High Priest Ahimelech

Ahimelech (Hebrew for “my brother is king”) was the great-grandson of Eli and the father of Abiathar the high priest. Ahimelech was the 12th high priest and lived in Nob. David and his men fled there while being pursued by Saul. Ahimelech trembled as he came out to meet David and offered to help him, giving him five loaves of the consecrated bread and Goliath’s sword as a protective weapon.

After Saul was tipped off by Doeg the Edomite, he pursued David to Nob. King Saul ordered his guards to kill Ahimelech’s entire family and the other priests of the Lord in the city, but his officials refused. The king then ordered Doeg to kill the priests. Doeg the Edomite went and killed 85 priests who wore the linen ephod. He also put the city of Nob, the city of the priests, to the sword, killing men, women, children, infants, cattle, sheep, and donkeys. Only Ahimelech’s son, Abiathar, escaped. David later wrote Psalm 52, which recounts Doeg’s monstrous sin. Jesus also referred to this experience of David and Ahimelech (Matthew 12:3-4; Mark 2:25-26; Luke 6:3-4).