The Meaning of Hebrews 7:9 Explained

Hebrews 7:9

KJV: And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

YLT: and so to speak, through Abraham even Levi who is receiving tithes, hath paid tithes,

Darby: and, so to speak, through Abraham, Levi also, who received tithes, has been made to pay tithes.

ASV: And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receiveth tithes, hath paid tithes;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  as  I may so say,  Levi  also,  who  receiveth  tithes,  payed tithes  in  Abraham. 

What does Hebrews 7:9 Mean?

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 7:9

So to say [ως επος ειπειν]
An old idiom, here only in the N.T., common in Philo, used to limit a startling statement, an infinitive for conceived result with ως — hōs Hath paid tithes Perfect passive indicative of δεκατοω — dekatoō “has been tithed.” This could only be true of Levi “so to speak.” [source]
[]
d Levi himself, in the person of Abraham, was tithed by Melchisedec. [source]
As I may say [ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν]
#ERROR! [source]
In Abraham [δι ' Ἀβραὰμ]
Lit. through Abraham. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 7:9

Luke 9:52 To make ready for him [ως ετοιμασαι αυτωι]
ως — Hōs is correct here, not ωστε — hōste The only examples of the final use of ως — hōs with the infinitive in the N.T. are this one and Hebrews 7:9 (absolute use). In Acts 20:24 Westcott and Hort read ως τελειωσω — hōs teleiōsō and put ως τελειωσαι — hōs teleiōsai in the margin (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1091). [source]

What do the individual words in Hebrews 7:9 mean?

And so a word to speak through Abraham also Levi the [one] tithes receiving paid the tithe
καὶ ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν δι’ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Λευὶ δεκάτας λαμβάνων δεδεκάτωται

ὡς  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ὡς 
Sense: as, like, even as, etc.
ἔπος  a  word 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἔπος  
Sense: a word.
εἰπεῖν  to  speak 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
δι’  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
Ἀβραὰμ  Abraham 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ἀβραάμ  
Sense: the son of Terah and the founder of the Jewish nation.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
Λευὶ  Levi 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Λευί  
Sense: the third son of the patriarch Jacob by his wife Leah, the founder of the tribe of Israelites which bears his name.
  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
δεκάτας  tithes 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: δέκατος  
Sense: a tenth part of anything, a tithe.
λαμβάνων  receiving 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
δεδεκάτωται  paid  the  tithe 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δεκατόω  
Sense: to exact or receive the tenth part.

What are the major concepts related to Hebrews 7:9?

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