Martin McNamara, «Melchizedek: Gen 14,17-20 in the Targums, in Rabbinic and Early Christian Literature», Vol. 81 (2000) 1-31

The essay is introduced by some words on the nature of the Aramaic translations of Gen 14 used in the study (the Tgs. Onq., Pal. Tgs. as in Tgs. Neof. I, Frg. Tgs., Ps.-J.). Tg. Neof. identifies the Valley of Shaveh (Gen 14,17) as the Valley of the Gardens (pardesaya). The value of Tg. Neof.’s evidence here is doubtful. Most Targums retain Melchizedek as a personal name (not so Tg. Ps.-J.). Salem of v. 18 is identified as Jerusalem. Melchizedek is identified as Shem, son of Noah, mainly because of the life-span assigned to Shem in Gen 11. The question of Melchizedek’s priesthood in early rabbinic tradition and in the Targums (Tg. Gen 14; Tg Ps. 110) is considered, as is also the use of Jewish targumic-type tradition on Melchizedek in such early Fathers as Jerome, Ephrem, and Theodore of Mopsuestia.

considers another aspect of God’s work of creation, paraphrasing as: "God Most High, who created the heavens and the earth for the sake of the righteous". Creation of the world for the sake of the righteous is a theme found in intertestamental literature, and in targumic and rabbinical theology as well⁶⁰.

        In v. 20a Tg. Onq. follows the HT faithfully, rendering Ngm (miggen; NRSV: "delivered") as "delivered"⁶¹. Tg. Neof., remains relatively faithful to the HT, "who has crushed (rbt) your enemies before you". Tg. Ps.-J. seems to have seen a connection between Ngm and magen, "shield", and renders rather freely as: "who has made those who hate you like a shield that receives a blow". A similar connection seems to be made in a comment on the verse in BerR 43,8: "R. Huna interpreted: Who hath turned thy weapons (magnun) against thine enemies"⁶².

2. The tithes (Tgs Gen 14,20b)

        The HT is quite ambiguous with regard to which of the pair (Melchizedek or Abram) paid the tithes to the other: "And he gave him a tithe of everything". The ambiguity is left intact in the LXX, Pal. Syr., Tgs. Onq.⁶³ and Neof.

        Tg. Ps.-J. is quite clear that it was Abram who paid the tithe: "And