ahimelechAhimelech or Amaleck is Hebrew for “Brother of Melek or Molech.” Moloch (representing Semitic מלך m-l-k, a Semitic root meaning “king”).

You will find several references to Ahimelech in the bible and also where he is referenced as a Hittite, a Levite and one of King David’s most trusted warriors. Ahimelech was the twelfth High Priest and one of “the thirty” of David’s body-guard (2 Sam. xxiii. 39;” 1 Chr. xi. 41). He had officiated at Nob, East of Jerusalem where he was visited by King David (to whom and his companions he gave five loaves of the showbread) when David fled from Saul (1 Sam. 21:1-9). Ahimelech was summoned into Saul’s presence, and accused, on the information of Doeg the Edomite, of disloyalty because of his kindness to David; whereupon the king commanded that he, with the other priests who stood beside him, 86 in all, should be slain with his family. This sentence was carried into execution by Doeg in the most cruel manner (1 Sam. 22:9-23).

This would officially make Ahimelech,“Brother of Molech” a martyr for the priesthood.

In 1 Chronicles 24:3, 1 Chronicles 24:6, 1 Chronicles 24:31, we find Ahimelech mentioned with Zadok as being descended from Aaron’s son Ithamar (Abiathar). The descendants of Aaron, who was the first kohen gadol, high priest, of Israel, were designated as the priestly class, the kohanim. The sons of Aaron were Eleazar, Ithamar, and Nadab and Abihu. Moses and his brother, Aaron, were also both Levites. Therefor that would mean Ahimelech was a Levite as well. This connection ties the Levites to the Hittites.

The descendants of Aaron: the Kohanim (“Priests”), had the special role as priests in the Tabernacle in the wilderness and also in the Temple in Jerusalem. Other notable descendants of the Levite dynasty (descendants of Aaron) according to the Bible include Miriam, Samuel, Ezekiel, Ezra, Malachi, John the Baptist, Mark the Evangelist, Matthew the Evangelist, and Barnabas. Hence, this is one of the most important tribes spoken of in the bible making with Ahimelech a very important priest as well.

1 Samuel 26:6  – David then asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?” “I’ll go with you,” said Abishai. We find Ahimelech in 1 Chronicles 24:6, “The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officials: Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites–one family being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar,” and also in 1 Chronicles 24:31, “They also cast lots, just as their brothers the descendants of Aaron did, in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.”

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