For when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the loin of his ancestor.
Parallel translations
- WEB for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him.
- KJV For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
- NKJV for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
- NASB for he was still in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met him.
- NLT For although Levi wasn’t born yet, the seed from which he came was in Abraham’s body when Melchizedek collected the tithe from him.
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
Levi was still 'in the body' of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him. As an unborn descendant, Levi was included in Abraham's act of tithing.
Overview
The writer explains how Levi tithed through Abraham: he was yet unborn, present in his forefather's loins. This solidarity of descendant with ancestor was a familiar mode of biblical reasoning. The point stands that the Levitical priesthood, through Abraham, acknowledged the greater priesthood of Melchizedek, which Christ fulfills.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Gen 35:11And God told him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you.
- Gen 46:26All those belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt—his direct descendants, besides the wives of Jacob’s sons—numbered sixty-six persons.
- Heb 7:5Now the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—though they too are descended from Abraham.
- 1 Kgs 8:19Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 7:10 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 Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.