Person Old Testament
Ahimelech
Also known as Ahimelech =ESV, KJV; Ahimelek =NIV
Ahimelech the Hittite was one of David's warriors who accompanied him to Saul's camp while Saul was pursuing David. Mentioned once in Scripture, at 1 Samuel 26:6.
Why it matters. Son of Ahitub, a Hittite warrior who joined David
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Ahimelech
Ahimelech the Hittite is briefly mentioned as one of the warriors who accompanied David when he infiltrated Saul's camp. During this time, Saul was pursuing David, seeking to kill him out of jealousy and fear for his own kingship. David, along with Ahimelech and Abishai, snuck into Saul's camp while Saul and his men were sleeping.
Abishai suggested killing Saul, but David refused, choosing to spare Saul's life as he was the Lord's anointed. Instead, David took Saul's spear and water jug, which were near Saul's head, and left the camp undetected. (1Sa.26.6-12)
Ahimelech's presence alongside David demonstrates his loyalty and support for the future king, even in the face of danger. As a Hittite, Ahimelech's allegiance to David also shows that David's followers came from various backgrounds, not just Israelites.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
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Appears in Scripture
Named in 1 verse across 1 book. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.
1 Samuel (1 verse)