The blessing by El Elyon and the tenth
Says וַיְבָרְכֵהוּ is “and he blessed him.” בָּרוּךְ אַבְרָם לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן is “blessed be Abram by El Elyon,” and the title goes on קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, a participle with “heavens and earth”; BSB has “Creator of heaven and earth.” The Greek has a relative clause, “ὃς ἔκτισεν” (“who created”).
Says In 14:20 וּבָרוּךְ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן is “and blessed be El Elyon,” אֲשֶׁר־מִגֵּן צָרֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ, “who delivered your foes into your hand.” The verb has the consonants of מָגֵן (“shield”) in 15:1. וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר מִכֹּל is “and he gave him a tenth of all,” with no name for either man; BSB has “Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.” The Greek has “καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ δεκάτην ἀπὸ πάντων.”
Implies The blessing has two parts: Abram is blessed by El Elyon, and El Elyon is blessed for the victory.
Uncertain The participle can mean “maker” or “owner” of heaven and earth. Who gave the tenth is not stated in 14:20; Heb 7:4 reads it as Abraham. What “El Elyon” meant to a priest of Salem is not explained here, though Abram joins the title to the Lord’s name in 14:22. No lean is taken here.
Claims
- Saysוַיְבָרְכֵהוּ is “and he blessed him.” בָּרוּךְ אַבְרָם לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן is “blessed be Abram by El Elyon,” and the title goes on קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, a participle with “heavens and earth”; BSB has “Creator of heaven and earth.” The Greek has a relative clause, “ὃς ἔκτισεν” (“who created”).
- SaysIn 14:20 וּבָרוּךְ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן is “and blessed be El Elyon,” אֲשֶׁר־מִגֵּן צָרֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ, “who delivered your foes into your hand.” The verb has the consonants of מָגֵן (“shield”) in 15:1. וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר מִכֹּל is “and he gave him a tenth of all,” with no name for either man; BSB has “Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.” The Greek has “καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ δεκάτην ἀπὸ πάντων.”
- ImpliesThe blessing has two parts: Abram is blessed by El Elyon, and El Elyon is blessed for the victory.
- UncertainThe participle can mean “maker” or “owner” of heaven and earth. Who gave the tenth is not stated in 14:20; Heb 7:4 reads it as Abraham. What “El Elyon” meant to a priest of Salem is not explained here, though Abram joins the title to the Lord’s name in 14:22. No lean is taken here.
Citations
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 14:19–20 (WLC/OSHB; morph HVqrmsc HVpp3ms HC/Vqw3ms HNcmsa)
- BSB public domain Gen 14:19–20 (BSB)
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Gen 14:19–20, text and apparatus. LXX: Swete, vol. 1 (1901), p. 22 (leaf n53), p. 23 (leaf n54). 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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