MELCHIZEDEK
| Biblical PN | 1. | Biblical king (Alma 13:14, 15, 17, 18 (x2)) |
Etymology
MELCHIZEDEK is a king of SALEM mentioned five times in Alma 13 but is not otherwise mentioned as a separate figure in the Book of Mormon. The name MELCHIZEDEK derives from the joining of two HEBREW words, king (melek) and righteousness (ṣedeq). The juxtapositioning the two nouns, malkî-ṣedeq, allows for two different interpretations of the name, “My King is Righteousness” (reading the i as the first person pronominal suffix), or “King of Righteousness” (reading the i as a hireq compaginis).
Because almost all PNs in the ancient Semitic world contained the name or title of a god, it is likely that this PN is theophoric.
See also Melchizedek / Melchezidek / Melchesidek Variants
Variants
Deseret Alphabet: 𐐣𐐇𐐢𐐕𐐆𐐞𐐀𐐔𐐇𐐗 (mɛltʃɪziːdɛk)
Notes
