Did Abraham Tithe?

The story of Abraham and Melchizedek is often used as an example of income-tithing:

Genesis 14:18–20 ESV And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) ₁₉ And he blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
₂₀ and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

However, Abraham was not tithing from his personal income. In context, Abraham had just defeated several kings in battle (vv. 15–16). The “tenth” that Abraham gave to Melchizedek was from the spoils of the battle (Heb. 7:4)!

The story even makes it clear that the spoils of the battle never belonged to Abraham. Rather, the spoils were divided among the victorious kings only after Abraham had given a tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek, and Abraham himself never took ownership of any of the spoils (Gen. 14:23–24).