Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options
Close NET

Hebrews 7:4-10
New English Translation

4 But see how great he must be, if[a] Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe[b] of his plunder. 5 And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office[c] have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen,[d] although they too are descendants of Abraham.[e] 6 But Melchizedek[f] who does not share their ancestry[g] collected a tithe[h] from Abraham and blessed[i] the one who possessed the promise. 7 Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, 8 and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. 9 And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. 10 For he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins[j] when Melchizedek met him.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 7:4 tn Grk “to whom.”
  2. Hebrews 7:4 tn Or “a tenth part.”
  3. Hebrews 7:5 tn Or “the priesthood.”
  4. Hebrews 7:5 tn Grk “from their brothers.” See BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.
  5. Hebrews 7:5 tn Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”
  6. Hebrews 7:6 tn Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.
  7. Hebrews 7:6 tn Grk “is not descended from them.”
  8. Hebrews 7:6 tn Or “a tenth part.”
  9. Hebrews 7:6 sn The verbs “collected…and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.
  10. Hebrews 7:10 tn Grk “in the loins of his father” (a reference to Abraham). The name “Abraham” has been repeated in the translation at this point (cf. v. 9) in order to clarify the referent (i.e., what ancestor was in view).sn The point of the phrase still in his ancestor’s loins is that Levi was as yet unborn, still in his ancestor Abraham’s body. Thus Levi participated in Abraham’s action when Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek.
Listen to Hebrews 7:4-10
Close LEB

Hebrews 7:4-10
Lexham English Bible

4 But see how great this man was, to whom Abraham[a] the patriarch gave a tenth from the spoils! 5 And indeed those of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have a commandment to collect a tenth from the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, although they are descended from Abraham[b]. 6 But the one who did not trace his descent from them collected tithes from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7 Now without any dispute the inferior is blessed by the more prominent. 8 And in this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case it is testified that he lives. 9 And, so to speak[c], even Levi, the one who receives tithes, has paid tithes through Abraham. 10 For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 7:4 Some manuscripts have “even Abraham”
  2. Hebrews 7:5 Literally “coming forth from the loins of Abraham”
  3. Hebrews 7:9 Literally “as if to say a word”
Next
Hebrews 6
Hebrews 8
Next
dropdown
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Lexham English Bible (LEB)

2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software