Etymology
The Epistle to the Hebrews, along with Philo and Josephus, interpret the name as meaning "the king", and "tzedek", meaning "righteous(ness)" or "justice". This interpretation is upheld by modern scholars because in the Dead Sea Scroll 4QAmram 2.3 is found the opposite name Melchi-resha ("king of evil") for a chief angel of darkness.
Based on the detail that the word "malki" appears to contain a first-person singular possessive pronoun, connoting a meaning of "my king", the Ramban opines that the name implies "my king is tzedek", based on the notion that the city of Salem is associated with the attribute of "tzedek" (righteousness).
However, it is also possible that malchi is not a possessive pronoun but genitive case. Although these case suffixes were already archaic at the time of writing, in proper names they were preserved longer. Such a reading would yield "king of righteousness", consistent with the ancient interpretations above.
Lebanese Protestant scholar Kamal Salibi cites Arabic cognates to suggest that the words "malki zedek" can be interpreted as mouthful of offering, so that the verse begins And food the king of Salem brought out, bread and wine ... The implication is to say that the king (whether of Sodom or of Salem) brought out food, then blessed Abraham and El Elyon. If the Albright reading, "a king allied to him" is also accepted, this would then imply that the whole interchange was with the King of Sodom.
Read more about this topic: Melchizedek
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