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And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
Genesis 14:19 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth:
  • BSB and he blessed Abram and said: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
  • NKJV And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
  • NASB And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
  • NLT Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

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 blessed Abram in the name of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth. The blessing affirms that Abram's victory came from the one true God.

Overview

As priest, Melchizedek pronounces a blessing rooted in God's sovereignty over all creation. By naming God as possessor of heaven and earth, he confesses the Creator who rules over the gods of the nations. This priestly blessing flowing to Abram foreshadows the greater blessing believers receive through Christ, the true priest-king, who mediates God's favor.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 21

  • Gen 14:22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
  • Heb 7:6–7But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
  • 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 24:1The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
  • Num 6:23–27Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
  • 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.
  • Eph 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
  • Matt 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
  • Luke 10:21In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
  • 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.
  • Ps 115:16The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
  • Eph 1:6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
  • 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?
  • Gen 48:9–16And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.
  • Gen 27:25–29And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.
  • Gen 47:10And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
  • Gen 49:28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.
  • Gen 27:4And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.
  • Gen 47:7And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
  • Ps 50:10For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
  • Mark 10:16And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Genesis videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Genesis 14:19YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on GenesisMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 14:19 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.