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'''Abiathar''' ([[Hebrew]] '''אֶבְיָתָ֑ר''', father of abundance) (fl. 2940AM–2989 AM) was the eleventh [[High Priest]] of [[Israel]] and the one high priest mentioned in the [[Bible]] who lost his job for political reasons. His is a tragic story of a once highly favored public servant who stepped onto the wrong side of history and paid dearly for that misstep.<ref name=light>"[http://www.lightoflife.com/light_of_life_Persons_ABIATHAR.htm Abiathar]," ''Light of Life'', n.d. Accessed January 7, 2009</ref><ref name=Konig>Konig G and Konig R, "[http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/p193.htm Abiathar]," AboutBibleProphecy.com, n.d. Accessed January 7, 2009.</ref><ref name=Easton>Easton M, "[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/easton/ebd2.html?term=Abiathar]," ''Easton's Bible Dictionary''. Cited in Christian Classics Ethereal Library, July 13, 2005. Accessed January 7, 2009.</ref><ref name=Kent>Kent CF and Ginzberg L, "[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=265&letter=A Abiathar]," ''The Jewish Encyclopedia'', 1906. Accessed January 7, 2009.</ref>
== Family ==
Abiathar was a descendant of [[Eli]] and the last high priest of the line of [[Ithamar]]. His father was [[Ahimelech I]], whom [[Saul]] executed for treason after he had given food and weapons to [[David]] during the civil war between them.
== Priest in exile ==
In the spring of 2940 AM (1064 BC), Doeg the Edomite executed eighty-five priests and the entire population of [[Nob]], including [[Ahimelech I]], the high priest. But Abiathar escaped that slaughter and joined [[David]]. He brought with him the [[sacerdotal garments]], including the [[ephod]], the [[breastplate of judgment]], and the [[Urim and Thummim]], so that he could inquire of [[God]] on behalf of David when needed.
David welcomed Abiathar and even told him how sorry he was that he (David) had caused the deaths of everyone in Ahimelech's household.<ref name=light/><ref name=Konig/><ref name=Easton/><ref name=Kent/> ({{Bible ref|book=1_Samuel|chap=22|verses=20-23}})
Almost immediately David called on Abiathar to inquire of God—twice— about going into combat. David had heard that the [[Philistines]] had laid siege to the town of Keilah. David wanted to know whether he ought to march to Keilah to raise the siege. Abiathar made the inquiry, and the answer was yes. Then David's men expressed their fear that Saul's army was formidable enough, and Philistines might be worse. Again Abiathar made the inquiry, and again God said that David should fight the Philistines, and that he would win.<ref name=light/>
David did win that battle, and he and his men stayed in Keilah. Then David heard that Saul was marching to Keilah himself in pursuit of David. David asked Abiathar's help again in inquiring of God, and God told David that if he stayed, the men of Keilah would surrender him to Saul. So David and his men, including Abiathar, left the city and camped in the hills of Ziph. ({{Bible ref|book=1_Samuel|chap=23}})
== Ziklag ==
Eventually David sought asylum from King [[Achish]], one of the Five Lords of the [[Philistines]]. Achish assigned David the city of [[Ziklag]]. Then in 2949 AM, while David and his army were abroad, [[Amalek]]ites attacked Ziklag, burned it to the ground, and took many people captive, including two of David's wives and the wives of several of his men. David asked Abiathar to inquire of God whether to pursue the Amalekites. God said yes. So David took four hundred of his men, caught up with the raiding party, killed the raiders, rescued their hostages, and recovered all the spoil that they had taken.<ref name=light/> ({{Bible ref|book=1_Samuel|chap=30}})
== Hebron ==
Two days later, Saul and his three elder sons died in the Battle of [[Gilboa]]. David heard of this from an Amalekite who had escaped the battlefield. The Amalekite said that he personally had killed Saul, so David had him summarily executed. ({{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=1}})
A few days later Abiathar helped David ask God whether he should march toward a city of the [[tribe of Judah]]. God named [[Hebron]], and David marched to that city. The city fathers welcomed him, and the tribal elders came and anointed him as their king.<ref name=Easton/> ({{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=2}})
== Jerusalem ==
Seven and a half years later, King [[Ishbosheth]], Saul's successor, was assassinated. David now became king of the [[United Kingdom of Israel]]. David marched to [[Jerusalem]], infiltrated its [[water]] tunnel, and took it over in a bloody battle. Jerusalem now became the capital city of Israel. ({{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=5}})
David now ordered the [[ark of the covenant]] brought to Jerusalem. The first attempt to bring it, by placing it in a cart, ended in tragedy when a man touched it out of turn. Three months later, David had the ark hand-carried into the city, which was the proper procedure. ({{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=6}})
Abiathar remained as high priest throughout David's reign.<ref name=Konig/> When [[Absalom]] revolted against David, Abiathar remained loyal. Once, he and [[Zadok (high priest)|Zadok]] brought the ark out of Jerusalem after David fled the city. David ordered Abiathar and Zadok to return the ark to Jerusalem and remain there, because David was confident that God would restore David to his throne.<ref name=light/><ref name=Konig/><ref name=Kent/> ({{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=15|verses=24-29}})
== Adonijah ==
Toward the end of David's life, Abiathar made the mistake that cost him his career. He took the side of [[Adonijah]], one of the sons of David, against [[Solomon]], another son of David and David's chosen successor. To demonstrate this, Abiathar sacrificed many [[ox]]en and fatlings and [[sheep]].<ref name=light/> King David was old and ill at the time, but was still able to issue orders. He ordered [[Nathan]] and [[Zadok (high priest)|Zadok]] and another trusted servant, Benaiah, to anoint Solomon as his [[viceroy]]. Jonathan, one of Abiathar's two named sons, brought the news to Abiathar and Adonijah. Adonijah promptly abandoned his bid for the throne and abased himself before Solomon. ({{Bible ref|book=1_Kings|chap=1}})
But later Adonijah asked Solomon for permission to marry [[Abishag]], the last concubine of David. Solomon then suspected that Adonijah was making another bid for the throne, and had Adonijah executed. He then removed Abiathar as high priest and conferred that honor upon his colleague Zadok. But Solomon did not have Abiathar executed; instead he banished him to his village of [[Anathoth]], a village in [[tribe of Benjamin|Benjamite]] territory that had been set aside for the [[Aaron]]ids.<ref name=light/><ref name=Konig/><ref name=Easton/><ref name=Kent/> ({{Bible ref|book=1_Kings|chap=2|verses=26-27}})
Many scholars interpret certain passages (e.g. {{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=8|verses=17}}) as suggesting that Abiathar and Zadok served jointly as high priests, and even that the names of Abiathar and Ahimelech were transposed.<ref name=light/><ref name=Konig/><ref name=Easton/> A transposition would be highly unlikely to escape detection in the meticulous cross-checking of every manuscript during copying (see [[Biblical Inerrancy]]). Moreover the Bible gives no definite evidence that Zadok was actually high priest before Solomon removed Abiathar from that office.
== New Testament reference ==
[[Jesus Christ]] said that "during the days of Abiathar," David had been given leftover [[showbread]] to eat, though only priests were allowed to eat showbread. ({{Bible ref|book=Matthew|chap=12|verses=1-8}}) Most scholars have determined that "the days of Abiathar" referred to the lifetime of Abiathar and not his career.<ref name=light/>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== See also ==
* [[Eli]]
* [[Saul]]
* [[David]]
{{nb High Priest}}
== Family ==
Abiathar was a descendant of [[Eli]] and the last high priest of the line of [[Ithamar]]. His father was [[Ahimelech I]], whom [[Saul]] executed for treason after he had given food and weapons to [[David]] during the civil war between them.
== Priest in exile ==
In the spring of 2940 AM (1064 BC), Doeg the Edomite executed eighty-five priests and the entire population of [[Nob]], including [[Ahimelech I]], the high priest. But Abiathar escaped that slaughter and joined [[David]]. He brought with him the [[sacerdotal garments]], including the [[ephod]], the [[breastplate of judgment]], and the [[Urim and Thummim]], so that he could inquire of [[God]] on behalf of David when needed.
David welcomed Abiathar and even told him how sorry he was that he (David) had caused the deaths of everyone in Ahimelech's household.<ref name=light/><ref name=Konig/><ref name=Easton/><ref name=Kent/> ({{Bible ref|book=1_Samuel|chap=22|verses=20-23}})
Almost immediately David called on Abiathar to inquire of God—twice— about going into combat. David had heard that the [[Philistines]] had laid siege to the town of Keilah. David wanted to know whether he ought to march to Keilah to raise the siege. Abiathar made the inquiry, and the answer was yes. Then David's men expressed their fear that Saul's army was formidable enough, and Philistines might be worse. Again Abiathar made the inquiry, and again God said that David should fight the Philistines, and that he would win.<ref name=light/>
David did win that battle, and he and his men stayed in Keilah. Then David heard that Saul was marching to Keilah himself in pursuit of David. David asked Abiathar's help again in inquiring of God, and God told David that if he stayed, the men of Keilah would surrender him to Saul. So David and his men, including Abiathar, left the city and camped in the hills of Ziph. ({{Bible ref|book=1_Samuel|chap=23}})
== Ziklag ==
Eventually David sought asylum from King [[Achish]], one of the Five Lords of the [[Philistines]]. Achish assigned David the city of [[Ziklag]]. Then in 2949 AM, while David and his army were abroad, [[Amalek]]ites attacked Ziklag, burned it to the ground, and took many people captive, including two of David's wives and the wives of several of his men. David asked Abiathar to inquire of God whether to pursue the Amalekites. God said yes. So David took four hundred of his men, caught up with the raiding party, killed the raiders, rescued their hostages, and recovered all the spoil that they had taken.<ref name=light/> ({{Bible ref|book=1_Samuel|chap=30}})
== Hebron ==
Two days later, Saul and his three elder sons died in the Battle of [[Gilboa]]. David heard of this from an Amalekite who had escaped the battlefield. The Amalekite said that he personally had killed Saul, so David had him summarily executed. ({{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=1}})
A few days later Abiathar helped David ask God whether he should march toward a city of the [[tribe of Judah]]. God named [[Hebron]], and David marched to that city. The city fathers welcomed him, and the tribal elders came and anointed him as their king.<ref name=Easton/> ({{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=2}})
== Jerusalem ==
Seven and a half years later, King [[Ishbosheth]], Saul's successor, was assassinated. David now became king of the [[United Kingdom of Israel]]. David marched to [[Jerusalem]], infiltrated its [[water]] tunnel, and took it over in a bloody battle. Jerusalem now became the capital city of Israel. ({{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=5}})
David now ordered the [[ark of the covenant]] brought to Jerusalem. The first attempt to bring it, by placing it in a cart, ended in tragedy when a man touched it out of turn. Three months later, David had the ark hand-carried into the city, which was the proper procedure. ({{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=6}})
Abiathar remained as high priest throughout David's reign.<ref name=Konig/> When [[Absalom]] revolted against David, Abiathar remained loyal. Once, he and [[Zadok (high priest)|Zadok]] brought the ark out of Jerusalem after David fled the city. David ordered Abiathar and Zadok to return the ark to Jerusalem and remain there, because David was confident that God would restore David to his throne.<ref name=light/><ref name=Konig/><ref name=Kent/> ({{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=15|verses=24-29}})
== Adonijah ==
Toward the end of David's life, Abiathar made the mistake that cost him his career. He took the side of [[Adonijah]], one of the sons of David, against [[Solomon]], another son of David and David's chosen successor. To demonstrate this, Abiathar sacrificed many [[ox]]en and fatlings and [[sheep]].<ref name=light/> King David was old and ill at the time, but was still able to issue orders. He ordered [[Nathan]] and [[Zadok (high priest)|Zadok]] and another trusted servant, Benaiah, to anoint Solomon as his [[viceroy]]. Jonathan, one of Abiathar's two named sons, brought the news to Abiathar and Adonijah. Adonijah promptly abandoned his bid for the throne and abased himself before Solomon. ({{Bible ref|book=1_Kings|chap=1}})
But later Adonijah asked Solomon for permission to marry [[Abishag]], the last concubine of David. Solomon then suspected that Adonijah was making another bid for the throne, and had Adonijah executed. He then removed Abiathar as high priest and conferred that honor upon his colleague Zadok. But Solomon did not have Abiathar executed; instead he banished him to his village of [[Anathoth]], a village in [[tribe of Benjamin|Benjamite]] territory that had been set aside for the [[Aaron]]ids.<ref name=light/><ref name=Konig/><ref name=Easton/><ref name=Kent/> ({{Bible ref|book=1_Kings|chap=2|verses=26-27}})
Many scholars interpret certain passages (e.g. {{Bible ref|book=2_Samuel|chap=8|verses=17}}) as suggesting that Abiathar and Zadok served jointly as high priests, and even that the names of Abiathar and Ahimelech were transposed.<ref name=light/><ref name=Konig/><ref name=Easton/> A transposition would be highly unlikely to escape detection in the meticulous cross-checking of every manuscript during copying (see [[Biblical Inerrancy]]). Moreover the Bible gives no definite evidence that Zadok was actually high priest before Solomon removed Abiathar from that office.
== New Testament reference ==
[[Jesus Christ]] said that "during the days of Abiathar," David had been given leftover [[showbread]] to eat, though only priests were allowed to eat showbread. ({{Bible ref|book=Matthew|chap=12|verses=1-8}}) Most scholars have determined that "the days of Abiathar" referred to the lifetime of Abiathar and not his career.<ref name=light/>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== See also ==
* [[Eli]]
* [[Saul]]
* [[David]]
{{nb High Priest}}