Pagan Origins of Hebrew Terminology

[Khem Nefermed]

This will be a thread that I will add to over time, and its role is to demystify the ancient Israelite religion, pointing out its pagan origins and developments.
This kind of research showcases how the influence of Yehubor can affect any religion, and how the process of development (in truth, corruption of the Zevist principles) in ancient Israelite religion operated, to bring it to the monotheistic and exclusivist form it eventually reached.

Melchizedek (מַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק)

Melchizedek as a Biblical character was a priest-king that blesses Abraham and his offspring. This is an acknowledgement of the Israelite religion that a priesthood of the Divine existed before them. [1], [2]

Within the Hebrew narrative, even this Priesthood is Noahide, as Melchizedek is identified with Shem, son of Noah, but this is a mythologization. The general, meta-contextual idea is that this legitimizes the Hebrew priesthood. [1], [3]

Melchizedek is labeled as King of Salem, as well as a High Priest of "God Most High", El Elyon in the original Hebrew. [2], [4]

Both El and Ion are Solar syllables. [4]

El was the chief God of the Canaanite and surrounding pantheons, and Elyon ('ly, often, but also directly elyon) was a title ascribed to the highest Gods. [3], [4]

The character is first mentioned in Genesis, and modern scholarship acknowledges the henotheistic and monolatric (not monotheistic, at this point) nature of Israelite religion during the writing of the Pentateuch. The story takes place during patriarchal times, [1], [3]

The priesthood of Melchizedek is the "Pagan" priesthood, in Judaic view. In christian view, Melchizedek is a symbol for Jesus, and Jesus restores the "eternal priesthood", but that is a christian polemic we will ignore for the purpose of recontextualizing this term. [2], [5]

Melchizedek, in Genesis 14, blesses Abraham and blesses the Most High, granting Abraham authority to act as the seed of a new priesthood. [1], [2]

While this legitimizes the Abrahamic priesthood in the Hebrew view, the priesthood itself isn't Abrahamic, it's Aaronic. Aaron as a patriarch figure begins the priesthood of Israel, and Israel makes the claim that only the Aaronic priesthood (currently, the rabbinical order who traces its origins back the Pharisees) is a legitimate priesthood of the divine, and that Melchizedek lost the priesthood. [1], [3]

How, though? [3]

In Nedarim 32b of the Talmud, it is discussed that the mistake that Melchizedek makes is that he first blesses Abraham, and only then blesses the Most High. This is framed as an example of a greater mistake that pagan religions tend to do in Hebrew eyes, putting humanity over the Divine. [6]

This is reflected in other Biblical dualities, such as the pastoral and nomadic Abel being seen as superior to the sedentary farmer, Cain, a dig at agrarian civilization. Another pertinent example is the duality of Esau and Jacob, where Jacob is able to steal Esau's deserved birthright by bribing Esau with a stew. This shows that non-hebrew humanity "gave up their divine birthright in order to enjoy worldly pleasures". [3], [5]

These are classic anti-pagan polemics that also existed in early christianity. [5]

So, we have a character in Melchizedek that represents the priesthood of the Divine, which loses this title to the Israelite priesthood. Let's analyze the term itself. [1], [2]

Mlk (מלך) = “king” [4]
Sdq (צדק) = “righteousness/justice” [4]

Mlk-sdq is "Righteous King", and is a dual term meaning Priest King. [4]

This reflects a double loss of the authority that "the nations" held, both the material authority of kingly rulership and the spiritual authority of priestly guidance. [3], [4]

While this is unfounded in current scholarly linguistics, SDQ as a root for righteousness can be taken as a parallel to Sadaka in India, where a Sadak is one who does Sadhana, who does spiritual work. [7]

The Isopsephy of Melchizedek is 294, which boils down to 15 and to 6. As Temple of Zeus has stated, 6 deals with Priesthood, namely the ability of the priesthood of the Gods to manifest the principles of the Divine in the material through guidance of humanity, a principle that relates to the nature of Saturn. [8]

This solidifies that Melchizedek is a PAGAN PRIEST, because the priesthood of Israel is never associated with the number 6, but rather with 7. [3], [8]

This is because the Hebrew perspective is that the priesthoods of the nations only manage structure (6), while the Hebrew priesthood grants that structure holiness and "cleanses" it (7, the Sabbath sanctification). [3], [5]

Bibliography:
[1] von Rad, Gerhard, Genesis: A Commentary, (trans. John H. Marks), SCM Press, London, 1961
[2] Sarna, Nahum M., Genesis, (JPS Torah Commentary), Jewish Publication Society, Philadelphia, 1989
[3] Smith, Mark S., The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 2002
[4] Brown, Francis; Driver, S.R.; Briggs, Charles A., The Brown–Driver–Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, Hendrickson, Peabody, 1906
[5] Attridge, Harold W., The Epistle to the Hebrews, (Hermeneia Commentary), Fortress Press, Minneapolis, 1989
[6] Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 32b, Soncino Edition, Soncino Press, London, 1935
[7] Michaels, Axel, Hinduism: Past and Present, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2004
[8] Burkert, Walter, Greek Religion, (trans. John Raffan), Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1985