עֶלְיוֹן

Genesis 14:18 עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ Most High

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine—since he was priest of God Most High—

Here: 'Uppermost, highest'. Used as a title, it names the god who stands over all others. 'El Elyon' together is a fixed title. Verse 19 adds 'maker/possessor of heaven and earth', and in verse 22 Abram identifies this God with YHWH.

Genesis 14:19 עֶלְי֔וֹן Most High

and he blessed Abram and said: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

Here: An adjective meaning 'upper, highest', used here as a title. Together, 'El Elyon' names the supreme God who stands above every other power. It is the same title Melchizedek's priesthood serves in v. 18.

Genesis 14:20 עֶלְי֔וֹן Most High

and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything.

Here: From the root for "go up": the one at the top. Together with El it makes the title "El Elyon", God Most High, the deity who rules above all others. Verse 19 calls this God "maker/owner of heaven and earth".

Genesis 14:22 עֶלְי֔וֹן Most High

But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,

Here: "Highest, uppermost", from the root for going up. As a divine title it presents God as supreme over every other power. Abram repeats Melchizedek's exact title from vv.18–20.

Genesis 40:17 הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן <the> upper

In the top basket were all sorts of baked goods for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them out of the basket on my head.”

Numbers 24:16 עֶלְי֑וֹן [the] Most High

the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:

Deuteronomy 26:19 עֶלְי֗וֹן most high

that He will set you high in praise and name and honor above all the nations He has made, and that you will be a holy people to the LORD your God, as He has promised.

Here: "High" or "uppermost". Here it describes Israel's rank among the nations, not God. It is the same word that elsewhere serves as the divine title "Most High", so a hearer would feel the honour of the word, but the sense here is plain rank: top, not bottom (compare Deut 28:13, "the head and not the tail").

Deuteronomy 28:1 עֶלְי֔וֹן most high

“Now if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commandments I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.

Here: "Uppermost, highest": Israel set in the top position. It is the same word used elsewhere as a title of God, "the Most High" (e.g. Deut 32:8). Here it describes Israel's rank and honor among the peoples.

Deuteronomy 32:8 עֶלְיוֹן֙ [the] Most High

When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He divided the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.

Here: A divine title meaning "the Highest One", the supreme God at the top of the heavenly order. In this scene he hands out territories to all the nations.

Joshua 16:5 עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ upper

This was the territory of the descendants of Ephraim by their clans: The border of their inheritance went from Ataroth-addar in the east to Upper Beth-horon

2 Samuel 22:14 וְעֶלְי֖וֹן and [the] Most High

The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.

1 Kings 9:8 עֶלְי֔וֹן most high

And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and will hiss and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’

Here: 'High' or 'exalted'. It describes how imposing the temple is. This is the hardest word in the verse: 'will be high' sits oddly in a curse, so many scholars think it is a copying change from 'heaps of ruins' (see textual notes). It has nothing to do here with the divine title 'Most High'.

2 Kings 15:35 הָעֶלְיֽוֹן׃ <the> upper

Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD.

2 Kings 18:17 הָֽעֶלְיוֹנָ֔ה <the> upper

Nevertheless, the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh, along with a great army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They advanced up to Jerusalem and stationed themselves by the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field.

Here: 'The upper one': higher in elevation or further upstream, as against a lower pool (compare the 'lower pool' of Isaiah 22:9). Its exact location is debated.

1 Chronicles 7:24 הָעֶלְי֑וֹן <the> upper

His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth-horon, as well as Uzzen-sheerah.

2 Chronicles 7:21 עֶלְי֔וֹן most high

And when this temple has become a heap of rubble, all who pass by it will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’

2 Chronicles 8:5 הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן <the> upper

He rebuilt Upper and Lower Beth-horon as fortified cities with walls, gates, and bars,

Here: 'The upper (one)'. This is the higher village, near the top of the ridge, at modern Beit ʿUr al-Fauqa. The adjective is the same word used elsewhere as the divine title 'Most High', but here it only gives the town's position.

2 Chronicles 23:20 הָֽעֶלְי֖וֹן <the> upper

And he took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD and entered the royal palace through the Upper Gate. They seated King Joash on the royal throne,

2 Chronicles 27:3 הָעֶלְי֑וֹן <the> upper

Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD, and he worked extensively on the wall at the hill of Ophel.

2 Chronicles 32:30 הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן <the> upper

It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Spring of Gihon and channeled it down to the west side of the City of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did.

Nehemiah 3:25 הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן <the> upper

and Palal son of Uzai made repairs opposite the angle and the tower that juts out from the upper palace of the king near the courtyard of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh

Psalm 7:17 עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ [the] Most High

I will thank the LORD for His righteousness and sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Here: "Most High." This ancient title presents God as the highest authority over all peoples and powers, the supreme judge. It fits a psalm that has just called on him to judge the nations (vv. 6–8).

Psalm 9:2 עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ O Most High

I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Here: An ancient title for God as the supreme being above every other power. It is usually read as direct address, 'O Most High'. It closes the first stanza of the poem and leads into the picture of God enthroned as judge of the nations (vv. 4–8).

Psalm 18:13 וְ֭עֶלְיוֹן and [the] Most High

The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded—hailstones and coals of fire.

Here: “And the Most High.” This title names God as highest over every heavenly power. It stands in parallel with “Yahweh” in the first half of the line, so both halves speak of the same God.

Psalm 21:7 עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן [the] Most High

For the king trusts in the LORD; through the loving devotion of the Most High, he will not be shaken.

Here: An ancient title for God as supreme over all gods, nations and kings. The king of little Judah is held up by the loyalty of the one who rules over every other king.

Psalm 46:4 עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ [the] Most High

There is a river whose streams delight the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

Here: A title of God as supreme over all gods and nations. In Genesis 14:18–22 it is tied to Salem (Jerusalem): Melchizedek is priest of "God Most High." So the title naturally belongs to the city's God.

Psalm 47:2 עֶלְי֣וֹן [the] Most High

How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!

Here: An old title meaning the supreme God, the one at the top of the heavenly order. It is placed beside the name Yahweh, so it most likely means "Yahweh, the Most High." It may also be read as a statement: "Yahweh is most high."

Psalm 50:14 לְעֶלְי֣וֹן to [the] Most High

Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.

Here: "To the Most High." This is an ancient title for God as supreme ruler over everything (compare Genesis 14:18–22). It fits a psalm that has just said every animal in the world already belongs to him (vv. 10–12).

Psalm 57:2 עֶלְי֑וֹן Most High

I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.

Here: An old royal title for God as the one above every other power in heaven and on earth. A man hiding in a cave calls on the highest authority there is.

Psalm 73:11 בְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃ with [the] Most High

The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”

Here: An old title meaning "the High One," with a preposition meaning "in" or "with." The title sharpens the taunt: can the one so far above us know what goes on down here?

Psalm 77:10 עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ [the] Most High

So I said, “I am grieved that the right hand of the Most High has changed.”

Here: An old title for God as supreme over all powers and nations (Genesis 14:18–22; Psalm 78:35, 56). It sharpens the problem: if the highest power of all has changed course, no one is left to appeal to.

Psalm 78:17 עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן [the] Most High

But they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High.

Psalm 78:35 עֶ֝לְיוֹן Most High

And they remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.

Here: "Most High": the God above every other power. Psalm 78 uses this title three times (vv. 17, 35, 56), and each time it appears in the middle of Israel's rebellion. The highest God is the one they keep provoking.

Psalm 78:56 עֶלְי֑וֹן Most High

But they tested and disobeyed God Most High, for they did not keep His decrees.

Here: 'Most High.' The title of the supreme God over all nations and heavens. Pairing it with the verbs makes the point sharper: a small people put the highest power there is on trial.

Psalm 82:6 עֶלְי֣וֹן [the] Most High

I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’

Here: An ancient title for the supreme God, the one who rules over all other heavenly powers (compare Gen 14:18–22; Deut 32:8). It marks the addressees as subordinates who derive their rank from him.

Psalm 83:18 עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן [the] Most High

May they know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are Most High over all the earth.

Here: "Most High" or "Uppermost," an ancient title for the supreme God over the nations and their gods. Here it is applied to YHWH alone.

Psalm 87:5 עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ [the] Most High

And it will be said of Zion: “This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High Himself will establish her.”

Here: An ancient title for God as supreme over all gods and nations. It is placed last in the verse for emphasis. It fits here: only the God who rules all peoples can enroll all peoples as citizens of His city.

Psalm 89:27 עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן most high

I will indeed appoint him as My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.

Here: 'Highest, supreme.' Elsewhere this word is often God's own title, 'the Most High'. Here it describes the king's rank among earthly rulers, and it repeats Deuteronomy's promise to set Israel 'high above all nations'.

Psalm 91:1 עֶלְי֑וֹן [the] Most High

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

Here: An ancient title for God as supreme over every other power, heavenly or earthly. It fits a psalm about threats that come at night and from unseen forces.

Psalm 91:9 עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן [the] Most High

Because you have made the LORD your dwelling—my refuge, the Most High—

Here: A title for God as supreme over every other power. It is placed first in its half of the verse for emphasis ("the Most High, him you have made…") and echoes v. 1, "the shelter of the Most High".

Psalm 92:1 עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ O Most High

A Psalm. A song for the Sabbath day. It is good to praise the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High,

Here: Spoken to God directly: 'O Most High.' It is an old royal title for the God who rules over every power, in heaven and on earth. It prepares for verse 8: 'But You, O LORD, are on high forever.'

Psalm 97:9 עֶלְי֥וֹן [are] most high

For You, O LORD, are Most High over all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.

Here: This can be read as an adjective ("high/highest") or as the old divine title "Most High" (Elyon). Either way it puts YHWH at the top of the whole order of the world.

Psalm 107:11 עֶלְי֣וֹן [the] Most High

because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.

Here: Literally 'the uppermost, the highest.' A title for God as supreme over every power. Placing it here makes the offence worse: the advice they threw away came from the highest authority there is.

Isaiah 7:3 הָעֶלְיוֹנָ֔ה <the> upper

Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that feeds the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field,

Isaiah 14:14 לְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃ <to> [the] Most High

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

Isaiah 36:2 הָעֶלְיוֹנָ֔ה <the> upper

And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh, with a great army, from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And he stopped by the aqueduct of the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field.

Here: "The upper." It sets this reservoir apart from others, such as the "lower pool" of Isaiah 22:9. It probably refers to its higher position in the water system.

Jeremiah 20:2 הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן <the> upper

he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD.

Here: 'Upper' or 'higher'. It probably separates this temple gate, set on the higher ground of the temple mount, from the city's Benjamin Gate (37:13; 38:7). It may be the 'upper gate of the house of the LORD' that Jotham built (2 Kings 15:35).

Jeremiah 36:10 הָעֶלְי֗וֹן <the> upper

From the chamber of Gemariah son of Shaphan the scribe, which was in the upper courtyard at the opening of the New Gate of the house of the LORD, Baruch read from the scroll the words of Jeremiah in the hearing of all the people.

Lamentations 3:35 עֶלְיֽוֹן׃ [the] Most High

to deny a man justice before the Most High,

Lamentations 3:38 עֶלְיוֹן֙ [the] Most High

Do not both adversity and good come from the mouth of the Most High?

Here: An ancient title for God that stresses his place above every other power, heavenly or earthly. Lamentations uses it only here and in v. 35. Using it here places the decree above Babylon's armies and Babylon's gods.

Ezekiel 9:2 הָעֶלְי֜וֹן <the> upper

And I saw six men coming from the direction of the Upper Gate, which faces north, each with a weapon of slaughter in his hand. With them was another man clothed in linen who had a writing kit at his side. And they came in and stood beside the bronze altar.

Ezekiel 41:7 הָעֶלְיוֹנָ֖ה the upper [story]

The side rooms surrounding the temple widened at each successive level, because the structure surrounding the temple ascended by stages corresponding to the narrowing of the temple wall as it rose upward. And so a stairway went up from the lowest story to the highest, through the middle one.

Ezekiel 42:5 הָעֶלְיוֹנֹ֖ת <the> upper

Now the upper chambers were smaller because the galleries took more space from the chambers on the lower and middle floors of the building.