And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
Parallel translations
- WEB Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High.
- BSB Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine—since he was priest of God Most High—
- 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 he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Cross-references · 16
- Ps 110:4The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
- Heb 6:20Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
- Heb 5:6As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
- Heb 5:10Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
- Ps 76:2In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.
- Ps 57:2I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
- Acts 16:17The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
- Heb 7:10–22For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
- Matt 26:26–29And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
- Ps 7:17I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
- Gal 6:10As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
- Acts 7:48Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
- Ruth 3:10And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
- Ps 50:14Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
- 2 Sam 2:5And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.
- Mic 6:6Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
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.