Hebrews 7:4

Θεωρεῖτε δέ, “Now contemplate spiritually.”

πηλίκος οὗτος. Here begin the seven particulars of the typical superiority of Melchisedek’s Priesthood over that of Aaron. FIRST. Even Abraham gave him tithes.

ᾧ καὶ δεκάτην κ.τ.λ. The καὶ must not be connected with Ἀβραὰμ by trajection (hyperbaton), but emphasises the act of giving or tithe. See Winer, p. 701.

ὁ πατριάρχης. There is great rhetorical force in the order of the original, “to whom even Abraham gave a tithe out of his best spoils—he the patriarch.” Here not only is the ear of the writer gratified by the sonorous conclusion of the sentence with an Ionicus a minore pătrĭârchçs; but a whole argument about the dignity of Abraham is condensed into the position of one emphatic word. The word in the N. T. occurs only here and in Acts 2:29; Acts 7:8-9.

ἐκ τῶν�, “from the spoils.” The word properly means that which is taken from the top of a heap (ἄκρος, θίς); hence some translate it “the best of the spoils,” and Philo describes the tithe given by Abraham in similar terms. But this is to press too much the derivation of the word.