Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine—since he was priest of God Most High—
Parallel translations
- WEB Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High.
- KJV And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
- NKJV Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.
- NASB And Melchizedek the king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High.
- NLT And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, brought bread and wine and met Abram. This mysterious priest-king becomes a key picture of Christ.
Overview
Melchizedek appears suddenly as both king and priest, a rare combination later applied to the Messiah. His bread and wine refreshed Abram and have long reminded readers of the Lord's Supper. Psalm 110 and Hebrews 5-7 draw on this figure to show that Jesus is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, superior to the Levitical priesthood and able to bless and intercede eternally.
Cross-references & the web
Type → fulfillment
- Heb 7:17For it is testified: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
Cross-references · 16
- Ps 110:4The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
- Heb 6:20where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.
- Heb 5:6And in another passage God says: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
- Heb 5:10and was designated by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
- Ps 76:2His tent is in Salem, His dwelling place in Zion.
- Ps 57:2I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.
- Acts 16:17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!”
- Heb 7:10–22For when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the loin of his ancestor.
- Matt 26:26–29While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.”
- Ps 7:17I will thank the LORD for His righteousness and sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
- Gal 6:10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.
- Acts 7:48However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
- Ruth 3:10Then Boaz said, “May the LORD bless you, my daughter. You have shown more kindness now than before, because you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor.
- Ps 50:14Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
- 2 Sam 2:5So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.
- Mic 6:6With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 14:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.