MELCHIZEDEK, or MELCHISEDEC, Mel). king of righteous ness). A personage introduced in Gen. xiv. 18. as `king of Salem' and 'priest of the most high God.' This chapter, while probably resting on some obscure reminiscences iu which Babylonian history has been brought into artificial connec tion with tribal quarrels in Eastern Palestine. is regarded by many scholars as a late production in the manner of the post-t•xilie 1M/rash—i.e. a half homiletical and half legendary elaboration of an historical tradition. The narrative states that after Abraham's return from the successful pur suit of Chedorlaomer I q.v.). King of Elam, owl his allies, which lie had undertaken in order to rescue Lot, he was met by „Melchizedek; the let ter offered the patriarch bread and wine and blessed him: whereupon Abraham gave Mel chizedek tithes from the spoil. This Mich•ashie (diameter of the story is made evident by the names, which are symbolical. Salem—pridinbly a disguise for Jerusalem. w hieh, as the Tell el Armarna tablets show. is to be interpmted as Ur-Salim ( 'city of Salim')—signities 'peace' and :Melchizedek means of righteousness.' it therefore, quite natural to find that Melchizedek heeame a favorite personage for further elabora tion, both with .Jews and Christians. In the
1-laggada he is identified with Shem: the refer ence to Melchizedek in Psalm cx. 4 is late and obscure, but points to other conceptions current about this mysterious personage. lit the Epistle to the Hebrews ( vi. 20; vii. 1-21) he is taken as typifying Christ. Various other views arose with regard to \lelchu.dCk. So Jerome records an old notion that the royal priest was an angel. A small sect in the fourth century railed after his name. Melchizedekianss taught that he was a power or inearnaC of God greater even than Christ. Others regarded him as the Iloly Ghost. Epiphanies says that some in his day believed that Melehizeduk was the Son of (toil in Inman form: to this opinion Ambrose seemed inclined. and this view harmonized with a .Jewish belief that he was the Alessi:1h. It is of senile import ance to note. as throwing perhaps s • light on the origin of the tradition, that in his famous code, King Iliauunnrabi (q.v.) of Babylon gives himself the title 'King of Right eousness,' as the lawyer of his people.