Genesis 14:18 kjv
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
Genesis 14:18 nkjv
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.
Genesis 14:18 niv
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,
Genesis 14:18 esv
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)
Genesis 14:18 nlt
And Melchizedek, the king of Salem and a priest of God Most High, brought Abram some bread and wine.
Genesis 14 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 14:19 | And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High... | Melchizedek's blessing, El Elyon. |
| Gen 14:20 | ...And he gave him a tenth of everything." | Abram's tithe to Melchizedek, priest's due. |
| Ps 110:4 | The Lord has sworn and will not change: "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." | Prophecy of a permanent priesthood like M's. |
| Heb 5:6 | As He says also in another place, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." | Jesus' high priesthood established by God. |
| Heb 5:10 | Designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. | Divine appointment of Christ's priesthood. |
| Heb 6:20 | where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. | Jesus, our high priest and forerunner. |
| Heb 7:1 | For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God... | Direct reference back to Gen 14:18. |
| Heb 7:2 | He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness... king of peace. | Meaning of Melchizedek (king of righteousness) and Salem (peace). |
| Heb 7:3 | Without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God... | Typological nature of Melchizedek's figure. |
| Heb 7:11 | If perfection were attained through the Levitical priesthood... why was there still need for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek? | Superiority of M's order over Levitical. |
| Heb 7:15-17 | And it is even more clear... for he is designated by an indissoluble life, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." | Christ's eternal, indissoluble priesthood. |
| Heb 7:24 | but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. | Christ's eternal nature guarantees priesthood. |
| Zech 6:12-13 | ...He shall build the temple of the Lord and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest by his throne... | Prophecy of the Priest-King, foreshadowing Christ. |
| Ps 76:2 | In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. | Salem (Jerusalem) as God's chosen city. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | For to us a child is born... and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government... on the throne of David and over his kingdom. | Christ as King of Peace, echoes Melchizedek. |
| Mt 26:26 | Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it... "This is my body." | New Covenant inaugurated with bread, parallels. |
| Mt 26:27-28 | Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant..." | New Covenant inaugurated with wine, parallels. |
| Mk 14:22-24 | And as they were eating, he took bread... This is my body... this is my blood of the covenant... | Synoptic account of Last Supper. |
| Lk 22:19-20 | And he took bread... This is my body... this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. | Last Supper, emphasis on new covenant. |
| 1 Cor 10:16 | The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? | Bread and wine as symbols of Christ's body and blood. |
| 1 Cor 11:23-26 | For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus... took bread... and the cup... | Instruction on Lord's Supper, recalling Jesus' use of bread/wine. |
| Deut 32:8 (LXX) | When the Most High (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן) gave to the nations their inheritance... | Early usage of 'El Elyon' in the Septuagint. |
| Ps 97:9 | For you, O Lord, are Most High over all the earth... | God as 'Most High' and supreme ruler. |
| Ps 78:35 | They remembered that God was their Rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer. | 'Most High' as the God of salvation. |
Genesis 14 verses
Genesis 14 18 Meaning
Genesis 14:18 introduces Melchizedek, a mysterious figure presented as both king of Salem (often identified with Jerusalem) and priest of "God Most High." This verse depicts his act of bringing bread and wine to Abram after his victorious return from battle, followed by a priestly blessing (Gen 14:19-20). The encounter is pivotal, marking a divine encounter between the triumphant patriarch Abram and a king-priest who predates the Mosaic Law and the Levitical priesthood, foreshadowing aspects of Christ's future ministry.
Genesis 14 18 Context
Genesis chapter 14 describes Abram's victorious rescue of his nephew Lot and the spoils from a coalition of Mesopotamian kings who had conquered Sodom and Gomorrah. Upon his return, Abram encounters two kings: the king of Sodom, from whom he explicitly refuses any spoils, demonstrating his faith that God is his provider, and then Melchizedek. The meeting with Melchizedek immediately precedes the covenant reaffirmation between God and Abram in Genesis 15, signifying divine endorsement and provision for Abram before the formal covenant promise. Historically and culturally, the bringing of bread and wine often symbolized hospitality, a meal of alliance or fellowship, and peace. Melchizedek's appearance as a non-Abrahamic priest serving the true "God Most High" (El Elyon) in the Canaanite region highlights God's sovereignty beyond a single people group even at this early stage of biblical history. His dual role as king and priest in the context of Jerusalem (Salem) subtly establishes its sacred significance from very ancient times, long before David captured it.
Genesis 14 18 Word analysis
- And Melchizedek (וּמַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק, u-Malki-Tzedeq): The name means "My King is Righteousness" or "King of Righteousness." This descriptive name already prefigures Christ, who is righteous and the source of righteousness. His sudden, unexplained appearance emphasizes his distinct, unique nature, a theme picked up extensively in Hebrews 7.
- king of Salem (מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם, melek Shalem): "Salem" means "Peace." Therefore, "King of Peace." The identification of Salem with Jerusalem is strong in tradition (Ps 76:2), making Melchizedek a King of Jerusalem and foreshadowing Christ as the Prince of Peace who reigns from Jerusalem. His dual title of Righteousness and Peace points to Christ, who brings both (Rom 5:1, Heb 7:2).
- brought out (הוֹצִיא, hotzi): Implies an intentional act of hospitality, a formal presentation or offering. It's not merely offering sustenance, but signifying a deliberate welcoming gesture, a symbolic action.
- bread and wine (לֶחֶם וָיָיִן, lechem v'yayin): These elements signify sustenance and refreshment. In broader biblical tradition, they are deeply symbolic: bread for life/nourishment and wine for joy/celebration or covenant. Their inclusion here before the Mosaic Law prophetically anticipates the New Covenant sacraments of the Lord's Supper, where Christ uses bread and wine to symbolize His body and blood given for His people (Mt 26:26-29, 1 Cor 11:23-26).
- He was (וְהוּא, v'hu): Emphasizes his existing state, a definite, established role. It immediately identifies his distinct identity and function.
- priest (כֹּהֵן, kohen): A mediator between God and man, who offers sacrifices and performs religious rites. This pre-Levitical priesthood highlights God's universal reach before Israel's specific call. Melchizedek is shown as divinely appointed without any tribal or family lineage requirement.
- of God Most High (לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן, le'El 'Elyon): El Elyon is a powerful divine title meaning "God the Exalted" or "God the Supreme." It indicates a universal, sovereign God, ruling over all creation, even before Yahweh was specifically revealed to Moses. Abram also uses this title in Gen 14:22, aligning his faith with Melchizedek's. This common recognition signifies that the God of Abram is indeed the highest God known to all.
Genesis 14 18 Bonus section
The brevity of Melchizedek's appearance in Genesis adds to his mystique, deliberately constructed to highlight his typological significance, rather than focusing on his earthly biography. His priesthood is independent of the typical requirements known in Israel (like being a descendant of Aaron). This sets a precedent for a direct, God-appointed priesthood, distinct from established earthly lineages, which the New Testament authors use to explain the divine origin and nature of Christ's eternal priesthood. The specific title "God Most High" was known in Canaanite religion, but here it is uniquely identified with the One True God whom Abram worships. This serves as a polemic against local polytheistic worship, asserting that El Elyon is not merely one god among many, but the supreme and only God, thus validating monotheistic worship in a polytheistic environment.
Genesis 14 18 Commentary
Genesis 14:18 is a profoundly significant verse, brief yet pregnant with theological depth. Melchizedek appears suddenly, without prior introduction or subsequent genealogy, amplifying his unique prophetic role. His presentation of bread and wine is a priestly act of hospitality and possibly a pre-Mosaic covenant meal, a prototype of the future eucharistic elements. This emphasizes God's providence and care for Abram after his military effort, offering spiritual and physical refreshment. As "priest of God Most High" (El Elyon), Melchizedek establishes a priesthood not dependent on a specific tribe (like Levi) or a particular national law, indicating a broader, divinely established priestly order. The Epistle to the Hebrews extensively draws upon this verse, presenting Melchizedek as a type of Christ – a king-priest, eternal, without beginning or end in biblical record, whose superior priesthood transcends and replaces the Levitical one. The intersection of kingship and priesthood in one figure uniquely foreshadows Christ, the ultimate King-Priest (Zech 6:12-13).