When Saul ordered the slaughter of Ahimelech and the other priests at Nob, only one person escaped, and that was Ahimelech’s son, Abiathar (1 Samuel 22:18-20). He joined David and the others who were fleeing from Saul, and acted as priest for them (1 Samuel 23:6; 1 Samuel 23:9; 1 Samuel 30:7).
Later, when David became king, Abiathar and another priest, Zadok, became part of David’s royal court (2 Samuel 8:17). At the time of Absalom’s rebellion, when David was forced to flee Jerusalem, the two priests stayed behind to become spies on David’s behalf (2 Samuel 15:24-29; 2 Samuel 15:35; 2 Samuel 19:11). At the time of Adonijah’s rebellion, however, the two took different sides, Abiathar supporting Adonijah, and Zadok supporting Solomon. Upon becoming king, Solomon promoted Zadok to chief priest, but sent Abiathar into exile (1 Kings 1:5-8; 1 Kings 1:43-45; 1 Kings 2:26; 1 Kings 2:35).