Melchizedek or Melchisedec (both: mĕlkĭzˈədĕk) [key] [Heb., = king of righteousness], in the Bible, king of Salem and "priest of the most high God." He blessed Abraham after the defeat of Chedorlaomer, and Abraham gave him tithes from the enemy's spoils. Later, Melchizedek is regarded as an eternal priest, typifying the priesthood of the future Messiah. In the Dead Sea Scrolls, Melchizedek, as God's eschatological agent, effects the destruction of the angel Belial and the wicked spirits in league with him.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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