Descriptive Titles
El Elyon (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן)
The Most High God
Description
The ancient title אֵל עֶלְיוֹן (El Elyon), meaning 'God Most High,' appears first in Genesis 14 when the enigmatic priest-king Melchizedek blessed Abraham after his victory over the coalition of eastern kings who had captured Lot. Melchizedek, king of Salem (likely ancient Jerusalem) and 'priest of the most high God' (El Elyon), brought bread and wine and pronounced blessing: 'Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand' (Genesis 14:19-20). Abraham acknowledged Melchizedek's priesthood by giving him tithes of all, and invoked the same divine name when refusing the king of Sodom's offer: 'I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth' (Genesis 14:22).
The name Elyon (עֶלְיוֹן) derives from the Hebrew root עָלָה (alah), 'to go up, ascend, be high.' As a divine title, Elyon designates the supreme God, highest over all powers and authorities, exalted above every rival deity or earthly potentate. This is particularly significant in Genesis 14's context: Abraham had just defeated Chedorlaomer and allied kings who represented the mighty Mesopotamian empires. Yet Melchizedek identified the true sovereign as El Elyon, possessor (owner, creator) of heaven and earth—no regional deity but the universal God who transcends all earthly kingdoms.The title עֶלְיוֹן (Elyon, 'Most High') appears approximately 50 times in the Old Testament, often in contexts emphasizing God's sovereignty over nations and kings. Deuteronomy 32:8 indicates that when Elyon divided the nations, He established Israel's boundaries—exercising universal jurisdiction. Psalms frequently employ the title in contexts of worship and kingship: 'The LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth' (Psalm 47:2). Daniel's use (particularly in chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar's confession) demonstrates that even pagan monarchs must acknowledge El Elyon's supremacy. The Aramaic equivalent עִלָּאָה (illaya) appears in Daniel 3:26, 4:2, and elsewhere.
Psalm 91 celebrates the security of those who dwell 'in the secret place of the most High' (Elyon), declaring they 'shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty' (Shaddai). The Psalm combines multiple divine names—Elyon, Shaddai, YHWH, Elohim—each emphasizing different attributes, together assuring complete protection. The title appears prominently in Psalms of kingship and judgment (Psalms 7:17, 9:2, 18:13, 21:7, 46:4, 47:2), establishing that El Elyon reigns over all earthly powers, judges nations, determines boundaries, executes vengeance, and ultimately prevails.
Daniel's prophecies employ the title in contexts of Gentile kingdoms and their eventual subjugation to God's kingdom. When Nebuchadnezzar's pride brought divine judgment—seven years of beast-like madness—his restoration came through acknowledging 'the most High' whose 'dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation' (Daniel 4:34). This theme recurs: Daniel 7 prophesies that 'the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever' (Daniel 7:18), after successive empires rise and fall. El Elyon sovereignly rules history's flow, raising and deposing kings, establishing and overthrowing kingdoms.
New Testament fulfillment appears when Gabriel announced to Mary that her son 'shall be called the Son of the Highest (huios hupsistou): and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David' (Luke 1:32). Jesus Christ, Son of El Elyon, inherits universal dominion. Even demons recognized Him: 'What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God?' (Mark 5:7). The title assures believers that no power—earthly or spiritual—exceeds God's authority; all rival claims to sovereignty are subordinate to El Elyon, the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth.
The name Elyon (עֶלְיוֹן) derives from the Hebrew root עָלָה (alah), 'to go up, ascend, be high.' As a divine title, Elyon designates the supreme God, highest over all powers and authorities, exalted above every rival deity or earthly potentate. This is particularly significant in Genesis 14's context: Abraham had just defeated Chedorlaomer and allied kings who represented the mighty Mesopotamian empires. Yet Melchizedek identified the true sovereign as El Elyon, possessor (owner, creator) of heaven and earth—no regional deity but the universal God who transcends all earthly kingdoms.The title עֶלְיוֹן (Elyon, 'Most High') appears approximately 50 times in the Old Testament, often in contexts emphasizing God's sovereignty over nations and kings. Deuteronomy 32:8 indicates that when Elyon divided the nations, He established Israel's boundaries—exercising universal jurisdiction. Psalms frequently employ the title in contexts of worship and kingship: 'The LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth' (Psalm 47:2). Daniel's use (particularly in chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar's confession) demonstrates that even pagan monarchs must acknowledge El Elyon's supremacy. The Aramaic equivalent עִלָּאָה (illaya) appears in Daniel 3:26, 4:2, and elsewhere.
Psalm 91 celebrates the security of those who dwell 'in the secret place of the most High' (Elyon), declaring they 'shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty' (Shaddai). The Psalm combines multiple divine names—Elyon, Shaddai, YHWH, Elohim—each emphasizing different attributes, together assuring complete protection. The title appears prominently in Psalms of kingship and judgment (Psalms 7:17, 9:2, 18:13, 21:7, 46:4, 47:2), establishing that El Elyon reigns over all earthly powers, judges nations, determines boundaries, executes vengeance, and ultimately prevails.
Daniel's prophecies employ the title in contexts of Gentile kingdoms and their eventual subjugation to God's kingdom. When Nebuchadnezzar's pride brought divine judgment—seven years of beast-like madness—his restoration came through acknowledging 'the most High' whose 'dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation' (Daniel 4:34). This theme recurs: Daniel 7 prophesies that 'the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever' (Daniel 7:18), after successive empires rise and fall. El Elyon sovereignly rules history's flow, raising and deposing kings, establishing and overthrowing kingdoms.
New Testament fulfillment appears when Gabriel announced to Mary that her son 'shall be called the Son of the Highest (huios hupsistou): and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David' (Luke 1:32). Jesus Christ, Son of El Elyon, inherits universal dominion. Even demons recognized Him: 'What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God?' (Mark 5:7). The title assures believers that no power—earthly or spiritual—exceeds God's authority; all rival claims to sovereignty are subordinate to El Elyon, the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth.
Key Verses
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
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, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.