Dictionary Article

One of two high priests during the reign of King David. The other high priest was Zadok, who evidently was appointed by David after his conquest of Jerusalem.

Only Abiathar escaped when the priestly families at Nob were massacred at the instigation of King Saul. The priests of Nob had given food and Goliath’s sword to David during his escape from the wrath of Saul, thus earning Saul’s hatred (1 Sm 21–22 OET SA1 21:1–15 · OET SA1 22:1–23). When Abiathar joined David he brought the ephod, which David then used in determining the will of God (1 Sm 23:6, 9-11 OET SA1 23:6 · OET SA1 23:9–11; 30:7-8). Abiathar was one of the first persons from Saul’s administration to support David. His support was formidable because he represented the priesthood of the old tribal league of the line of Eli.

Show passage in OET: SA1 23:6; SA1 23:9–11

OET-RV SA1 23:6

6 Now when Ahimelek’s son Evyatar had fled to David at Ke’ilah, he’d brought a sacred apron with him.

OET-RV SA1 23:9

9 But David discovered that Sha’ul was planning to destroy him, so he summoned Evyatar the priest, “Bring the sacred apron here.”

OET-RV SA1 23:10

10 Then David prayed, “Yahweh, God of Yisrael (Israel), your servant has heard that Sha’ul is intending to come to Ke’ilah—to destroy the city because of me.

OET-RV SA1 23:11

11 Will Sha’ul come here, just as your servant has heard? Will the masters of Ke’ilah turn me over to him? Yahweh, God of Yisrael, please tell your servant.”
¶ “Yes, he will go there,” Yahweh answered.

OET-LV SA1 23:6

6 And_he/it _was when_ ʼEⱱyātār the _son _of ʼAḩīmelek _fled to Dāvid Qəˊīlāh an _ephod it _came _down in_his/its_hand.

OET-LV SA1 23:9

9 And_ Dāvid _he/it _knew if/because _that on/upon/above_him/it Shāʼūl was_plotting the_evil and_he/it _said to ʼEⱱyātār the_priest/officer bring_near the_ephod.

OET-LV SA1 23:10

10 And_ Dāvid _he/it _said Oh_YHWH the _god _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) certainly _(hear) servant _of_your he _has _heard if/because _that Shāʼūl is_seeking to_come to Qəˊīlāh to_destroy (to)_city because_of_me.

OET-LV SA1 23:11

11 Will_they_deliver _me _up the _citizens _of Qəˊīlāh in_hand _of_his will_ Shāʼūl _he _come _down just_as servant _of_your he _has _heard Oh_YHWH the _god _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) tell please to_servant _of_your and_ YHWH _he/it _said he _will _come _down.

Show passage in OET: SA1 30:7–8

OET-RV SA1 30:7

7 Then David asked the priest Evyatar (Ahimelek’s son), “Please get the sacred apron and come back to me.” So Evyatar got the sacred apron and went back to David.

OET-RV SA1 30:8

8 Then David asked Yahweh, “If I chase after these raiders, will I catch up to them?”
¶ “Chase them because you’ll definitely catch up and you’ll certainly be able to rescue the captives,” Yahweh answered.

OET-LV SA1 30:7

7 And_ Dāvid _he/it _said to ʼEⱱyātār the_priest/officer the _son _of ʼAḩīmelek bring_near please to_me the_ephod and_ ʼEⱱyātār _he _brought _near DOM the_ephod to Dāvid.

OET-LV SA1 30:8

8 And_ Dāvid _he _enquired by_YHWH to_say will _I _pursue after the _marauding_band the_this will_I_overtake _it and_he/it _said to_him/it pursue if/because certainly _(overtake) you _will _overtake_it and_certainly _(rescue) you _will _rescue_them.

Jump to OET SA1 23:6 section. · OET SA1 23:9–11 section.

Jump to OET SA1 30:7–8 section.

During the last days of David’s kingship, his sons struggled for the throne. The two major rivals were Adonijah and Solomon. Abiathar the high priest supported Adonijah’s claim to the throne, probably because Adonijah was David’s oldest living heir and because David’s general Joab, one of the strongest men in the kingdom, supported Adonijah (1 Kgs 1:5-7). Zadok supported Solomon, who actually succeeded David on the throne. Having fallen out of favor with the new king, Abiathar was banished to his estate in Anathoth (1 Kgs 2:26-27), a village about four miles (6.4 kilometers) northeast of Jerusalem.

Show passage in OET: KI1 1:5–7

OET-RV KI1 1:5

5 Then David and Hagit’s son Adoniyah promoted himself saying, “I, myself, will reign.” He acquired a chariot and horsemen and fifty men who ran along in front.

OET-RV KI1 1:6

6 Hagit had given birth to him after Avshalom (Absalom). He was a good-looker, but his father had never disciplined him or ever asked, “Why did you do that?”

OET-RV KI1 1:7

7 He had spoken with Tseruyah’s son Yoav (Joab) and the priest Evyatar and they had both agreed to support him.

OET-LV KI1 1:5

5 And_ʼAdoniy^yāh the _son _of Ḩaggit was_exalting _himself to_say I I _will _become _king and_he/it _made to_him/it a _chariot and_horsemen and_fifty man were_running before_him.

OET-LV KI1 1:6

6 And_not he_had _rebuked _him his/its_father from_days _of_his to_say why thus have _you _done and_also he was_good _of form very and_him someone _bore after ʼAⱱīshālōm.

OET-LV KI1 1:7

7 And_ words/messages _of_his _they _were with Yōʼāⱱ/(Joab) the _son _of Tsərū^yāh/(Zeruiah) and_with ʼEⱱyātār the_priest/officer and_they _helped after ʼAdoniy^yāh.

Show passage in OET: KI1 2:26–27

OET-RV KI1 2:26

26 Then concerning Evyatar the priest, the king told him, “Go to your fields at Anatot because you’re marked for death, but I won’t do it today because you carried my master Yahweh’s sacred box ahead of my father David, and because you suffered through all that my father suffered.”

OET-RV KI1 2:27

27 That was how Shelomoh (Solomon) banished Evyatar from being a priest to Yahweh. It was done to fulfill what Yahweh had said at Shiloh said about removing Eli’s descendants.

OET-LV KI1 2:26

26 And_to_ʼEⱱyātār the_priest/officer the_king he _said ˊAnātōt go to fields _of_your if/because are_a _man _of death you and_on_day the_this not I_will _put _you _to _death if/because you _carried DOM the _box _of my_master YHWH to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before Dāvid father _of_my and_because/when you _were _afflicted in_all that father _of_my he _was _afflicted.

OET-LV KI1 2:27

27 And_ Shəlomoh/(Solomon) _he/it _drove _out DOM ʼEⱱyātār from_being a _priest to/for_YHWH to_fulfill DOM the _message _of YHWH which he _had _spoken on the _house _of ˊĒlī in_Shiloh.

Jump to OET KI1 1:5–7 section.

Jump to OET KI1 2:26–27 section.

The relationship of Abiathar to Ahimelech is confusing. Ahimelech could have been the name of both Abiathar’s father (1 Sm 22:20; 23:6) and son (2 Sm 8:17; 1 Chr 18:16; 24:6). If each of the references was to the same Ahimelech, then the names were reversed in the later passages. In the NT, Abiathar is mentioned as the high priest when David came to Nob needing food and weapons (Mk 2:26). The OT account says that Ahimelech was the priest at that time (1 Sm 21:1-2). The apparent discrepancy may have resulted from a copyist’s error or from the fact that Abiathar as high priest was more prominent than Ahimelech.

Show passage in OET: SA1 22:20

OET-RV SA1 22:20