And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.
Zadok ... and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar. This statement, taken in connection with 1 Chronicles 24:6 is not a little perplexing, since (2 Samuel 15:24; 2 Samuel 15:35; 2 Samuel 20:25) Abiathar is mentioned as the person conjoined, in David's time, with Zadok in the collegiate exercise of the high priesthood. Some think that the words have been transposed, reading, Abiathar the son of Ahimelech. But there is no ground for regarding the text as faulty. The high priests of the line of Ithamar were the following: Ahiah or Ahimelech, his son Abiathar, his son Ahimelech. We frequently find the grandfather and grandson called by the same name (see list of high priests of the line of Eleazar, 1 Chr. 5:30-41). Hence, the author of the Chronicles was acquainted with Ahimelech, son of Abiathar, who, for some reason, discharged the duties of high priest in David's reign, and during the lifetime of his father (for Abiathar was living in the time of Solomon, 1 Kings 2:27) (Keil).