Why are Ahimelech and Abiathar reversed in 2 Sam. 8:17?
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I have a list of alleged Biblical contradictions that contains this question.
We must first attempt to establish a reference point in time for these verses.
- 1 Samuel 22:20-23 occurred before David ascended to the throne. King Saul was then in pursuit of David, and had recently ordered the deaths of 85 priests, after accusing them of treason [1 Samuel 22:17, 18]. Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, was one who had escaped death.
- 2 Samuel 8:17 occurred at least 7 1/2 years into David's forty-year reign [2 Samuel 5:4].
- 2 Samuel 5:5: David reigned over Judah in Hebron 7 1/2 years; then 33 years over all Israel in Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 8 was during his [early?] reign in Jerusalem.
Next, we must attempt to identify these men.
"Ahimelech" was a name given to at least two men that David knew:
- The first was identified as a priest in 1 Samuel 22:20-23.
- The second was identified in 1 Samuel 26:6 as "Ahimelech the Hittite."
- Though possessing the same name, these are clearly not the same person.
What, then, of the third Ahimelech, in 2 Samuel 8:17?
- We know he was a priest; apparently, he was much more.
- Zadok was not only a priest in David's reign; he was the High Priest--the lineage can be verified in Ezra 7:1-5.
- This Ahimelech was apparently a co-High Priest; he is paired with Zadok several other times in Scripture: 2 Samuel 15:24, 29, 35; 17:15; 19:11; 20:25.
- He must have died early in Solomon's reign; in 1 Kings 4:4, we read of "Zadok and Abiathar" as priests.
- We know he was a priest; apparently, he was much more.
I conclude, though "Ahimelech" and "Abiathar" are named in both passages, they are not the same two men in both passages. Therefore, there is no contradiction.
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