heb 7:1

¹ sn A series of quotations from Gen 14:17-19.

NET Notes: Heb 7:2

¹ tn Grk “to whom,” continuing the description of Melchizedek. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

² tn Or “a tenth part.”

³ sn A quotation from Gen 14:20.

⁴ tn Grk “first being interpreted,” describing Melchizedek.

NET Notes: Heb 7:4

¹ tn Grk “to whom.”

² tn Or “a tenth part.”

NET Notes: Heb 7:5

¹ tn Or “the priesthood.”

² tn Grk “from their brothers.” See BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.

³ tn Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”

NET Notes: Heb 7:6

¹ tn Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.

² tn Grk “is not descended from them.”

³ tn Or “a tenth part.”

⁴ sn The verbs “collected…and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.