Abiathar

Abiathar (Hebrew: אֶבְיָתָר ʾEḇyāṯār, "father (of) abundance"/"abundant father"),[1] in the Hebrew Bible, is a son of Ahimelech or Ahijah, High Priest at Nob,[2] the fourth in descent from Eli[3] and the last of Eli's House to be a High Priest.

[9] When David ascended the throne of Judah, Abiathar was appointed High Priest[10] and the "king's counselor".

The rescue of the chief priest Abiathar, in the massacre of the priests of Nob ordered by Saul, was fortunate for the house of David; for if he had lost his life, David's descendants would through divine retaliation have been entirely wiped out of existence at the hands of Athaliah.

Abiathar retained the office until he was deserted by the Holy Spirit, without which the high priest could not successfully consult the Urim and Thummim.

[6] When David, on his flight from Absalom, recognized this loss in Abiathar, he felt compelled to put Zadok in his place.