A priest at Nob during the time of King David. He was the son of Ahitub, and the father of Abiathar.
About Ahimelech
A priest at Nob who helped David when he was running from Saul (1 Samuel 21:1–9). When David asked for food, all he had was the holy bread from the tabernacle (Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 12:1–8). Doeg the Edomite told Saul what he saw, who ordered Ahimelech to be killed. But Saul’s guards did not want to kill a priest. Doeg killed Ahimelech and 84 other priests, along with their families and animals (1 Samuel 22:9–19). Only Abiathar, Ahimelech’s son, escaped and went to David for protection (1 Samuel 22:20–23). David wrote Psalm 52 about what Doeg had done.
Family Relationships
Key References
“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.
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.
But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”
But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.
All Scripture References (13)
1 Samuel (12)
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.
Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites.)
“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.
Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”
The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want, you may take it. For there is no other but this one here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”
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.
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.
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?
But the king replied, “You will surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house!”
But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub escaped. His name was Abiathar, and he fled to David.
(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him,
Psalms (1)
Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit.