Verse 19
19. He blessed him And to enhance the greatness and grandeur of Melchizedek, the writer of Hebrews (Hebrews 7:7) argues: “Without contradiction the less is blessed of the better . ” This blessing pronounced on Abram rises to a poetic strain:
Blessed be Abram of God most high,
Possessor of heaven and earth .
And blessed be God most high,
Who has delivered thine enemies into thy hand .
The divine names here used are אל עליון , El Elion, God, the Highest; the Supreme God; that is, the one God over all . Note how Abram, in Genesis 14:22, uses the same words but prefixes the name Jehovah .
Possessor The Hebrew word קנה may be rendered maker or founder, (Sept . and Vulg . creator,) as well as possessor . The word ready involves both these meanings .
Hath delivered Here the providential interposition of God in the affairs of man is recognised . Accordingly, in the words of Melchizedek, we find the doctrines, 1) of God’s unity and supremacy; 2) of his dominion of heaven and earth; 3) of the duty of praise and thanksgiving to him; 4) of divine Providence.
He gave him tithes of all That is, Abram gave Melchizedek tithes of all the booty he had taken. Thus early do we find the mention of the tenth, as a suitable portion of things acquired to be devoted to religious purposes.
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