Ahimelech in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE

a-him'-e-lek ('achimelekh, "brother of a king," or, "my brother is king," or, "king is brother"): (1) The father of David's high priest Abiathar: son of Ahitub, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli (1 Sam 21:1,2,8; 22:9-20; 23:6; 30:7). Ahijah the son of Ahitub (1 Sam 14:3,18) was either the same person under another name, or was Ahimelech's father or brother. See AHIJAH, 3. Ahimelech is an interesting person, especially because he stands for whatever information we have concerning the priestly office in Israel during the period between Eli and David. Whether the Deuteronomic law for a central sanctuary originated with Moses or not, its provisions were very imperfectly carried out during the times of the Judges. This was particularly the case after the capture of the ark by the Philistines, and the deaths of Eli and his sons. From that time to the middle of the reign of David the ark was in the custody of the men of Kiriath-jearim "in the hill," or "in Gibeah" (1 Sam 7:1; 2 Sam 6:2,3). As a general proposition Israel "sought not unto it" (1 Ch 13:3), though there is nothing to forbid the idea that it may, on occasion, have been brought out from its seclusion (1 Sam 14:18). Before and after the accession of Saul some of the functions of the national sanctuary were transacted, of course very incompletely, at Gilgal (1 Sam 10:8; 11:14,15; 13:7 ff; 15:12,21,33). Whether there was a priesthood, with Ahitub the grandson of Eli as high priest, is a matter on which we have no information; but we may remind ourselves that the common assumption that such men as Samuel and Saul performed priestly offices is nothing but an assumption...

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