Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest
Says וַיֵּצֵא מֶלֶךְ־סְדֹם לִקְרָאתוֹ is “and the king of Sodom went out to meet him,” אַחֲרֵי שׁוּבוֹ מֵהַכּוֹת (“after his return from striking”) the kings. He met him אֶל־עֵמֶק שָׁוֵה הוּא עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ, “at the valley of Shaveh, that is the King’s Valley”; the Greek has “τὸ πεδίον βασιλέως.”
Says In 14:18 וּמַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם is “and Melchizedek king of Salem.” The name is written as two words, “my king is righteousness” or “king of righteousness.” He הוֹצִיא לֶחֶם וָיָיִן, “brought out bread and wine.” Then וְהוּא כֹהֵן לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן is a clause of its own, “and he was priest of El Elyon,” the first use of “priest” in the Bible; BSB has “since he was priest of God Most High.” The Greek has “ἱερεὺς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου.”
Implies Melchizedek is presented as a king and a priest at once, who serves El Elyon and meets Abram with food after the battle.
Uncertain Who Melchizedek was beyond what the verse says is read in several ways: a local king-priest, Shem, or a figure shaped as a type. Salem is set beside Zion in Ps 76:2, and others place it elsewhere. No lean is taken here.
Claims
- Saysוַיֵּצֵא מֶלֶךְ־סְדֹם לִקְרָאתוֹ is “and the king of Sodom went out to meet him,” אַחֲרֵי שׁוּבוֹ מֵהַכּוֹת (“after his return from striking”) the kings. He met him אֶל־עֵמֶק שָׁוֵה הוּא עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ, “at the valley of Shaveh, that is the King’s Valley”; the Greek has “τὸ πεδίον βασιλέως.”
- SaysIn 14:18 וּמַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם is “and Melchizedek king of Salem.” The name is written as two words, “my king is righteousness” or “king of righteousness.” He הוֹצִיא לֶחֶם וָיָיִן, “brought out bread and wine.” Then וְהוּא כֹהֵן לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן is a clause of its own, “and he was priest of El Elyon,” the first use of “priest” in the Bible; BSB has “since he was priest of God Most High.” The Greek has “ἱερεὺς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου.”
- ImpliesMelchizedek is presented as a king and a priest at once, who serves El Elyon and meets Abram with food after the battle.
- UncertainWho Melchizedek was beyond what the verse says is read in several ways: a local king-priest, Shem, or a figure shaped as a type. Salem is set beside Zion in Ps 76:2, and others place it elsewhere. No lean is taken here.
Citations
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 14:17–18 (WLC/OSHB; morph HNp HC/Np HNcmsa HAamsa)
- BSB public domain Gen 14:17–18 (BSB)
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Gen 14:17–18, text and apparatus. LXX: Swete, vol. 1 (1901), p. 22 (leaf n53). Checked against the printed page (scan).
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-11-12
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