Hebrews 7 · Verse 6

Hebrews 7:6

But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

Hebrews 7:6, King James Version

Hebrews 7:6 in other translations

BSB	But Melchizedek, who did not trace his descent from Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.
WEB	but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has accepted tithes from Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises.
ASV	but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises.
YLT	and he who was not reckoned by genealogy of them, received tithes from Abraham, and him having the promises he hath blessed,
DARBY	but he who has no genealogy from them has tithed Abraham, and blessed him who had the promises.
BBE	But this man, who was not of their family, took the tenth from Abraham, and gave a blessing to him to whom God had given his undertaking.
Webster	But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes from Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

What does Hebrews 7:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

6. he whose descent is not counted from them--not from "the sons of Levi," as those "who receive the priesthood." This verse explains "without descent" (Greek, "genealogy" in both verses, He 7:3). He who needs not, as the Levitical priests, to be able to trace his genealogy back to Levi. received--Greek, "hath received tithes." blessed--Greek, "hath blessed." The perfect tense implies that the significance of the fact endures to the present time. him that had--"the possessor of the promises," Abraham's peculiar distinction and designation. Paul exalts Abraham in order still more to exalt Melchisedec. When Christ is the subject, the singular "promise" is used. "The promises" in the plural, refer to God's promise of greatness to himself and his seed, and of the possession of Canaan, twice repeated before the blessing of Melchisedec. As the priests, though above the people (He 7:7) whom it was their duty to "bless," were yet subordinate to Abraham; and as Abraham was subordinate to Melchisedec, who blessed him, Melchisedec must be much above the Levitical priests.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 6. But he whose descent is not counted from them. Melchizedek. The word descent is, in the margin, pedigree. The meaning is, that he was not in the same genealogy--μηγενεαλογουμενος--he was not of the order of Levitical priests. That Melchizedek is meant there can be no doubt; at the same time, also, the thought is presented with prominence, on which Paul so much insists, that he was of a different order from the Levitical priesthood.

And blessed him. Blessed him as a priest of God; blessed him in such a manner as to imply acknowledged superiority. See Heb 7:1.

That had the promises. The promise that he should have a numerous posterity; that in him all the nations of the earth should be blessed. See Heb 6:12-16.

(1) "descent" "pedigree" (b) "tithes" Gen 14:20 (c) "the promises" Rom 9:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 Blessed him that had the promises - This is a continuation of the same argument, namely, to show the superiority of Melchisedec; and, in consequence, to prove the superiority of the priesthood of Christ beyond that of Aaron. As in the seed of Abraham all the nations of the earth were to be blessed, Abraham received a sacerdotal blessing from Melchisedec, who was the representative of the Messiah, the promised seed, to show that it was through him, as the high priest of the human race, that this blessing was to be derived on all mankind.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 7:4-10

That High Priest who should afterward appear, of whom Melchizedec was a type, must be much superior to the Levitical priests. Observe Abraham's great dignity and happiness; that he had the promises. That man is rich and happy indeed, who has the promises, both of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This honour have all those who receive the Lord Jesus. Let us go forth in our spiritual conflicts…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 7:4-10 →

Hebrews 7:6 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὁhoThe [one]G3588

δὲdehoweverG1161

μὴmēnotG3361

γενεαλογούμενοςgenealogoumenostracing his ancestryG1075

ἐξexfromG1537

αὐτῶνautōnthemG846

δεδεκάτωκενdedekatōkenhe has collected a tenthG1183

Ἀβραάμ·Abraamfrom Abraham;G11

καὶkaiandG2532

τὸνtonthe [one who]G3588

ἔχονταechontais havingG2192

τὰςtastheG3588

ἐπαγγελίαςepangeliaspromisesG1860

εὐλόγηκεν.eulogēkenHe has blessed.G2127

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Hebrews 7:6

Romans 4:13
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Hebrews 7:3-4
Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Genesis 13:14-17
And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
Genesis 17:4-8
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. …
Hebrews 11:17
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Romans 9:4
Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
Hebrews 6:13-15
For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
Genesis 22:17-18
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Galatians 3:16
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Hebrews 7:1
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Acts 3:25
Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Genesis 12:2
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

descent. Gr. pedigree.
3
received.
4; Ge 14:19,20
had.
6:13-15; 11:13,17; Ge 12:2,13; 13:14-17; 17:4-8; 22:17,18; Ac 3:25
Ro 4:13; 9:4; Ga 3:16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Hebrews 7:5
And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
Hebrews 7:6
But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Hebrews 7:7
And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

Read all of Hebrews 7

Hebrews 7:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Mas aquél cuya genealogía no es contada de ellos, tomó de Abraham los diezmos, y bendijo al que tenía las promesas.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	mais celui qui ne tire pas généalogiquement son origine d’eux, a dîmé Abraham et a béni celui qui avait les promesses.
German Elberfelder 1871	Er aber, der sein Geschlecht nicht von ihnen ableitete, hat den Zehnten von Abraham genommen und den gesegnet, der die Verheißungen hatte.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Cujus autem generatio non annumeratur in eis, decimas sumpsit ab Abraham, et hunc, qui habebat repromissiones, benedixit.