¹¹ Then David summoned the priests, Zadok and Abiathar, and these Levite leaders: Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab.

²⁸ This also included Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 members of his family who were all officers.

³⁵ Then the king appointed Benaiah to command the army in place of Joab, and he installed Zadok the priest to take the place of Abiathar.

²⁰ Only Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, escaped and fled to David. ²¹ When he told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord, ²² David exclaimed, “I knew it! When I saw Doeg the Edomite there that day, I knew he was sure to tell Saul. Now I have caused the death of all your father’s family. ²³ Stay here with me, and don’t be afraid. I will protect you with my own life, for the same person wants to kill us both.”

¹⁶ Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech^[a] son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah^[b] was the court secretary.

²⁶ Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your home in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not kill you now, because you carried the Ark of the Sovereign Lord for David my father and you shared all his hardships.”

²⁵ Sheva was the court secretary. Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.

³⁵ Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there. Tell them about the plans being made in the king’s palace,

²⁴ Zadok and all the Levites also came along, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices^[a] until everyone had passed out of the city.

²⁵ Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city. “If the Lord sees fit,” David said, “he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle^[b] again. ²⁶ But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.”

²⁷ The king also told Zadok the priest, “Look,^[c] here is my plan. You and Abiathar^[d] should return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. ²⁸ I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River^[e] and wait there for a report from you.” ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to the city and stayed there.

¹⁷ Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary.