H5945b H5945b
Most High — a divine title emphasizing God's supreme sovereignty above all powers and nations
Elyon ('Most High') is one of the great divine epithets, appearing 30 times as a title stressing God's absolute supremacy over all creation. Its earliest attestation — in the Melchizedek episode where he blesses Abram by 'El Elyon, creator of heaven and earth' (Gen 14:18-22) — establishes the cosmic scope of the title. Balaam invokes 'the knowledge of the Most High' in his oracles (Num 24:16), and the Song of Moses credits Elyon with allotting nations their territories (Deut 32:8). The Psalms are its richest habitat, where it appears in nearly every combination with other divine names: YHWH Elyon (Ps 7:18; 47:3), Elohim Elyon (Ps 57:3; 78:56), and El Elyon (Ps 78:35). The title even extends to human rulers or angelic beings called 'sons of the Most High' (Ps 82:6). Spanish 'Altisimo,' French 'Tres-Haut,' and German 'der Hoechste' all preserve the superlative character.
Senses
1. Most High — A divine title meaning 'Most High,' affirming God's supreme position above all cosmic and earthly powers. First attested in the Melchizedek blessing as El Elyon, 'God Most High, creator of heaven and earth' (Gen 14:18-22). Deuteronomy 32:8 assigns Elyon the sovereign act of apportioning nations. In the Psalms it combines freely with YHWH (Ps 7:18), Elohim (Ps 57:3), and El (Ps 78:35). Psalm 82:6 extends the epithet metaphorically to angelic or human rulers as 'sons of the Most High.' 30×
AR["العَليّ", "العَلِيَّ", "العَلِيُّ", "العَلِيِّ", "الْ-عَلِيُّ", "الْ-عَلِيِّ", "الْعَلِيَّ", "الْعَلِيُّ", "الْعَلِيِّ", "يَا-عَلِيُّ", "يَا-عَلِيِّ"]·ben["পরম", "পরম-প্রধান", "পরমের", "পরমের-বিরুদ্ধে", "পরাৎপর", "পরাৎপরকে", "পরাৎপরের", "সর্বোচ্চ", "সর্বোচ্চের"]·DE["dem-Höchsten", "der-Höchste", "der-meist-hoch", "des-Höchsten", "meist-hoch"]·EN["Most-High", "the-Most-High"]·FR["Très-Haut"]·heb["עליון"]·HI["एल्योन", "परम", "परमप्रधान", "परमप्रधान-की", "परमप्रधान-के", "सर्वोच्च", "सर्वोच्च-के"]·ID["Yang-Mahatinggi"]·IT["Most-High", "l'Altissimo"]·jav["Gusti Allah", "Ingkang-Mahaluhur", "Ingkang-Mahatinggi", "keplok"]·KO["지귀하신-분", "지귀하신-분-에게", "지귀하신-분-의", "지극히-높으신", "지극히-높으신-이-가", "지극히-높으신-이-를", "지극히-높으신-이-의", "지극히-높으신-이여", "지존자-께서"]·PT["Altíssimo", "do-Altíssimo", "o-Altíssimo", "ó-Altíssimo"]·RU["Всевышнего", "Всевышнему", "Всевышний", "Всевышним", "Вышнего"]·ES["Altísimo", "Elyon", "el-Altísimo"]·SW["Aliye-Juu", "Aliye-Juu-Sana"]·TR["En-Yüce'nin", "Yüce-Olan", "Yüce-Olanın", "Yüceler-Yücesi", "Yüceler-Yücesi'ne", "Yüceler-Yücesi'ni", "Yüceler-Yücesi'nin"]·urd["اعلیٰ-کا", "اے-اعلیٰ", "اے-حق-تعالیٰ", "بلند-ترین", "بلند-ترین-سے", "حق-تعالیٰ-کو", "حق-تعالیٰ-کی", "حق-تعالیٰ-کے", "حقتعالیٰ", "حقتعالیٰ-کا", "حقتعالیٰ-کے", "حقتعالیٰ-کے-خلاف", "علیّ", "علیّ-کے", "عَلیون"]
Related Senses
G2316 1. God, the true God (1315×)H6635b 1. hosts, armies (of YHWH) (286×)H0410 1. God, the true God (223×)G0032 1. heavenly angel (170×)H4397 2. messenger, envoy, ambassador (102×)H3742 1. cherub, angelic guardian being (91×)H0430 2. gods (pagan deities) (81×)H0426 1. God, the true God (76×)G1140 1. demon, evil spirit (62×)H0433 1. God, the true God (54×)G4152 1. spiritual (21×)H0426 2. god(s), pagan deities (20×)H5943 1. [ketiv:Most High] (18×)G1139 1. be demon-possessed (13×)H1712 1. Dagon (13×)G2316 2. god, pagan deity (12×)G5310 1. Most High (9×)H0410 3. a god, deity (generic) (9×)H3645 1. Chemosh (9×)H0842 2. Asherah (goddess) (8×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. עֶלְיוֹן n.m. Highest, Most High (prob. = foreg.);— 1. name of God Nu 24:16; Dt 32:8 ψ 18:14 = 2 S 22:14 ψ 9:3; 21:8; 46:5; 50:14; 73:11; 77:11; 78:17; 83:19; 87:5; 91:1, 9; 92:2; 107:11; Is 14:14; La 3:35, 38; with other divine names: אל עליון Gn 14:18, 19, 20, 22 (v. Di) ψ 78:35; יהוה עליון ψ 7:18; 47:3; אלהים עליון ψ 57:3; 78:56. 2. of rulers, either monarchs or angel-princes, בְּנֵי עֶלְיוֹן = אלהים ψ 82:6.