Albert Barnes Commentary Hebrews 7:4

"Now consider how great this man was, unto whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the chief spoils." — Hebrews 7:4 (ASV)

Verse 4: Now consider how great this man was. The apostle's object was to exalt the rank and dignity of Melchizedek. The Jews had a profound veneration for Abraham; if it could be shown that Melchizedek was superior to Abraham, then it would be easy to demonstrate Christ's superiority, as a priest, to all who descended from Abraham.

Accordingly, the apostle argues that the one to whom even the patriarch Abraham showed so much respect must have had an exalted rank. Abraham, according to the views of the East, as the illustrious ancestor of the Jewish nation, was regarded as superior to any of his posterity. Consequently, he was to be considered as having higher rank and dignity than the Levitical priests, who descended from him.

Even the patriarch Abraham was one so great as he is acknowledged to have been. Regarding the word patriarch (see the notes on Acts 2:29), it occurs only in Acts 2:29, Acts 7:8–9, and in this passage.

Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils (see the notes on Hebrews 7:2).

The argument here is that Abraham acknowledged Melchizedek's superiority by this act of devoting the usual part of the spoils of war (or of what was possessed) to God through Melchizedek's hands, as the priest of the Most High. Instead of making a direct consecration himself, Abraham brought the spoils to Melchizedek as a minister of religion, recognizing in him one who had a higher official standing in religious matters than himself.

The Greek word rendered "spoils"—akroyinion—literally means the top of the heap, from akron (top) and yin (heap). The Greeks were accustomed, after a battle, to collect the spoils, throw them into a pile, and then, before distribution, take a portion from the top to devote to the gods (Xenophon, Cyropaedia 7.6.36; Herodotus 1.86, 1.90; 8.121, 8.122; Dionysius of Halicarnassus 2).

Similarly, it was customary to place the harvest in a heap and, as the first thing, take a portion from the top to consecrate as a thank-offering to God. The word then came to denote the first-fruits offered to God, and subsequently the best of the spoils of battle. It has that sense here, denoting the spoils or plunder Abraham had taken from the defeated kings.