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Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
Genesis 14:19 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB He blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth:
  • KJV And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, 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;

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 14:22Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,
  • Heb 7:6–7but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has accepted tithes from Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises.
  • Ruth 3:10He said, “You are blessed by Yahweh, my daughter. You have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, because you didn’t follow young men, whether poor or rich.
  • Ps 24:1A Psalm by David. The earth is Yahweh’s, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein.
  • Num 6:23–27“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is how you shall bless the children of Israel.’ You shall tell them,
  • Acts 16:17Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!”
  • Eph 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ;
  • Matt 11:25At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
  • Luke 10:21In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.”
  • 2 Sam 2:5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by Yahweh, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.
  • Ps 115:16The heavens are the heavens of Yahweh; but the earth has he given to the children of men.
  • Eph 1:6to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved,
  • Mic 6:6How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
  • Gen 48:9–16Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” He said, “Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.”
  • Gen 27:25–29He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s venison, that my soul may bless you.” He brought it near to him, and he ate. He brought him wine, and he drank.
  • Gen 47:10Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.
  • Gen 49:28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them. He blessed everyone according to his blessing.
  • Gen 27:4Make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat, and that my soul may bless you before I die.”
  • Gen 47:7Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and set him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
  • Ps 50:10For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills.
  • Mark 10:16He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on 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.