El Elyon, a name of God, is first seen in the Bible in the book of Genesis. Abram’s nephew, Lot, and his family, were taken prisoners by Assyrian kings who made war against the cities on the Jordan River Plain where Lot lived. Abram gathered together the men of his household, tracked down the raiding party and freed the prisoners, also returning all of the goods that were stolen. Melchizedek, a king of one of the Plains cities, and also called a priest to the Most High God, met Abram and blessed him.
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God [El Elyon]. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God [El Elyon], possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God [El Elyon], which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. Genesis 14:18-20
Melchizedek appears in two other places in the Bible: The psalmist speaks prophetically of Melchizedek, and the writer of Hebrews refers to Melchizedek as a type of Christ.
The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Psalm 110:4
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace… Hebrews 7:1-2
The Hebrew name El Elyon is translated in the King James Bible as Most High or Supreme God, but the actual words, El Elyon, never actually appear there. The words “most’ and “high,” which take the place of El Elyon are also used in other contexts that do not refer to God. Because of this, each verse that contains one or both of these two words was researched individually to make sure it was referring to El Elyon.
From Strong’s Concordance Hebrew Dictionary:
Strong’s Concordance is a very handy tool to have when researching words and verses like this. It contains every word in the King James Version of the Bible, listed chronologically, with a numerical reference to its meaning in either the Hebrew Dictionary for the Old Testament or the Greek Dictionary for the New Testament. It is often the case that a word, such as ‘most’ below has several different meanings depending on the context. It is particularly helpful to be able to discover which meaning is being referred to. The verses that we are interested in here refer to the Hebrew name: Elyon, which is translated from the word ‘most’ or ‘most high’.
Most: (#5945 & #5946) an elevation, lofty, the Supreme, uppermost, … Where Most and High appear together to mean Elyon, then High also has this same referenced meaning.
When most High appears with God, then the word El or Elohim, both meaning God, is added: most High God = El Elyon; God most high = Elohim Elyon
When most High appears with Lord, then the meaning becomes Jehovah Elyon: I Am Supreme, or I Am Most High.
Below are listed the verses that contain variations of the phrase ‘most High’. The phrase that is being translated as ‘Elyon’ has been underlined.
Old Testament Verses:
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God [El Elyon]. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God [El Elyon], possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God [El Elyon], which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. Genesis 14:18-20
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God [El Elyon], the possessor of heaven and earth… Genesis 14:22
He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, [Elyon]which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open… Numbers 24:16
When the Most High [Elyon] 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. Deuteronomy 32:8
The Lord thundered from heaven, and the most High [Elyon] uttered his voice. 2 Samuel 22:14
I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high [Jehovah Elyon]. Psalm 7:17
The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest [Elyon] gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. Psalm 18:13
I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High [Elyon]. Psalm 9:2
For thou hast made him most [Elyon] blessed forever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. For the king trusteth in the Lord, and through the mercy of the most High [Elyon] he shall not be moved. Psalm 21:6-7. (Some think that this is a messianic passage, and that the most blessed forever refers to Jesus)
Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most [Elyon] mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. Psalm 45:3
There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High [Elyon]. Psalm 46:4
For the Lord most high [Jehovah Elyon] is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. Psalm 47:2
Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High [Elyon]… Psalm 50:14
I will cry unto God most high [Elohim Elyon]; unto God that performeth all things for me. Psalm 57:2
And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High [Elyon]? Psalm 73:11
And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High [Elyon]. Psalm 77:10
And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High [Elyon] in the wilderness. Psalm 78:17
And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God [El Elyon] their redeemer. Psalm 78:35 (El Elyon is specifically paired with being a redeemer in this verse)
Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God [Elohim Elyon], and kept not his testimonies… Psalm 78:56
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high [Elyon] over all the earth. Psalm 83:18
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High [Elyon] shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High [Elyon], thy habitation … Psalm 91:9
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High [Elyon] … Psalm 92:1
But thou, Lord, art most high [Elyon] forevermore. Psalm 92:8
Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High [Elyon] … Psalm 107:11
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High [Elyon]. Isaiah 14:14
The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most [Elyon] upright, dost weigh the path of the just. Isaiah 26:7
To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High [Elyon],to subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. Lamentations 3:35-36
Out of the mouth of the most High [Elyon] proceedeth not evil and good? Lamentations 3:38
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 [Elohim Elyon], come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. Daniel 3:26
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 [Elyon], 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 4:34
But the saints of the most High [Elyon] shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. Daniel 7:18
Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High [Elyon]; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. Daniel 7:22
And he shall speak great words against the most High [Elyon], and shall wear out the saints of the most High [Elyon], 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. Daniel 7:25
New Testament Verses
And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God [El Elyon]? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. Mark 5:7
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest [Elyon]: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David… Luke 1:32
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest [Elyon] shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. Luke 1:35
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest [Elyon]: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways … Luke 1:76
When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high [El Elyon]? I beseech thee, torment me not. Luke 8:28
Howbeit the most High [Elyon] dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet … Acts 7:48
The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God [El Elyon], which shew unto us the way of salvation. Acts 16:17
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God [El Elyon], who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; Hebrews 7:1
References:
The Holy Bible: King James Version
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Greek and Hebrew Dictionary
©2025 Chandra Hronchek
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