Difference between revisions of "Abiathar" - New World Encyclopedia

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Abiathar (אביתר, Ebyathar the father is plentiful or pre-eminent), in the Bible, was the son of Achimelech or Ahijah, priest at Nob, the fourth in descent from Eli. The only priest to escape from the infamous massacre of the priest of Nob, he fled to the David at Keilah. When David ascended the throne of Judah, Abiathar was appointed high priest (1 Chr. 15:11; 1 Kings 2:26) and the "king's companion" (1 Chr. 27:34). He was of great service to the king, especially at the time of the rebellion of Absalom (2 Sam. 25:24-35). In 1 Kings 3:4 Zadok and Abiathar are found acting together as priests under Solomon. In 1 Kings i. 7, 19, 25, however, Abiathar appears as a supporter of Adonijah, and in ii. 22 and 26 it is said that he was deposed by Solomon and banished to Anathoth.

Biography

Background

Abiathar's name may be interpreted is several ways, its component syllables meaning "father" and "plentiful" or "pre-eminent." The word "father" may refer to Abiather's own father, to himself as the "father of plenty" or to God, the divine father.

Abiathar's story is told primarily in the first Book of Samuel. It begins during the time when King Saul had come to see his young commander David as a threat and was seeking David's life. David came to Abiathar's father, Ahimelech for aid. Ahimelech provided David and his men with consecrated bread and returned to David the sword of the famous Philistine giant Goliath, whom David was said to have slain when just a boy.

David then went to the Philistine king Achish but was rejected David's by him. Shelter in a cave called Adullam, he gathered a following of some 400 men. David then sought shelter with the king of Moab, leaving his parents in that king's care, but was advised by the prophet Gad to leave this stronghold and return to the lands of Judah. There, his general whereabouts were soon discovered by Saul. The king sought to bribe the neighboring tribesmen of Benjamin to reveal David's hiding place. None of them spoke up, but and Edomite by the name of Doeg, who had been a witness to Abiathar's aiding David, was willing to cooperate with Saul. "I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob," Doeg revealed. "Ahimelech inquired of the Lord for him; he also gave him provisions and the sword of Goliath the Philistine."

Saul immediately summoned Ahimelech and his entire extended family, the priests of the sanctuary at Nob, and interrogated them. "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse," Saul demanded, "giving him bread and a sword and inquiring of God for him, so that he has rebelled against me and lies in wait for me, as he does today?"

Ahimelech protested that he knew nothing of David's rebellion and thought him to be Saul's loyal military commander, for whom he had often performed divination on the king's business. Saul remained convinced of Ahimelech's treachery, however, and ordered him and his entire family slain. Saul then ordered his lieutenants to kill the supposedly treasonous priests, but each of them refused the order, fearing God's retribution. Saul then gave them same order to the Edomite Doeg, who complied, leading his forces to slaughter 85 priests and the entire population of the town of Nob itself, including "its men and women, its children and infants, and its cattle, donkeys and sheep."

Abiathar was the only one to escape this horrific massacre. Fleeing to David, he reported the crime and repented for his own failure to speak up when he realized that Doeg the Edomite had witnessed Ahimilech's helping David. "That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your father's whole family," Abiathar confessed. David comforted the young priest, saying "Stay with me; don't be afraid; the man who is seeking your life is seeking mine also. You will be safe with me." This was the beginning a long association between the two.

Abiathar and his ephod

It is of particular significance that when Abiathar escaped Saul and came to David, he brought with him an item known as the ephod, a special linen priestly garment used for divination. This artifact gave David a distinct advantage, for Abiathar knew how to use it to determine the will of the Lord. David immediately put this power to good use against the Philistines, learning by "inquiring of the Lord" whether, when, and where to attack.

Abiathar's ephod also provided David with intelligence in his struggle with Saul. "Bring the ephod," David commands Abiathar. Its answers from the Lord inform David that Saul will some come to attack him, and that he cannot trust the citizens of Keilah, among whom he is hiding. David and his men quickly escape, leaving Saul and his forces frustrated.

Later, David discovers that an Amalekite raiding party has destroyed the town of Zikag, where David had been living, carrying off its inhabitants, including David's wives Ahinoam and Abigail. He again commands Abiathar to bring forth the ephod. He learns that God indeed wants him to pursue a certain raiding party, despite their having a three-day head start. When he does so, he is able to learn of the party's whereabouts from a captured Egyptian slave. David soon liberates his wives and captures substantial booty from the Amalekites after killing them. Abiathar's help thus enables him to send valuable gifts to the elders of Judah, which would stand him in good stead after Saul's death, as David then became Judah's king.

After becoming king, David ruled the tribe of Judah from Hebron but was eventually able to capture the fortress city of Jerusalem from the Jebusites. When he made the city his new capital and brought the Ark of the Covenant there from its sanctuary at Shiloh, Abiathar's ephod apparently figures prominently again:

David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. (2 Samuel 6:14-15)

Abiathar as high priest

In describing David's consolidation of power after defeating several foreign enemies 2 Samuel identifies Abiathar as one of the official priests appointed by David, along with Zadok and perhaps others. Abiathar remained loyal to David during Absalom's rebellion, and it he who offers sacrifices on the king's behalf as David is forced to leave the capital with Absalom advancing. David commands Abiathar and Zadok to remain with the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem together with their sons, confidence that God will guide and protect them. The two priests also bring their sons with them back into the city, to act as trusted messengers and spies for David.

Near the end of David's life, however, Abiathar found himself on the wrong side of the succession struggle. He backed Adonijah, David's son by his wife Haggith, while Zadok and the prophet Nathan backed Solomon. Abiathar sought divine approval for Adonijah's kingship by sacrificing sheep, cattle and fattened calves on his behalf. When these ceremonies were brought to David's attention by Nathan and Bathsheba, David immediate appointed Solomon as his successor and had him declared the true king. Still consuming the sacred feast marking his own supposed rise to the throne, Adonijah is brought the bad news by Abiathar's son Jonathan.

For his part in the conspiracy, Abiathar is removed from the priesthood and sent to his family home: "Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and shared all my father's hardships."

Adonijah and Joab, however, would soon be put to death by Solomon's henchman Benaiah.

The priesthood after Abiathar

Abiathar's deposition was the sole historical instance of the ouster of a Israelite high priest. It also brought to an end the priestly dynasty of Eli, which had begun at Shiloh dating back before the birth of Samuel. The priesthood thus passed from the house of Ithamar (1 Sam. 2:30-36; 1 Kings 1:19; 2:26, 27). Zadok now became sole high priest.

In Mark 2:26, reference is made to an occurrence in "the days of Abiathar the high priest." But from 1 Sam. 22, we learn explicitly that this event took place when Achimelech, the father of Abiathar, was high priest. The apparent discrepancy is satisfactorily explained by interpreting the words in Mark as referring to the life-time of Abiathar, and not to the term of his holding the office of high priest. It is not implied in Mark that he was actual high priest at the time referred to. Others, however, think that the loaves belonged to Abiathar, who was at that time (Lev. 24:9) a priest, and that he either himself gave them to David, or persuaded his father to give them. In 2 Sam. viii. 17 Abiathar, the son of Achimelech should be read, with the Syriac, for Achimelech, the son of Abiathar. For a similar confusion see Gospel of Mark ii. 26.

Preceded by: Ahimelech	High Priest of Israel	Succeeded by: Zadok

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This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

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@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 <blockquote>David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. (2 Samuel 6:14-15)</blockquote>
+===Abiathar as high priest===
+In describing David's consolidation of power after defeating several foreign enemies 2 Samuel identifies Abiathar as one of the official priests appointed by David, along with Zadok and perhaps others. Abiathar remained loyal to David during [[Absalom]]'s rebellion, and it he who offers sacrifices on the king's behalf as David is forced to leave the capital with Absalom advancing. David commands Abiathar and Zadok to remain with the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem together with their sons, confidence that God will guide and protect them. The two priests also bring their sons with them back into the city, to act as trusted messengers and spies for David.
+Near the end of David's life, however, Abiathar found himself on the wrong side of the succession struggle. He backed [[Adonijah]], David's son by his wife Haggith, while Zadok and the prophet [[Nathan]] backed Solomon. Abiathar sought divine approval for Adonijah's kingship by sacrificing sheep, cattle and fattened calves on his behalf. When these ceremonies were brought to David's attention by Nathan and Bathsheba, David immediate appointed Solomon as his successor and had him declared the true king. Still consuming the sacred feast marking his own supposed rise to the throne, Adonijah is brought the bad news by Abiathar's son Jonathan.
+For his part in the conspiracy, Abiathar is removed from the priesthood and sent to his family home: "Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and shared all my father's hardships."
+Adonijah and Joab, however, would soon be put to death by Solomon's henchman [[Benaiah]].
+===The priesthood after Abiathar===
+Abiathar's deposition was the sole historical instance of the ouster of a Israelite high priest. It also brought to an end the priestly dynasty of [[Eli]], which had begun at Shiloh dating back before the birth of [[Samuel]]. The priesthood thus passed from the house of Ithamar (1 Sam. 2:30-36; 1 Kings 1:19; 2:26, 27). Zadok now became sole high priest.
+In Mark 2:26, reference is made to an occurrence in "the days of Abiathar the high priest." But from 1 Sam. 22, we learn explicitly that this event took place when Achimelech, the father of Abiathar, was high priest. The apparent discrepancy is satisfactorily explained by interpreting the words in Mark as referring to the life-time of Abiathar, and not to the term of his holding the office of high priest. It is not implied in Mark that he was actual high priest at the time referred to. Others, however, think that the loaves belonged to Abiathar, who was at that time (Lev. 24:9) a priest, and that he either himself gave them to David, or persuaded his father to give them.
-taking with him the [[ephod]] (1 Sam. xxii. 20 f., xxiii. 6, 9).
-When his father was slain with the priests of Nob, he escaped, and bearing with him the [[ephod]], he joined David, who was then in the cave of [[Adullam]] (1 Sam. 22:20-23; 23:6). He remained with David, and became priest of the party of which he was the leader (1 Sam. 30:7).
-Meanwhile Zadok, of the house of Eleazar, had been made high priest.
-These appointments continued in force till the end of David's reign (1 Kings 4:4). Abiathar was deposed (the sole historical instance of the deposition of a high priest) and banished to his home at Anathoth by Solomon, because he took part in the attempt to raise Adonijah to the throne. The priesthood thus passed from the house of Ithamar (1 Sam. 2:30-36; 1 Kings 1:19; 2:26, 27). Zadok now became sole high priest. In Mark 2:26, reference is made to an occurrence in "the days of Abiathar the high priest." But from 1 Sam. 22, we learn explicitly that this event took place when Achimelech, the father of Abiathar, was high priest. The apparent discrepancy is satisfactorily explained by interpreting the words in Mark as referring to the life-time of Abiathar, and not to the term of his holding the office of high priest. It is not implied in Mark that he was actual high priest at the time referred to. Others, however, think that the loaves belonged to Abiathar, who was at that time (Lev. 24:9) a priest, and that he either himself gave them to David, or persuaded his father to give them.
 In 2 Sam. viii. 17 ''Abiathar, the son of Achimelech'' should be read, with the Syriac, for ''Achimelech, the son of Abiathar.'' For a similar confusion see [[Gospel of Mark]] ii. 26.