Illustration created for this project.
Abiathar
A priest who fled to David and shared his exile, later removed by Solomon.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 2
Scholarly — supported scholarly belief · 2
Family & lineage
Tribe & people
BibleOf the tribe of Levi.
1 Samuel 22:20
Life, role & deeds
ScholarlyMark 2:26 sets David's eating of the consecrated bread 'in the days of Abiathar the high priest,' whereas 1 Samuel 21 names his father Ahimelech as the officiating priest. This is one of the best-known text-critical and harmonization problems in Gospel scholarship, and some early manuscripts of Mark omit the phrase altogether.
New Testament textual/harmonization crux: Mark 2:26 vs. 1 Samuel 21:1-6; the qualifying clause is absent from part of the Markan manuscript tradition (e.g. D, W, and some Old Latin/Syriac witnesses).
Name & titles
ScholarlyAbiathar (Hebrew Evyatar, אֶבְיָתָר) means roughly 'the (divine) father gives abundantly' or 'father of abundance,' combining ʾab, 'father,' with the root y-t-r, 'to be plentiful / remain over.'
Onomastic analysis of Hebrew אֶבְיָתָר.
Where in scripture
1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings1 ChroniclesMark
1 Samuel 22:201 Samuel 22:211 Samuel 22:221 Samuel 23:61 Samuel 23:91 Samuel 30:72 Samuel 8:172 Samuel 15:242 Samuel 17:152 Samuel 19:112 Samuel 20:251 Kings 1:71 Kings 1:191 Kings 1:251 Kings 1:421 Kings 2:221 Kings 4:41 Chronicles 15:111 Chronicles 18:161 Chronicles 24:61 Chronicles 27:34Mark 2:26