Hebrews 7:1-9

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. ¹  7:2 To him ²  also Abraham apportioned a tithe ³  of everything. ⁴  His name first means ⁵  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 ⁶  Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe ⁷  of his plunder. 7:5 And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office ⁸  have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, ⁹  although they too are descendants of Abraham. ¹⁰  7:6 But Melchizedek ¹¹  who does not share their ancestry ¹²  collected a tithe ¹³  from Abraham and blessed ¹⁴  the one who possessed the promise. 7:7 Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, 7:8 and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. 7:9 And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham.

[7:1]  ¹ sn A series of quotations from Gen 14:17-19.

[7:2]  ² 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.

[7:2]  ³ tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:2]  ⁴ sn A quotation from Gen 14:20.

[7:2]  ⁵ tn Grk “first being interpreted,” describing Melchizedek.

[7:4]  ⁶ tn Grk “to whom.”

[7:4]  ⁷ tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:5]  ⁸ tn Or “the priesthood.”

[7:5]  ⁹ tn Grk “from their brothers.” See BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.

[7:5]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”

[7:6]  ¹¹ tn Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.

[7:6]  ¹² tn Grk “is not descended from them.”

[7:6]  ¹³ tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:6]  ¹⁴ sn The verbs “collected…and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.