Atomic Bible

High Priest at Nob who helped David, killed by Saul

Ahimelech

Named in 12 verses of 1 Samuel, first in 1 Samuel 14:3.

אֲחִימֶ֫לֶךְAhimelech

אֲחִיָּ֫הוּAhijah

Also called Ahijah.

The name means “my brother is a king; my king's brother.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

Father
Ahitub
Children
Abiathar
People
Tribe of Levi

About Ahimelech Written by AI

Ahimelech, also known as Ahijah, was the priest at Nob during the reign of King Saul. He was the son of Ahitub and the father of Abiathar. When David was fleeing from Saul, he came to Ahimelech at Nob seeking help. Ahimelech, unaware of the conflict between David and Saul, provided David with the consecrated bread and the sword of Goliath. (1 Samuel 21:1 to 9) Doeg the Edomite, one of Saul's servants, witnessed this interaction and reported it to Saul. Saul summoned Ahimelech and the other priests, accusing them of conspiring with David against him. Despite Ahimelech's defense of his actions, Saul ordered the execution of the priests. Doeg carried out the order, killing Ahimelech and eighty-four other priests. (1 Samuel 22:9 to 19). Abiathar, Ahimelech's son, was the only one who escaped the massacre. He fled to David and brought with him the ephod, a priestly garment used for seeking God's guidance. (1 Samuel 22:20 to 23; 23.6; 30.7) The story of Ahimelech's tragic fate is also referenced in Psalm 52, which is attributed to David when Doeg informed Saul about Ahimelech's assistance to David. The psalm reflects on the consequences of those who trust in evil and contrasts them with those who trust in God's steadfast love. (Psalm 52:0)

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

This entry is on the name Ahimelech, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.

Brother of the king, the son of Ahitub and father of Abiathar (1 Sam. 22:20-23). He descended from Eli in the line of Ithamar. In 1 Chr. 18:16 he is called Abimelech, and is probably the same as Ahiah (1 Sam. 14:3, 18). He was the twelfth high priest, and officiated at Nob, where he was visited by David (to whom and his companions he gave five loaves of the showbread) when he fled from Saul (1 Sam. 21:1-9). He was summoned into Saul’s presence, and accused, on the information of Doeg the Edomite, of disloyalty because of his kindness to David; whereupon the king commanded that he, with the other priests who stood beside him (86 in all), should be put to death. This sentence was carried into execution by Doeg in the most cruel manner (1 Sam. 22:9-23). Possibly Abiathar had a son also called Ahimelech, or the two names, as some think, may have been accidentally transposed in 2 Sam. 8:17; 1 Chr. 18:16, marg.; 24:3, 6, 31.

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names him

  1. 1 Samuel 14:3

    including Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of the LORD in Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.

  2. 1 Samuel 14:18

    Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites.)

  3. 1 Samuel 21:1

    Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And when Ahimelech met David, he trembled and asked him, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”

  4. 1 Samuel 21:2

    “The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission on which I am sending you. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a certain place.

  5. 1 Samuel 21:8

    Then David asked Ahimelech, “Is there not a spear or sword on hand here? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s mission was urgent.”

  6. 1 Samuel 22:9

    But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with Saul’s servants, answered: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.

  7. 1 Samuel 22:11

    Then the king sent messengers to summon Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and his father’s whole family, who were priests at Nob. And all of them came to the king.

  8. 1 Samuel 22:14

    Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is as faithful as David, the king’s son-in-law, the captain of your bodyguard and honored in your house?

  9. 1 Samuel 22:16

    But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”

  10. 1 Samuel 22:20

    But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.

  11. 1 Samuel 23:6

    (Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

  12. 1 Samuel 30:7

    Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him,

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.