Ahimelech.

January 26, 2019

The example of David (Lk 6:4-6:4)

“David entered

The house of God.

He took

The bread of the Presence.

He ate it.

This was not lawful

For anyone,

But the priests

To eat.

He also gave some

To his companions.’”

 

ὡς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως λαβὼν ἔφαγεν καὶ ἔδωκεν τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ, οὓς οὐκ ἔξεστιν φαγεῖν εἰ μὴ μόνους τοὺς ἱερεῖς;

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that David entered the house of God (ὡς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ).  He took (λαβὼν) the show bread of the Presence (καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως) and ate it (ἔφαγεν).  He also gave some to his companions (καὶ ἔδωκεν τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ).  However, this was not lawful for them to eat it (οὓς οὐκ ἔξεστιν φαγεῖν), since it was only for the priests (εἰ μὴ μόνους τοὺς ἱερεῖς).  Matthew, chapter 12:4, and Mark, chapter 2:26, are similar to Luke, so that perhaps Mark may be the origin of this saying of Jesus.  Jesus cited the example of David in 1 Samuel, chapter 21:1-6.  Luke did not mention some of the incorrect details about the high priest that were in Mark and Matthew.  In 1 Samuel, David went to the Levite town of Nob, not the house of God as mentioned here.  There Ahimelech was the high priest, not Abiathar as Mark and Matthew indicated.  David said that he was hungry and needed bread for himself and his men.  However, they only had consecrated holy bread for the sacrifices, not common bread.  This showbread, the bread of the Presence, was 12 loaves or cakes of bread that was replaced weekly in the holy place in the Temple that symbolized communion with God.  Either he took it or the priest then gave him the holy bread anyway.  He and his companions ate the bread of the Presence or sacred Levite bread.  However, it was not lawful for them to eat it, because only the Levite priests were allowed to eat this sacred bread.  Thus, Jesus used this example of David to answer the Pharisees, although there are some discrepancies in this story about David.

August 23, 2018

David and the holy bread (Mk 2:25-2:26)

“Jesus said to them.

‘Have you never read

What David did

When he with his companions

Were hungry,

In need of food.

He entered

The house of God,

When Abiathar

Was high priest.

He ate the bread

Of the Presence,

Which it is not lawful,

For anyone but the priests to eat.

He gave some

To his companions.’”

 

καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν Δαυείδ, ὅτε χρείαν ἔσχεν καὶ ἐπείνασεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ;

πῶς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ Ἀβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγεν, οὓς οὐκ ἔξεστιν φαγεῖν εἰ μὴ τοὺς ἱερεῖς, καὶ ἔδωκεν καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ οὖσιν;

 

Matthew, chapter 12:25-26, and Luke, chapter 6:3-4, are similar to Mark, so that perhaps Mark is the origin of this saying of Jesus.  Jesus responded to the Pharisees by citing the example of David in 1 Samuel, chapter 21:1-6.  David went to the Levite town of Nob, not the house of God mentioned here.  There Ahimelech was the high priest, not Abiathar as indicated here.  David said that he needed bread for himself and his men.  Ahimelech responded that he only had consecrated holy bread for the sacrifices, not common bread.  That bread was for the Levites, but the priest then gave him the holy bread anyway.  Jesus said to the Pharisees (καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς).  He wanted to know if they had read the unnamed book of Samuel (Οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε).  That was when David and his companions were hungry (τί ἐποίησεν Δαυεὶδ ὅτε χρείαν ἔσχεν καὶ ἐπείνασεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ).  He entered the house of God (πῶς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ) when Abiathar was the high priest (ἐπὶ Ἀβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως).  He ate the bread of the Presence or sacred Levite bread (καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγον).  However, it was not lawful for him to eat it (οὓς οὐκ ἔξεστιν φαγεῖν).  Only the Levite priests were allowed to eat this sacred bread (εἰ μὴ τοῖς ἱερεῖς).  He even gave some of this holy bread to his companions who were with him (καὶ ἔδωκεν καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ οὖσιν).  The bread of the Presence were 12 loaves of bread in the holy place in the Temple that symbolized communion with God.  Thus, Jesus used the example of David to answer the Pharisees, although there are some discrepancies in this story about David.

April 21, 2018

The example of David (Mt 12:3-12:4)

“Jesus said to them.

‘Have you not read

What David did

When he was hungry?

His companions were hungry.

He entered

The house of God.

He ate the bread

Of the Presence,

Which it was not lawful

For him

Or his companions

To eat,

Since it was

Only for the priests.’”

 

ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν Δαυεὶδ ὅτε ἐπείνασεν καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ;

πῶς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγον, ὃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἦν αὐτῷ φαγεῖν οὐδὲ τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ, εἰ μὴ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν μόνοις;

 

 responded to the Pharisees by citing the example of David in 1 Samuel, chapter 21:1-6.  David went to the Levite town of Nob, where Ahimelech was the high priest.  David said that he needed bread for himself and his men.  Ahimelech responded that he only had consecrated holy bread for the sacrifices, not common bread.  That bread was for the Levites, but the priest then gave him the holy bread anyway.  This is similar to Mark, chapter 2:25-26, at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.  It is also the same as Luke, chapter 6:3-4.  Jesus said to the Pharisees (ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς).  He wanted to know if they had read the unnamed book of Samuel (Οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε). That was when David and his companions were hungry (τί ἐποίησεν Δαυεὶδ ὅτε ἐπείνασεν καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ).  He entered the house of God (πῶς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Θεοῦ).  He ate the bread of the Presence or sacred Levite bread (καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγον,).  However, it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat it (ὃ οὐκ ἐξὸν ἦν αὐτῷ φαγεῖν οὐδὲ τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ).  Only the Levite priests were allowed to eat this sacred bread (εἰ μὴ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν μόνοις).  The bread of the Presence were 12 loaves of bread in the holy place in the Temple that symbolized communion with God.  Thus, Jesus used the example of David to answer the Pharisees.

December 3, 2014

The other sons of Levi (1 Chr 24:20-24:31)

“The the rest of the sons of Levi and the sons of Amram includes Shubael. The son of Shubael was Jehdeiah. The son of Rehabiah was Isshiah the chief. Among the Izharites, the son of Shelomoth was Jahath. The sons of Hebron were Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. The son of Uzziel was Micah. The son of Micah was Shamir. The brother of Micah was Isshiah. The son of Isshiah was Zechariah. The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The son of Jaaziah was Beno. The sons of Merari from Jaaziah were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. Of the sons of Mahli was Eleazar, who had no sons. The son of Kish was Jerahmeel. The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites according to their ancestral houses. These also cast lots, corresponding to their kindred, the descendents of Aaron, in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the ancestral houses of the priests and of the Levites, the chief as well as the younger brother.”

This is an odd supplementary list since it had some of the same names listed above but others are added. This list combines the 4 sons of Kohath with the 2 sons of Merari, but leaves out the sons of Gershom, for no apparent reason. Is this a slight against Gershom or a put down for the Kohathites and Merarites? It starts out with the comment of “the rest of the sons of Levi” as if they did not count as much as those listed above. Amram, the 1st son of Kohath had a son named Shubael. If this was Amram, the son of Kohath, then this Shubael would be the brother or step-brother of Moses and Aaron. A man with the same name is listed in the Gershom lineage and later as a son of Heman, the cantor. There is one other Jehdeiah, who is a herdsman for David. Rehabiah was a son of Eliezer, who was the son of Moses who had many children in the preceding chapter. So maybe this connection to Moses of Shubael is not that strange. There are 3 other people with the name of Isshiah, mostly Levites. In fact, there is one that is the son of Rehabiah, and the other is the son of Uzziel, the brother of Micah, and father of Zechariah. This Shelomoth was either a son of Izhar, the 2nd son of Kohath, a Gershonite, or a son of Eliezer, the son of Moses. A person with the name of Jahath appears in all 3 Levite families, the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites, but here he is the son of a Kohathite. Hebron, the 3rd  son of Kohath also had 4 sons. Jeriah the chief is only mentioned 3 times here in 1 Chronicles. There are 8 different people with the name of Amariah, mostly Levites, while 5 people had the name of Jahaziel. Jekameam is only mentioned 2 times here in 1 Chronicles. The 4th son of Kohath was Uzziel whose son was Micah, the same name as the prophet Micah. Jaaziah is apparently the son of Merari, but he is never listed besides the 2 sons of Merari, Mahli and Mushi. His name only appears 2 times here in 1 Chronicles, the same as his 4 sons, Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. This Eleazar, son of Mahli, had no sons. Mahli had the same name as his uncle. Eder was the name of a place, while there are 8 other people with the name of Jerimoth. All these people cast lots at the time of King David.

December 2, 2014

The duties of the priests (1 Chr 24:1-24:6)

“The divisions of the descendents of Aaron were these. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. But Nadab and Abihu died before their father. They had no sons. Thus Eleazar and Ithamar became the priests. Along with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, King David organized them according to the appointed duties in their service. Since more chief men were found among the sons of Eleazar than among the sons of Ithamar, they organized them under sixteen heads of ancestral houses of the sons of Eleazar, and eight of the sons of Ithamar. They organized them by lot, all alike, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar. The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded them in the presence of the king, the officers, Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of the ancestral houses of the priests and of the Levites. One ancestral house was chosen for Eleazar and one chosen for Ithamar.”

The priests seem to be sons of Aaron. They are listed separately from the Levites. This beginning is loosely based on Numbers, chapter 3. Aaron had 4 sons. 2 died, Nadab and Abihu, without children when they presented unholy fire before Yahweh as mentioned in Leviticus, chapter 10. However, the other 2, Eleazar and Ithamar, served as priests with their father Aaron. This biblical chronicler makes Eleazar more important than Ithamar, when the other writings have Ithamar as the high priest. They were organized by lot. This seems to be the common way that things happened. The father of Zadok was made high priest by Saul after the extermination of the family of Ahimelech in 2 Samuel, chapter 8. This Zadok was the trusted priest friend of King David, who helped to put Solomon on the throne. This Ahimelech was the grandson of the slain Ahimelech. Although there are over 18 people with the name of Shemaiah, many of them Levites, this son of Nethanel was the scribe and recorder for David.

November 28, 2014

King David’s officers (1 Chr 18:14-18:17)

“King David reigned over all Israel. He administered justice and equity to all his people. Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder. Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests. Seraiah was the secretary. Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites. King David’s sons were the chief officials in the service of the king.”

Once again, this biblical chronicler is following 2 Samuel, chapter 8. King David was the king who was just and fair to all the people of Israel. Joab, King David’s nephew and son of his sister Zeruiah, was in charge of the army. This is the same guy who killed Abner that King David was so upset about. King David’s sons were not the priests as in 2 Samuel, but the chief officials in the service of the king, which makes more sense. This Jehoshaphat, the recorder or annalist of court events, is not the same as the later king (870-848 BCE), but they share the same name. There are a few biblical people with the same name of Zadok, but this one was the high priest during the time of King David.   Abiathar was the friendly Levite that accompanied King David in his travels after the disaster at Nob from 1 Samuel, chapter 22. He too was a high priest. However, this text says that Ahimelech his son was the high priest. Either this is a mistake by this biblical author or he may have been the son of Abiathar and the grandson of Ahimelech. There were at least 11 biblical figures with the name Seraiah. This Seraiah was the recording secretary for King David. Benaiah, whose father had been a high priest, was in charge of the Cherethites and the Pelethites, who were like body guards, executioners or messengers. These Cherethites and Pelethites may have been captured Philistines.

June 25, 2014

David at Nob (1 Sam 21:1-21:9)

“David came to Nob to the priest Ahimelech. Ahimelech came trembling to meet David. He said to him. ‘Why are you alone, and no one with you?’ David said to Ahimelech the priest. ‘The king has charged me with a matter, and said to me. No one must know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you. I have made an appointment with the young men for such and such a place. Now then, what have you at hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here.’ The priest answered David. ‘I have no ordinary bread at hand, only holy bread. However, the young men must have kept themselves from women.’ David answered the priest. ‘Indeed women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition. The vessels of the young men are holy even when it is a common journey. How much more today will their vessels be holy?’ So the priest gave him the holy bread. There was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before Yahweh, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.”

David went to Nob near Jerusalem. David went to Ahimelech, apparently the high priest in this Levite town. Ahimelech was afraid and wanted to know what he was doing there all alone. David said that he was on a secret mission for the king and that he was going to meet some men. He did not tell him that he was fleeing from Saul. However, he needed bread for himself and his men. The problem is that there were no men with him since he was alone. Ahimelech responded that he only had consecrated holy bread for the sacrifices, not common bread. That bread was for the Levites, but if they were not with women, it would be okay. The priest then gave him the holy bread.

“Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Yahweh. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s shepherds. David said to Ahimelech. ‘Is there no spear or sword here with you? I did not bring my sword or my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.’ The priest said. ‘The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it, for there is none except that one.’ David said. ‘There is none like that. Give it to me.’”  

There was one of Saul’s servants named Doeg in Nob also. David was unarmed and alone. He had lied to Ahimelech the priest about the secret mission and the men he was supposed to be meeting. Now he wanted a sword, but the only sword in town was the dead Goliath’s sword. David said that this would be okay and asked for it.