The Ahimelech

Ahimelech was a high priest at Nob, just east of Jerusalem. David fleeing from King Saul, who was trying to kill him, requested bread and a weapon from Ahimelech. Ahimelech gave David the holy bread from the sanctuary along with the sword of Goliath that was hidden there. Doeg, who was a henchman of Saul, was in the area that day and saw this event. He reported it to Saul. Saul became enraged that Ahimelech conspired against him in helping David. Saul had Doeg execute all 85 priests at Nob, including Ahimelech. Abiathar, Ahimelech's son, was the only one to escaped.

In these older sources Zodak first appears in David's reign, after Israel and Judah were united under him, as joint occupant with Ahimelech of the high priest's office and his name taking precedence of that of his colleague Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar. On David's flight from Jerusalem, occasioned by Absalom's rebellion, Zadok and Abiathar (now the joint high priest), accompanied by the whole body of the Levites, followed the king across the Kidron, bearing the Ark of the Covenant, which, however, they were directed to carry back to the city, taking with them their two sons, Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, to act as spies upon the conduct of the rebels and send information to the king. When, toward the end of David's life, Adonijah the son of Haggith, and therefore the crown prince, put forward his claim to the throne of all Israel, taking counsel with Joab and Abiathar, Zodak along with Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, espoused the cause of Solomon, Bathsheba's son, and acting on David's instructions anointed him as king in Gihon.

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