Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, April 30th, 2025
the Second Week after Easter
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Amplified Bible

Hebrews 7:10

for Levi was still in the loins (unborn) of his forefather [Abraham] when Melchizedek met him (Abraham).

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abraham;   Melchizedek;   Priest;   Succession;   Types;   Scofield Reference Index - Law of Moses;   Sacrifice;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Levites, the;   Types of Christ;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Melchizedek;   Priest;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Tithes;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Fulfillment;   Priest, Christ as;   Worship;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Covenant;   Offices of Christ;   Preaching;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Benjamin;   Hebrews, the Epistle to the;   Tithes;   Zechariah, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Hebrews;   Loins;   Sin;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Hebrews, Epistle to;   Melchizedek;   Quotations;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Fall;   Hebrews Epistle to the;   Mediator;   Priest (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Loins;   Melchisedec, Melchizedek ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Paul;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Hebrews, Epistle to the;   Melchizedek;   Priest, High;   Priesthood in the New Testament;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
King James Version (1611)
For hee was yet in the loynes of his Father when Melchisedec met him.
King James Version
For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
English Standard Version
for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
New American Standard Bible
for he was still in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met him.
New Century Version
Levi was not yet born, but he was in the body of his ancestor when Melchizedek met Abraham.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
Legacy Standard Bible
for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
Berean Standard Bible
For when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the loin of his ancestor.
Contemporary English Version
This is because Levi was born later into the family of Abraham, who gave a tenth to Melchizedek.
Complete Jewish Bible
inasmuch as he was still in his ancestor Avraham's body when Malki-Tzedek met him.
Darby Translation
For he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedec met him.
Easy-to-Read Version
Levi was not yet born, but he already existed in his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For hee was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham, when Melchi-sedec met him.
George Lamsa Translation
For he was yet in the loins of his forefather Abraham, when Mel-chis''e-dec met him.
Good News Translation
For Levi had not yet been born, but was, so to speak, in the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him.
Lexham English Bible
For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
Literal Translation
For he was yet in his father's loins when Melchizedek met him.
American Standard Version
for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.
Bible in Basic English
Because he was still in his father's body when Melchizedek came to him.
Hebrew Names Version
for he was yet in the loins of his father when Malki-Tzedek met him.
International Standard Version
for he was still in the body of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
Etheridge Translation
For he was yet in the loins of his father when he met Malki-Zedek.
Murdock Translation
For he was yet in the loins of his father, when he met Melchisedec.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For he was yet in the loynes of his father, when Melchisedech met Abraham.
English Revised Version
for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.
World English Bible
for he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedek met him.
Weymouth's New Testament
for Levi was yet in the loins of his forefather when Melchizedek met Abraham.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
whanne Melchisedech mette with hym.
Update Bible Version
for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.
Webster's Bible Translation
For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
New English Translation
For he was still in his ancestor Abraham's loins when Melchizedek met him.
New King James Version
for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
New Living Translation
For although Levi wasn't born yet, the seed from which he came was in Abraham's body when Melchizedek collected the tithe from him.
New Life Bible
Levi was not yet born. He was still inside Abraham's body when Abraham paid Melchizedek.
New Revised Standard
for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, even then, was he, in the loins of his father, when, Melchizedek, met him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
For he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedech met him.
Revised Standard Version
for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchiz'edek met him.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For he was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham when Melchisech met him.
Young's Literal Translation
for he was yet in the loins of the father when Melchisedek met him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for he was yet in the loynes of his father Abraham, whan Melchisedech met him.
Mace New Testament (1729)
for he was even then in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Even though Levi hadn't been born yet, he was inside Abraham when he paid the tithe to Mel.

Contextual Overview

1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of all [the spoil]. He is, first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, which means king of peace. 3Without [any record of] father or mother, nor ancestral line, without [any record of] beginning of days (birth) nor ending of life (death), but having been made like the Son of God, he remains a priest without interruption and without successor. 4Now pause and consider how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the spoils. 5It is true that those descendants of Levi who are charged with the priestly office are commanded in the Law to collect tithes from the people—which means, from their kinsmen—though these have descended from Abraham. 6But this person [Melchizedek] who is not from their Levitical ancestry received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who possessed the promises [of God]. 7Yet it is beyond all dispute that the lesser person is always blessed by the greater one. 8Furthermore, here [in the Levitical priesthood] tithes are received by men who are subject to death; but in that case [concerning Melchizedek], they are received by one of whom it is testified that he lives on [perpetually]. 9A person might even say that Levi [the father of the priestly tribe] himself, who received tithes, paid tithes through Abraham [the father of all Israel and of all who believe], 10for Levi was still in the loins (unborn) of his forefather [Abraham] when Melchizedek met him (Abraham).

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Hebrews 7:5, Genesis 35:11, Genesis 46:26, 1 Kings 8:19

Reciprocal: Genesis 14:18 - the priest

Cross-References

Genesis 6:17
"For behold, I, even I, will bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy all life under the heavens in which there is the breath and spirit of life; everything that is on the land shall die.
Genesis 7:4
"For in seven days I am going to cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights; and I will destroy (blot out, wipe away) every living thing that I have made from the surface of the earth."
Genesis 7:17
The flood [the great downpour of rain] was forty days and nights on the earth; and the waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it floated [high] above the land.
Genesis 7:20
[In fact] the waters became fifteen cubits higher [than the highest ground], and the mountains were covered.
Job 22:16
Men who were snatched away before their time, Whose foundations were poured out like a river?
Luke 17:27
the people were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, [they were indifferent to God] until the day that Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For he was yet in the loins of his father,.... Abraham; namely, Levi and his whole posterity; which is to be understood seminally, just as all mankind were in the loins of Adam, when he sinned and fell, and so they sinned and fell in him; and so Levi was in Abraham's loins,

when Melchisedec met him; which, as it proves Melchizedek to be greater than Levi, and much more Jesus Christ, who is a priest of his order, which is the grand thing the apostle has in view; so it serves to illustrate several points of doctrine, in which either of the public heads, Adam and Christ, are concerned, with respect to their seed and offspring; such as personal election in Christ, an eternal donation of all blessings of grace to the elect in him, eternal justification in him, the doctrine of original sin, and the saints' crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and session in Christ, and together with him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For he was yet in the loins of his father - Abraham is here called the father of Levi, by a common use of the word, referring to a more remote ancestor than the literal father. The meaning of the apostle is, that he was even then, in a certain sense, in the loins of Abraham, when Melchizedek met him; or it was all the same as if he were there, and had then an existence. The relation which subsisted between him and Abraham, in the circumstances of the case, implied the same thing as if he had then been born, and had acted for himself by paying tithes. Instances of this occur constantly. A father sells a farm, to which his son would he heir, and it is the same as if the son had sold it. He has no more control over it than if he had been present and disposed of it himself. A father acknowledges fealty to a government for a certain title or property which is to descend to his heirs, and it is all one as if the heir had himself done it; and it is not improper to say that it is the same as if he had been there and acted for himself.

For some valuable remarks on the nature of the reasoning here employed, see Stuart on the Hebrews; Excursus xiv. The reasoning here is, indeed, especially such as would be suited to impress a Jewish mind, and perhaps more forcibly than it does ours. The Jews valued themselves on the dignity and honor of the Levitical priesthood, and it was important to show them on their own principles, and according to their own sacred writings, that the great ancestor of all the Levitical community had himself acknowledged his inferiority to one who was declared also in their own writings Psalms 110:1-7 to be like the Messiah, or who was of the same “order.” At the same time, the reasoning concedes nothing false; and conveys no wrong impression. It is not mere fancy or accommodation, nor is it framed on allegory or cabalistic principles. It is founded in truth, and such as might be used anywhere, where regard was shown to pedigree, or respect was claimed on account of the illustrious deeds of an ancestor. It would be regarded as sound reasoning in a country like England, where titles and ranks are recognized, and where various orders of nobility exist. The fact that a remote ancestor had done homage or fealty to the ancestor of another class of titled birth, would be regarded as proof of acknowledged inferiority in the family, and might be used with force and propriety in an argument. Paul has done no more than this.

(Several excellent and evangelical commentators explain the passage on the principle of representations, the admission of which relieves it from many difficulties. If we allow that Abraham was the representative of his seed, and of the sons of Levi among the number, then they unquestionably may be said to have paid tithes in him, in a most obvious and intelligible sense. That Abraham is to be here regarded, as not only the natural but covenant head of Israel, is argued from what is said in Psalms 110:6, of his having “had the promises,” which promises manifestly did not belong to him alone, but to him and to his seed, Genesis 17:4-9. The land of Canaan never was actually given to Abraham. He obtained the promise or grant of it, as the representative of his posterity, who came to its enjoyment when four hundred years had expired. By those who adopt this view, the passage is supposed to contain an illustration of the manner in which Adam and Christ represent those who respectively belong to them.

And here let it be noticed, that the objection against Abraham’s representative character, grounded by our author on the fact, “that there had been no appointment of Abraham to act in that capacity by Levi,” might with equal force be urged against the representation of Adam and Christ, which the reader will find established in the supplementary notes on Romans 5:0. As to the force of the argument, on this principle, there can be no doubt. If the representative, the covenant, as well as the natural head, of the sons of Levi, paid tithes and acknowledged inferiority to Melchizedek, their inferiority follows as a matter of course. They are supposed to be comprehended in their head. “This,” says Mr. Scott, “incontestibly proved the inferiority of the Levitical priesthood to that of the Messiah, nay, its absolute dependence on him, and subserviency to him;” and, we may add, is sound reasoning alike in every country, in Palestine and in ours, in England or America. On the whole we cannot but think that whatever difficulties some may have in admitting the principle of representation here, far greater difficulties lie on the other side.

Even Prof. Stuart, in his celebrated 14th Excursus, (which for ingenuity deserves, perhaps, all the praise awarded by Bloomfield, Barnes, and others,) resolves the apostle’s reasoning into a mere “argumentum a.d. hominem,” although, in the passage, there is no evidence of any such thing. He has indeed instanced two cases of “argumentum a.d. hominem,” or rather two passages, in both of which the same example occurs Matthew 12:27; Luke 11:19. But if the reader consult these passages, he will find that mistake is impossible. The plainest indication is given, that the argument proceeds on the principle of all adversary. It would require no small ingenuity, however, to press this passage into the same rank with those now quoted. It clearly belongs to a different class, and the apostle proceeds with his argument, without the slightest indication that it was grounded rather on what was admitted, than on what was strictly true.)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Hebrews 7:10. For he was yet in the loins of his father — That is, Levi was seminally included in Abraham, his forefather.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile