Achimelech

From the Catholic Encyclopedia

(1) The priest of Nobe who extended hospitality to David during his flight from the court of Saul. For this he was put to death, together with all the priests of Nobe, except Abiathar, his son, who escaped and joined David (I Kings 21-22).

(2) A Hethite, companion of the outlawed David (I Kings 26:6).

(3) There is an Achimelech spoken of (II Kings 8:17, and I Paralipomenon 18:16; 24:3, 6, 31), as a "son of Abiathar" and an associate of Sadoc in the priesthood. As this position is usually attributed to "Abiathar, son of Achimelech" it is thought that the reading "Achimelech, son of Abiathar" is due to an accidental transposition of the text of Kings, and that this transposition has affected the text of Paralipomenon.

(4) Name given to Achis, King of Geth, in the title of Psalm 33. Some texts have Abimelech.

W.S. REILLY