Genesis 14:17 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And the king of Sodom, &c.— After Abram's return with conquest, the recovered captives, and the spoil, Bera the king of Sodom, Genesis 14:2 and Melchizedek the king of Salem, went out to meet him, at a place called the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale; probably so called from the event of the kings' meeting here. If this valley be the same with that mentioned, 2 Samuel 18:18 called also the valley of Jehoshaphat, Joel 3:2, it is very probable that Salem, whereof Melchizedek was king, is the same with Jerusalem; for this valley lies between Jerusalem and mount Olivet, and the brook Cedron runs through it. And it is plain from the view of any map of ancient Palestine, that Abram, in his return to Hebron from Hobah by Dan, (by which place it is most probable he returned,) must have passed near Jerusalem. Of this place then, it is most likely, Melchizedek was king; a petty princedom, like the others mentioned in this chapter, the kings of which, Bera, Birsha, &c. are as little known as Melchizedek: and, according to the custom of those ancient times, he was priest as well as king; a custom of which we find traces, in almost every nation: and he was a priest of the true and Most High God; a believer, yet untainted by the idolatry of the times, who kept up the true religion derived from his progenitor Noah. And being such a character, no wonder he went out to congratulate Abram, and to receive him with all the rites of hospitality. According to his office, as priest, he blessed the great patriarch; and the patriarch gave to him the priest's appointed due, the tenth or tithe: whence it seems to follow, that the oeconomy of the priesthood was settled before the law. We need not remark what various opinions there have been concerning Melchizedek; some supposing him to have been Shem, and others Ham; some the Holy Ghost, and others the Son of God. Whereas, if we attend to the literal history, nothing can be more evident, than that he was no other than here represented, "a king of Salem, named Melchizedek, a believer, and a priest of the Most High God." The allegorical account of him which is given in the epistle to the Hebrews, is very easily and most properly interpreted upon this plan, of considering Melchizedek as a real person, king of Salem, of whose pedigree and descent nothing is related; and who, in that view, may well be said to be without father or mother; especially where a topic is handled merely in an allegorical way. And as living in Canaan, there seems no doubt but he was of a different descent or family from Abram; probably descended from Ham. See Hebrews 7:6.