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What Does El Elyon Mean?
El Elyon is God Most High, first in Genesis 14:18 where Melchizedek is priest of the most high God. Every King James verse that calls God the most High, with the Hebrew and Strong’s numbers.
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El Elyon (Hebrew אֵל עֶלְיוֹן) means God Most High. It first appears in Genesis 14:18Genesis 14:18 · King James VersionAnd Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
Genesis 14:18 · King James VersionOpen source, where Melchizedek, king of Salem, “was the priest of the most high God” and blesses Abram. Elyon alone, “the most High,” runs through the Psalms, and its Aramaic counterpart is the Most High of Daniel 4 and 7.
Key Points
- El is Strong’s H410. Elyon is Strong’s H5945, “an elevation… lofty… Supreme.” The Aramaic word in Daniel is H5943 (illay) and the related H5946. (1)
- Abram swears by “the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth” in Genesis 14:22Genesis 14:22 · King James Version
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
Genesis 14:22 · King James VersionOpen source, joining the divine name to El Elyon. - Psalm 91:1Psalms 91:1 · King James Version
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalms 91:1 · King James VersionOpen source puts two names side by side: “the secret place of the most High… the shadow of the Almighty.” - Daniel 4:17Daniel 4:17 · King James Version
This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
Daniel 4:17 · King James VersionOpen source says “the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men.” - In the New Testament the Greek is hypsistos: Jesus is “the Son of the Highest” in Luke 1:32Luke 1:32 · King James Version
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
Luke 1:32 · King James VersionOpen source, and Hebrews 7:1Hebrews 7:1 · King James VersionFor this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Hebrews 7:1 · King James VersionOpen source quotes Genesis 14. - Elyon also means “high” or “upper” of things, such as the upper pool; the full table keeps only the verses where it is a title of God.
El Elyon in the Hebrew Bible
| Hebrew | |
|---|---|
| Strong’s Number | H410, H5945 |
| Strong’s Definition | el: strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity) elyon: an elevation, i.e. (adj.) lofty (compar.); as title, the Supreme |
| Meaning | God Most High. Melchizedek is “the priest of the most high God” in Genesis 14:18. |
| King James Version | the most high God, and the most High when Elyon stands alone |
| Verses in the Hebrew Text | el (H410): 235 elyon (H5945): 53 |
| First Occurrence | el: Genesis 14:18 elyon: Genesis 14:18 |
| Reference | King James Version |
|---|---|
| Genesis 14:18 | And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. |
| Genesis 14:19 | And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: |
| Genesis 14:20 | And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. |
| Genesis 14:22 | And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, |
| Deuteronomy 32:8 | When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. |
| Psalm 7:17 | I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high. |
| Psalm 78:35 | And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. |
| Psalm 91:1 | He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. |
| Daniel 4:17 | This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. |
| Luke 1:32 | He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: |
| Luke 1:35 | And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. |
| Hebrews 7:1 | For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; |
| Reference | King James Version |
|---|---|
| Genesis 14:18 | And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. |
| Genesis 14:19 | And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: |
| Genesis 14:20 | And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. |
| Genesis 14:22 | And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, |
| Numbers 24:16 | He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: |
| 2 Samuel 22:14 | The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. |
| Psalm 7:17 | I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high. |
| Psalm 9:2 | I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. |
| Psalm 18:13 | The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. |
| Psalm 21:7 | For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved. |
| Psalm 46:4 | There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. |
| Psalm 47:2 | For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. |
| Psalm 50:14 | Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: |
| Psalm 57:2 | I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. |
| Psalm 73:11 | And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? |
| Psalm 77:10 | And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. |
| Psalm 78:17 | And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. |
| Psalm 78:56 | Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: |
| Psalm 82:6 | I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. |
| Psalm 83:18 | That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. |
| Psalm 87:5 | And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. |
| Psalm 91:1 | He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. |
| Psalm 91:9 | Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; |
| Psalm 107:11 | Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: |
| Isaiah 14:14 | I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. |
| Lamentations 3:35 | To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High, |
| Lamentations 3:38 | Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good? |
| Ezekiel 41:7 | And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward, and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst. |
| Daniel 3:26 | Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. |
| Daniel 4:17 | This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. |
| Daniel 4:24 | This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: |
| Daniel 4:25 | That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. |
| Daniel 4:32 | And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. |
| Daniel 4:34 | And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: |
| Daniel 5:18 | O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: |
| Daniel 5:21 | And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. |
| Daniel 7:25 | And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who First Uses the Name El Elyon?
Melchizedek, in Genesis 14:19Genesis 14:19 · King James VersionAnd he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
Genesis 14:19 · King James VersionOpen source: “Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth.”
Keep Reading
References
- James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary (1890. Public domain. The Strong’s numbers and definitions on this site’s Hebrew word pages.)
- Book of Genesis, 14:18–22Genesis 14:18–22 · King James Version14:18
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
14:19And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
14:20And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
14:21And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
14:22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
Genesis 14:18–22 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version - Book of Psalms, 91:1Psalms 91:1 · King James Version
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalms 91:1 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version - Book of Daniel, 4:17Daniel 4:17 · King James Version
This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
Daniel 4:17 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version - Letter to the Hebrews, 7:1Hebrews 7:1 · King James Version
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Hebrews 7:1 · King James VersionOpen source. King James Version
See Also
- The Jehovah Compound Names — Jehovah-jireh, Jehovah-nissi, Jehovah-shalom, Jehovah-tsidkenu, Jehovah-shammah, and the other names that join the divine name to a word, with the Hebrew, Strong’s numbers, and every King James verse.
- The Names of God in Hebrew — Elohim, El, Eloah, El Shaddai, El Elyon, El Olam, El Roi, Adonai, YHWH, Yah, the LORD of hosts, and the Jehovah compound names, with the Hebrew, Strong’s numbers, meanings, first occurrences, and King James verses.
- What Does Adonai Mean? — Adonai is the Hebrew title Lord, used of God alone. Every King James verse with Adonai, how Lord GOD is printed, and why Psalm 110:1 has a different word.
- What Does El Shaddai Mean? — El Shaddai is God Almighty, the name God gives Abram in Genesis 17:1. Every King James verse with Shaddai, its Hebrew, its Strong’s number, and where the New Testament uses Almighty.
- What Does Elohim Mean? — Elohim is the ordinary Hebrew word for God, first in Genesis 1:1. It is plural in form, takes a singular verb for the God of Israel, and also means false gods, angels, or judges.
External Links
- Francis Brown, S. R. Driver, and Charles A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament — The standard public-domain Hebrew lexicon (1906).