What does עֶלְיוֹן (‘elyôn) mean in the Bible?
H5945, ʿelyôn, is a Hebrew adjective for what is high, upper, or highest. It can describe an upper pool, gate, courtyard, chamber, basket, or story.
Hebrew · H5945
עֶלְיוֹן
An elevation , i.e. (adj.) lofty (compar.); as title, the Supreme
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עֶלְיוֹןH5945
Pronunciation‘elyôn
What does עֶלְיוֹן (‘elyôn) mean in the Bible?
H5945, ʿelyôn, is a Hebrew adjective for what is high, upper, or highest. It can describe an upper pool, gate, courtyard, chamber, basket, or story.
Reader summary
Full entry for עֶלְיוֹן (H5945) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5945?
The BSB source-word alignment has 53 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Most High (9), of the Most High (8), the Most High (4), the Upper (4), of the upper (3).
Where does עֶלְיוֹן (‘elyôn) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 14:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (22), 2 Chronicles (5), Genesis (5), Deuteronomy (3).
What This Word Actually Means
H5945, ʿelyôn, is a Hebrew adjective for what is high, upper, or highest. It can describe an upper pool, gate, courtyard, chamber, basket, or story. It can rank a king above other kings. Most importantly, it frequently functions as the divine title Most High, confessing God's supremacy over the earth, nations, rulers, and every supposed rival. The ordinary spatial uses matter because they prevent readers from turning height itself into holiness.
The passage, not elevation alone, tells readers whether H5945 describes architecture, rank, or the living God. Genesis 14 joins God Most High with His identity as Creator of heaven and earth and the One who delivers Abram. The title does not name an impersonal tier of deity. In the Psalms, the Most High is the great King, the refuge of His people, the righteous judge, and the One worthy of praise.
His height describes unrivaled authority and majesty, not remoteness from suffering or indifference to justice. Lamentations 3 states that the Lord does not approve when a person is denied justice before the Most High. Isaiah 14 places the title in an arrogant boast: the proud ruler aspires to make himself like the Most High and is brought down. This contrast makes H5945 a guard against spiritual ambition that borrows divine rank for a human leader.
Psalm 82 likewise calls certain figures sons of the Most High and immediately announces that they will die like mortals because they have failed in justice. The phrase does not grant them equality with God, immortality, or freedom from judgment. Deuteronomy 32 speaks of the Most High allotting the nations and of the Lord's own people as His portion. Readers should receive the claim of divine rule while handling the passage's textual and interpretive questions with care.
H5945 alone does not map every heavenly being or authorize racial, national, or political supremacy. The title Most High therefore calls God's people to worship, refuge, humility, and justice. It lifts attention above human claims without teaching escape from embodied responsibility. The God who is highest sees the oppressed, judges rulers, keeps covenant, and forbids creatures from taking His place.
source_lexicongrammaticalCanonical parallelBook contextPassage context
How the Bible Uses It
H5945 describes ordinary upper or highest locations and ranks, and it serves as the title Most High for God. Its divine uses confess God's unrivaled kingship, refuge, judgment, and covenant rule while exposing proud attempts to claim His place.
- Gen.14.19
And he blessed Abram and said: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
Melchizedek blesses Abram by God Most High and immediately identifies Him as Creator of heaven and earth.
- Deut.32.8
When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He divided the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.
The song presents the Most High allotting the nations before naming Jacob as the Lord's own portion.
- Ps.47.2
How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth!
The psalm praises the Lord Most High as the awesome great King over all the earth.
- Ps.82.6
I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’
Figures called sons of the Most High remain under God's judgment and are told that they will die like mortals.
- Ps.91.1
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
The one dwelling in the shelter of the Most High abides under the Almighty's shadow and confesses Him as refuge.
- Isa.14.14
I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
A proud ruler's ambition to become like the Most High is answered by descent rather than divine elevation.
- Lam.3.35
To deny a man justice before the Most High,
Denying a person justice occurs before the Most High, and the poem insists that the Lord does not approve it.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItMost High9×Genesis 14:18, Genesis 14:19, Genesis 14:20, Genesis 14:22
of the Most High8×2 Samuel 22:14, Psalms 18:13, Psalms 21:7, Psalms 77:10
the Most High4×Psalms 46:4, Psalms 91:9, Isaiah 14:14, Lamentations 3:35
the Upper4×2 Kings 15:35, 2 Chronicles 23:20, 2 Chronicles 27:3, 2 Chronicles 32:30
of the upper3×2 Kings 18:17, Isaiah 36:2, Ezekiel 9:2
a heap of rubble2×1 Kings 9:8, 2 Chronicles 7:21
are Most High2×Psalms 83:18, Psalms 97:9
O Most High2×Psalms 9:2, Psalms 92:1
the highest2×Psalms 89:27, Ezekiel 41:7
. . .1×Deuteronomy 28:1
[that feeds] the upper1×Isaiah 7:3
against the Most High1×Psalms 78:17
and the Most High1×Psalms 87:5
and Upper1×1 Chronicles 7:24
at the Upper1×Jeremiah 20:2
Does the Most High1×Psalms 73:11
from the Most High1×Numbers 24:16
from the upper1×Nehemiah 3:25
high1×Deuteronomy 26:19
In the top1×Genesis 40:17
Now the upper1×Ezekiel 42:5
to the Most High1×Psalms 50:14
to Upper1×Joshua 16:5
Upper1×2 Chronicles 8:5
When the Most High1×Deuteronomy 32:8
which was in the upper1×Jeremiah 36:10
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 14:18עֶלְיֽוֹן׃toMost HighAdjective - masculine singularGenesis 14:19עֶלְי֔וֹןtoMost HighAdjective - masculine singularGenesis 14:20עֶלְי֔וֹןtoMost HighAdjective - masculine singularGenesis 14:22עֶלְי֔וֹןtoMost HighAdjective - masculine singularGenesis 40:17הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹןtoIn the topArticle | Adjective - masculine singularNumbers 24:16עֶלְי֑וֹןtofrom the Most HighAdjective - masculine singularDeuteronomy 26:19עֶלְי֗וֹןtohighAdjective - masculine singularDeuteronomy 28:1עֶלְי֔וֹןto. . .Adjective - masculine singularDeuteronomy 32:8עֶלְיוֹן֙toWhen the Most HighAdjective - masculine singularJoshua 16:5עֶלְיֽוֹן׃toto UpperAdjective - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 14:18
Aligned rows53
Books represented15
Genesis5Numbers1Deuteronomy3Joshua12 Samuel11 Kings12 Kings21 Chronicles12 Chronicles5Nehemiah1Psalms22Isaiah3Jeremiah2Lamentations2Ezekiel3
Source forms
עֶלְיֽוֹן׃9x‘el·yō·wnGenesis 14:18, Joshua 16:5, Psalms 7:17, Psalms 9:2
עֶלְי֔וֹן6x‘el·yō·wnGenesis 14:19, Genesis 14:20, Genesis 14:22, Deuteronomy 28:1
הָֽעֶלְי֔וֹן5xhā·‘el·yō·wnGenesis 40:17, 2 Chronicles 8:5, 2 Chronicles 32:30, Nehemiah 3:25
עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן5x‘el·yō·wnPsalms 21:7, Psalms 78:17, Psalms 83:18, Psalms 89:27
עֶלְי֑וֹן4x‘el·yō·wnNumbers 24:16, Psalms 57:2, Psalms 78:56, Psalms 91:1
עֶלְי֣וֹן3x‘el·yō·wnPsalms 47:2, Psalms 82:6, Psalms 107:11
הָעֶלְי֑וֹן2xhā·‘el·yō·wn1 Chronicles 7:24, 2 Chronicles 27:3
הָעֶלְיוֹנָ֔ה2xhā·‘el·yō·w·nāhIsaiah 7:3, Isaiah 36:2
Parsing patterns
Adjective - masculine singular32xGenesis 14:18, Genesis 14:19, Genesis 14:20, Genesis 14:22
Article | Adjective - masculine singular11xGenesis 40:17, 2 Kings 15:35, 1 Chronicles 7:24, 2 Chronicles 8:5
Article | Adjective - feminine singular4x2 Kings 18:17, Isaiah 7:3, Isaiah 36:2, Ezekiel 41:7
Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular2x2 Samuel 22:14, Psalms 18:13
Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine singular2xPsalms 50:14, Isaiah 14:14
Article | Adjective - feminine plural1xEzekiel 42:5
Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine singular1xPsalms 73:11
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Let confession of the Most High produce humility, worship, protection of the weak, and resistance to self-exalting authority.
- When teaching refuge texts, preserve lament, wise safety planning, medical care, and the real experiences of faithful sufferers.
- Refuse religious titles or structures that place a human leader beyond questions, evidence, correction, or lawful accountability.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that physical elevation, architectural height, or public rank proves divine favor.
- Do not claim that a person called a son of the Most High shares God's unique supremacy or escapes judgment.
- Do not claim that trusting the Most High eliminates every danger or makes ordinary precautions faithless.
- Do not claim that God's rule validates a contemporary nation's borders, hierarchy, or political program without further textual warrant.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Means "highest/most elevated"; as divine title, designates God's absolute supremacy and transcendence above all creation.
Source Gloss
an elevation , i.e. (adj.) lofty (compar.); as title, the Supreme
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Means "highest/most elevated"; as divine title, designates God's absolute supremacy and transcendence above all creation.
an elevation, i.e. (adj.) lofty (compar.); as title, the Supreme BDB: high Usage: (Most, on) high(-er, -est), upper(-most).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
The supreme and exalted God.
Most High; the Supreme One who is above all others
Additional Occurrences
Psalms 7:14-17עֶלְיוֹן‘elyôn
Most High
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 53 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
Why This Word Matters
The ambition to rival the Most High defines the gravity of the king’s pride.Isaiah 14:12-15
Canonical Themes
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Genesis 14 gives H5945 a rich theological center. Melchizedek names God Most High as Creator of heaven and earth, blesses Abram in His name, and praises Him for deliverance. The title joins supremacy to creation and faithful action. Psalm 47 likewise calls the Lord Most High the great King over all the earth, while Psalm 91 presents His shelter as a place of trust.
God's height is not aloofness. Lamentations brings injustice before the Most High and says the Lord does not approve the denial of a person's rights. Isaiah 14 then exposes the creaturely temptation to seize this height. The ruler who says he will become like the Most High descends to the pit. Psalm 82 supplies a related warning: even those addressed as sons of the Most High remain mortal and answer to the Judge for failing the weak and needy.
Teachers should therefore use the title to magnify God, humble rulers, comfort people seeking refuge, and strengthen justice. It must not become a title that leaders borrow, a promise of immunity from suffering, or a ladder by which a nation or institution declares itself above correction.
Anchor passage
Gen.14.19
Doctrinal connections
- Genesis 14 identifies God Most High as Creator of heaven and earth and the giver of Abram's deliverance.
- Deuteronomy 32 places the nations and Israel's inheritance under the sovereign allotment of the Most High.
- Psalm 47 celebrates the Lord Most High as the great King over the whole earth.
- Psalm 82 subjects powerful heavenly or judicial figures to God's verdict when they fail the weak and needy.
- Psalm 91 joins the shelter of the Most High to trust in the Lord as refuge and fortress.
- Isaiah 14 contrasts the Most High's unique place with the doomed self-exaltation of an arrogant ruler.
H5945 is an adjective that can be attributive or substantival. English context may render it upper, highest, or Most High. Capitalization marks a translation decision about divine reference; the Hebrew form itself also occurs in ordinary spatial and ranked descriptions.
From Old to New Testament
New Testament writings use Greek language for the Most High in annunciation, worship, deliverance, and confession, and they present Jesus exalted without permitting His rank to become a human status claim. These are canonical relationships, not proof that every Greek adjective for height is lexically identical to H5945.
Canonical parallelBook context