Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, April 29th, 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

Good News Translation

Hebrews 7:10

For Levi had not yet been born, but was, so to speak, in the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him.

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

1 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and a priest of the Most High God. As Abraham was coming back from the battle in which he defeated the four kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him one tenth of all he had taken. (The first meaning of Melchizedek's name is "King of Righteousness"; and because he was king of Salem, his name also means "King of Peace.") 3 There is no record of Melchizedek's father or mother or of any of his ancestors; no record of his birth or of his death. He is like the Son of God; he remains a priest forever. 4 You see, then, how great he was. Abraham, our famous ancestor, gave him one tenth of all he got in the battle. 5 And those descendants of Levi who are priests are commanded by the Law to collect one tenth from the people of Israel, that is, from their own people, even though they are also descendants of Abraham. 6 Melchizedek was not descended from Levi, but he collected one tenth from Abraham and blessed him, the man who received God's promises. 7 There is no doubt that the one who blesses is greater than the one who is blessed. 8 In the case of the priests the tenth is collected by men who die; but as for Melchizedek the tenth was collected by one who lives, as the scripture says. 9 And, so to speak, when Abraham paid the tenth, Levi (whose descendants collect the tenth) also paid it. 10 For Levi had not yet been born, but was, so to speak, in the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him.

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
I am going to send a flood on the earth to destroy every living being. Everything on the earth will die,
Genesis 7:4
Seven days from now I am going to send rain that will fall for forty days and nights, in order to destroy all the living beings that I have made."
Genesis 7:17
The flood continued for forty days, and the water became deep enough for the boat to float.
Genesis 7:20
it went on rising until it was about twenty-five feet above the tops of the mountains.
Job 22:16
Even before their time had come, they were washed away by a flood.
Luke 17:27
Everybody kept on eating and drinking, and men and women married, up to the very day Noah went into the boat and the flood came and killed 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