I have never been to war, but I am told that there is no comradery like that between ‘brothers in arms’. Such was the friendship between David and Abiathar. Their friendship was forged in the heat of battle.

It began when David came to the ‘City of the priests’, Nob [1 Samuel 22:19]. The ark was presumably still at Shiloh (although maybe not), but the priestly duties rotated, so ‘off duty’ priests could go home to their own town. Seemingly, many chose Nob as the high Priest had done [ 1 Samuel 21:1].

Fleeing from Saul, David went to this city of the priests. David did not tell the high priest that he was fleeing from Saul but rather said he had a secret errand to do. He asked the high priest if there was any bread there that he could take for food. The priest said that there was only bread off the presence. This had been replaced by fresh bread and so the older bread was taken home by the priests. After testifying that his men had not touched women, and after enquiry of the Lord, David and his men were given the showbread. David was also given Goliath’s sword by the high priest Ahimelech.

Doeg the Edomite witnessed all this and reported it to Saul. Saul was enraged and ordered the slaughter of all the inhabitants of Nob. Some eighty-five priests and all the other inhabitants of Nob, all women and children and livestock were killed. Only Ahimelech’s son Abiathar escaped to tell David of the slaughter. So began the bond between David and Abiathar. “Stay with me, fear not; for he that seeks my life seeks your life; with me you shall be in safekeeping.” [1 Samuel 22:23]. So, David and Abiatha begin a life on the run from Saul. The bond grows.

Abiathar remained a faithful priest to David, bringing him a linen ephod each time David need to enquire of the Lord. [ 1 Samuel 23:6-9, 30:7].

Abiathar had every reason to now stay with David. He would be safe from Saul’s vengeance and be protected by David. “17 and Zadok the son of Ahi′tub and Ahim′elech the son of Abi′athar (probably should be Abiathar the son of Ahimelech) were priests” [2 Samuel 8:17].

This is the first instance of another priest, Zadok, being appointed.

By time we get to the Absalom revolt, it appears that David places Zadok in charge. In David’s instructions in 2 Samuel 15: 24-29, Zadok’s name appears before Abiathar’s and it is Zadok who gets the commands regarding the ark. I wonder if Abiathar had an inkling of what was coming?

1 Chronicles 24:3-6 tells us that Zadok’s lineage came through Eliazar the son of Aaron and that Abiathar came through Ithamar via Eli. Eli was told [1 Samuel 2:32-36] that his priestly line would cease and go to another. Abiathar would be aware of this – did he see this coming and unfolding in Zadok? Did Abiathar know that, as a descendant of Eli, he must lose the priesthood?

Now, Absalom revolts. David is forced out of Jerusalem. The priest Zadok was carrying the ark as they left Jerusalem, but David instructed Zadok and Abiathar to take the ark back to Jerusalem, which they did. Then David asked both priests to remain in Jerusalem, with their sons [2 Samuel 15:24-29]. David asked the Gittite Hushai to ingratiate himself to Absalom and to gain any intelligence he could. Any information was to be sent to David, outside Jerusalem, via the two sons of the priests [2 Samuel 15: 35-36].

The sons of Zadok and Abiathar, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, now act as couriers to David [2 Samuel 17:17].

But, here is a curios thing. After the Battle in which Absalom is slain – only Ahimaaz son of Zadok is around to tell David the news of the battle [2 Sam 18:19-30]. Where was Abiathar’s son?

Fast forward eight years, and Adonijah rebels against Solomon. Adonijah proclaims himself King, and he surrounds himself with his trusted men, Joab and Abiathar. These men proclaim Adonijah as king while David is yet alive. An act of treachery.

Zadok remains faithful to David and Abiathar joins the rebellion. Adonijah suspected that Abiathar would help in the coup, and so he is invited to the celebration party. [1 Kings 1:25]. The first act of Solomon is the banish the traitors

One of the first acts of Solomon’s reign was to banish the traitor [1 Kings 2:26-28]. But, notice what softened Solomon’s judgement. 26 …. you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because you shared in all the affliction of my father.”

Solomon recognized that David and Abithar were ‘brother in arms’ and so the judgement was lessened.

What drove the breakdown in the relationship between David and Abiathar? We can only speculate, but probably it was the fact that Abiathar felt that as a descendant of Eli he would lose the high priest role. David appointing Zadock reinforced this threat.

How different it might have been if Abiahtar had recognised that all he had to do was remain faithful to David and to God and the prophecy may have been changed as it was in other cases many times before. Or even if the prophecy was not changed, he could still have remained a faithful friend to David and shared in the priesthood of Zadock.

But again, it’s jealousy and anger that marred such a beautiful relationship.