Who was Ahitub in the Bible?
Priest, during the united monarchy
Ahitub is mentioned as the father of Zadok, one of the prominent priests who served during the reign of King David. Zadok, along with Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, is listed among David's chief officials. Ahitub appears in 9 verses across 3 books of the Bible.
The Bible uses the name Ahitub for 2 different people. All 2 are below, each with its own passages.
Ahitub in 1 Chronicles
Ahitub is mentioned as the father of Zadok, one of the prominent priests who served during the reign of King David. Zadok, along with Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, is listed among David's chief officials. (2Sa.8.17; 1Ch.18.16) In the genealogy of the Levites, specifically the line of Eleazar, Ahitub is listed as the son of Amariah and the father of Zadok. (1Ch.6.7,8,52) This genealogy establishes Zadok's priestly lineage and his rightful place in the service of the tabernacle and, later, the temple. Zadok played a significant role in David's reign, remaining loyal to him during Absalom's rebellion. (2Sa.15.24-29) He also supported Solomon's claim to the throne and anointed him as king. (1Ki.1.32-40) Although little is recorded about Ahitub himself, his importance lies in his position as the father of Zadok, ensuring the continuity of the priestly line and the faithful service of his son during a crucial period in Israel's history.
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.
Ahitub, father of Ahimelech
Ahitub was the father of Ahimelech, who served as the priest at Nob during the reign of King Saul. Ahitub's other son, Ahijah, also served as a priest and wore an ephod, indicating his priestly role. (1Sa.14.3). He is not specifically named as a High Priest but he is the gradson of High Priest Eli and father of High Priest Ahimelech. When David fled from Saul, he came to Ahimelech at Nob seeking help. Ahimelech provided David with the consecrated bread and the sword of Goliath. (1Sa.21.1-9) However, Doeg the Edomite, one of Saul's servants, witnessed this interaction and reported it to Saul. (1Sa.22.9-10). Saul summoned Ahimelech and the other priests, accusing them of conspiring with David against him. Despite Ahimelech's defense of his actions, Saul ordered the execution of the priests. Doeg carried out the order, killing Ahimelech, along with eighty-four other priests who were from the family of Ahitub. (1Sa.22.11-19) Only Abiathar, Ahimelech's son, escaped the massacre and fled to David, bringing with him the ephod. (1Sa.22.20-23) The tragedy that befell Ahitub's family highlights the tension between Saul and David and the consequences faced by those caught in the middle of their conflict.
4 verses: 1 Samuel 14:3, 1 Samuel 22:11, 1 Samuel 22:12, 1 Samuel 22:20
Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.
Where does Ahitub appear in the Bible?
Ahitub is referenced in 9 verses across 3 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.
- 1 Chronicles 6:7
- 1 Chronicles 6:8
- 1 Chronicles 6:52
- 1 Chronicles 18:16
- 2 Samuel 8:17
Showing the first 5 of 9.
Open all 9 references in ProtosWhat else appears in these passages?
These turn up in the same passages as Ahitub.
Common questions
How many people in the Bible are called Ahitub?
Ahitub refers to 2 different people in the Bible: Ahitub in 1 Chronicles; Ahitub, father of Ahimelech.
How many times does the Bible mention Ahitub?
Ahitub appears in 9 verses across 3 books, most often in 1 Chronicles, which accounts for 4 of them.
Which books of the Bible mention Ahitub?
1 Chronicles, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel.
Where can I read every verse about Ahitub?
This page lists 5 of them. Protos carries all 9, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.
