But he whose descent is not counted from them (ὁ δὲ μὴ γενεαλογούμενος ἐξ αὐτῶν)

Lit. he who is not genealogically derived from them: Melchisedec. The verb N.T.o.

Received tithes of Abraham

Melchisedec, who has no part in the Levitical genealogy, and therefore no legal right to exact tithes, took tithes from the patriarch himself. Hence he was greater than Abraham. The right of the Levitical priest to receive tithes was only a legal right, conferred by special statute, and therefore implied no intrinsic superiority to his brethren; but Melchisedec, though having no legal right, received tithes from Abraham as a voluntary gift, which implied Abraham's recognition of his personal greatness.

And hath blessed him that had the promises

Melchisedec accepted the position accorded to him by Abraham's gift of tithes by bestowing on Abraham his blessing, and Abraham recognized his superiority by accepting his blessing. He who had received the divine promises might have been supposed to be above being blessed by any man. The significance of this acceptance is brought out in the next verse.

Hebrews 7:6 Parallel Commentaries

descent. Gr. pedigree.

Hebrews 7:3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like to the Son of God...

received.

Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

Genesis 14:19,20 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth...

had.

Hebrews 6:13-15 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself...

Hebrews 11:13,17 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them...

Genesis 12:2,13 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing...

Genesis 13:14-17 And the LORD said to Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now your eyes...

Genesis 17:4-8 As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations...

Genesis 22:17,18 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven...

Acts 3:25 You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham...

Romans 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law...

Romans 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God...

Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He said not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to your seed...