2 Samuel 8:17

17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah ^[a] was the scribe;

2 Samuel 8:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 8:17

And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of
Abiathar, [were] the priests
Not high priests, as Josephus ^F9 suggests, for there was only one high priest at a time; indeed there was a "sagan", or deputy priest, on occasion; and so Abarbinel says that Zadok was the high priest, and Ahimelech his second or deputy; but the truth of the case was this, Abiathar was high priest only, and continued so until the time of Solomon, when he was thrust out of his office, and Zadok put into it; and Ahimelech his son and Zadok were the principal priests under him, the one of the family of Ithamar, the other of Eleazar; so the Targum on ( 1 Chronicles 18:16 ) calls them "sagans", or deputies of the high priesthood. Zadok is mentioned first, though Ahimelech was the son of the present high priest, because he was in great favour with David, as afterwards with Solomon, in whose days the high priesthood was translated to him; the family of Eli being now upon the decline, and near being removed from the high priesthood, as was foretold by Samuel it should:

and Seraiah [was] the scribe;
or secretary of state; in ( 1 Chronicles 18:16 ) he is called Shavsha; he seems to have had two names.

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FOOTNOTES:

F9 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5.) sect. 4.

2 Samuel 8:17 In-Context

15 Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people:

16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;

17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was the scribe;

18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priestly leaders.

Footnotes

• [a] Seraiah is also called Sheva, Shisha, and Shavsha; see 2 Samuel 20:25, 1 Kings 4:3, and 1 Chronicles 18:16.