The Meaning of Hebrews 7:4 Explained

Hebrews 7:4

KJV: Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

YLT: And see how great this one is, to whom also a tenth Abraham the patriarch did give out of the best of the spoils,

Darby: Now consider how great this personage was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth out of the spoils.

ASV: Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now  consider  {5720} how great  this man  [was], unto whom  even  the patriarch  Abraham  gave  the tenth  of  the spoils. 

What does Hebrews 7:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The writer"s purpose was to show how great Melchizedek was compared to the venerated patriarch Abraham.

Context Summary

Hebrews 7:1-10 - A Priesthood Superior To Aaron' S
Melchizedek was probably a literal king and priest in Salem. The blue smoke of his sacrifices rose morning and evening on the hill. Amid the turbulent lawlessness of those wild days, his realm was peace. Like him, Jesus meets us when flushed with success or wearied with some great effort, and therefore peculiarly liable to temptation. Notice the order! It is invariable! First righteousness, then peace, Zechariah 9:9.
The silences of Scripture are significant. In the case of this ancient priesthood no mention is made of parenthood. This was a matter of comparative indifference. So with our Lord. It is true that He did not come of the priestly family of Aaron, but this is quite unimportant. The one thing for us to notice is that Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, thus confessing him to be the greater. Levi was, so to speak, included in his grandfather's act, so that the Hebrew priesthood, which sprang from Levi, was confessedly inferior to Melchizedek's. If, then, Melchizedek is a type of Christ, we are taught that Christ's priesthood is evidently and eternally superior to all other priesthoods whatsoever. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hebrews 7

1  Christ Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek;
11  and so far more excellent than the priests of Aaron's order

Greek Commentary for Hebrews 7:4

How great [πηλικος]
Geometrical magnitude in contrast to arithmetical Out of the chief spoils Old word from ακρος — akros top, and τις — this a heap (the top of the pile). Patriarch lxx word (πατρια — patria tribe, αρχω — archō to rule) transferred to N.T. (Acts 2:29). [source]
[]
d The superiority of the Melchisedec priesthood to the Levitical. [source]
Consider [θεωρεῖτε]
Only here in Hebrews and oP. Except this passage, confined to the Synoptic Gospels, Acts, and Johannine writings. See on Luke 10:18; see on John 1:18. [source]
How great [πηλίκος]
Only here and Galatians 6:11. [source]
The patriarch [ὁ πατριάρχης]
Only here and in Acts. [source]
The tenth [δεκάτην]
Properly an adjective, but used as a noun for tithe. Only in Hebrews, as is the kindred verb δεκατοῦν toimpose or take tithes. Ἀποδεκατοῖν toexact tithes, Hebrews 7:5. Comp. Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42. [source]
Of the spoils [ἐκ τῶν ἀκροθινίων]
The noun N.T.ofrom ἅρκον topmostpoint, and θίς aheap. The top of the pile: the “pick” of the spoil. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 7:4

Acts 2:29 Freely [μετα παρρησιας]
Telling it all It is a new start for Simon Peter, full of boldness and courage. The patriarch (πατρια — tou patriarchou). Transliteration of the word, from αρχω — patria family, and εταπη — archō to rule, the founder of a family. Late word in lxx. Used of Abraham (Hebrews 7:4), of the twelve sons of Jacob as founders of the several tribes (Acts 7:8), and here of David as head of the family from whom the Messiah comes. Was buried Second aorist passive indicative of thaptō His tomb was on Matthew. Zion where most of the kings were buried. The tomb was said to have fallen into ruins in the time of the Emperor Hadrian. Josephus (Ant. XVI. 7, 1) attributes most of the misfortunes of Herod‘s family to the fact that he tried to rifle the tomb of David. [source]
Acts 2:29 The patriarch [πατρια]
Transliteration of the word, from αρχω — patria family, and εταπη — archō to rule, the founder of a family. Late word in lxx. Used of Abraham (Hebrews 7:4), of the twelve sons of Jacob as founders of the several tribes (Acts 7:8), and here of David as head of the family from whom the Messiah comes. [source]
Hebrews 7:5 To take tithes [ἀποδεκατοῖν]
See on Hebrews 7:4. [source]

What do the individual words in Hebrews 7:4 mean?

Consider now how great this one [was] to whom even a tenth Abraham gave out of the best spoils the patriarch
Θεωρεῖτε δὲ πηλίκος οὗτος [καὶ] δεκάτην Ἀβραὰμ ἔδωκεν ἐκ τῶν ἀκροθινίων πατριάρχης

Θεωρεῖτε  Consider 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: θεωρέω  
Sense: to be a spectator, look at, behold.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
πηλίκος  how  great 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: πηλίκος  
Sense: how great, how large.
οὗτος  this  one  [was] 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
  to  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
[καὶ]  even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
δεκάτην  a  tenth 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: δέκατος  
Sense: a tenth part of anything, a tithe.
Ἀβραὰμ  Abraham 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἀβραάμ  
Sense: the son of Terah and the founder of the Jewish nation.
ἔδωκεν  gave 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
ἐκ  out  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐκ 
Sense: out of, from, by, away from.
ἀκροθινίων  best  spoils 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: ἀκροθίνιον  
Sense: top of the heap, the first fruits.
πατριάρχης  patriarch 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: πατριάρχης  
Sense: patriarch, founder of a tribe, progenitor.