Salem:
(peace).
(1.) The place of which Melchizedek was king (Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 7:1-2). No satisfactory identification of it is perhaps possible. Two main opinions have been current from the earliest ages of interpretation:
(1). That of the Jewish commentators, who affirm that Salem is Jerusalem, on the ground that Jerusalem is so called in Psalm 76:2. Nearly all Jewish commentators hold this opinion.
(2). Jerome, however, states that the Salem of Melchizedek was not Jerusalem, but a town eight Roman miles south of Scythopolis, and gives its then name as Salumias, and identifies it with Salem, where John baptized.
(2.) Psalm 76:2 it is agreed on all hands that Salem is here employed for Jerusalem.
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.
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