For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God), abideth a priest continually.
Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils.
And they indeed of the sons of Levi that receive the priest's office have commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham:
but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises.
But without any dispute the less is blessed of the better.
And here men that die receive tithes; but there one, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
And, so to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receiveth tithes, hath paid tithes;
for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.
Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron?
For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
For he of whom these things are said {Greek: hath partaken of. See chapter 2:14}belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests.
And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest,
who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an {Greek: indissoluble.}endless life:
for it is witnessed of him,
{Psalms 110:4}Thou art a priest for ever
After the order of Melchizedek.
For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness
(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God.
And inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath
(for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath {Or, through}by him that saith {Or, unto}of him,
{Psalms 110:4}The Lord sware and will not repent himself,
Thou art a priest for ever);
by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.
And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing:
but he, because he abideth for ever, {Or, hath a priesthood that doth not pass to another}hath his priesthood {Or, inviolable}unchangeable.
Wherefore also he is able to save {Greek: completely.}to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself.
For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, perfected for evermore.
Querverweise zu Hebräer 7,5 Heb 7,5
And no man taketh the honor unto himself, but when he is called of God, even as was Aaron.
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is Jehovah's: it is holy unto Jehovah.
And if a man will redeem aught of his tithe, he shall add unto it the fifth part thereof.
And all the tithe of the herd or the flock, whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto Jehovah.
He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
for he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchizedek met him.
And bring thou near unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.
Moreover thou shalt speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up a heave-offering of it for Jehovah, a tithe of the tithe.
And your heave-offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the grain of the threshing-floor, and as the fulness of the winepress.
Thus ye also shall offer a heave-offering unto Jehovah of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and thereof ye shall give Jehovah's heave-offering to Aaron the priest.
Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave-offering of Jehovah, of all the {Hebrew: fat.}best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.
Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye heave the {Hebrew: fat.}best thereof from it, then it shall be reckoned unto the Levites as the increase of the threshing-floor, and as the increase of the winepress.
And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting.
And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the {Hebrew: fat.}best thereof: and ye shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, {Or, neither shall ye die}that ye die not.
And God said unto him, I am {Hebrew: El Shaddai.}God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;
and that he hath brought thee near, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee? and seek ye the priesthood also?
Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might {Hebrew: be strong in.}give themselves to the law of Jehovah.
And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first-fruits of grain, new wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.
And the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated unto Jehovah their God, and laid them by heaps.
All the {Or, souls belonging to Jacob that came}souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, that came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six;
Therefore thou and all thy company are gathered together against Jehovah: and Aaron, what is he that ye murmur against him?
And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.
And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: and Joseph was in Egypt already.
And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers' houses.
And thou shalt lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you.
And it shall come to pass, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you.
And Moses spake unto the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
And Moses laid up the rods before Jehovah in the tent of the testimony.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bare ripe almonds.
And Moses brought out all the rods from before Jehovah unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the children of rebellion; that thou mayest make an end of their murmurings against me, that they die not.
nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.
And thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil; and ye shall serve: I give you the priesthood as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
And unto the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting.
And henceforth the children of Israel shall not come nigh the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die.
But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations; and among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
For the tithe of the children of Israel, which they offer as a heave-offering unto Jehovah, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
Moreover thou shalt speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up a heave-offering of it for Jehovah, a tithe of the tithe.