Zadok was a significant figure in the history of Israel, serving as a high priest during the reigns of King David and King Solomon. He first appears in the biblical narrative as one of the two priests mentioned alongside Ahimelech during David's reign. Zadok remained loyal to David during the rebellion of Absalom, and he played a key role in anointing Solomon as king. After Solomon's accession to the throne, Zadok was appointed as the sole high priest, replacing Abiathar. Zadok's descendants continued to serve as high priests in the temple in Jerusalem, and they are mentioned in the visions of Ezekiel regarding the future restoration of the temple and its services. The "sons of Zadok" are described as faithful priests who will serve in the restored temple. Zadok's lineage and role emphasize the importance of the priesthood in maintaining the worship of God and the spiritual leadership of the nation.
Adonijah, backed by Joab and Abiathar, declared himself king. Nathan and Bathsheba got David to confirm Solomon, and Zadok, Nathan and Benaiah anointed him at Gihon. Solomon then had Adonijah and Joab killed and sent Abiathar to Anathoth.
Zadok and Abiathar: two priestly lines under David
WorkStated in the text
Abiathar, son of Ahimelech (Eli's line through Ithamar), escaped Saul's massacre of Nob and joined David. Zadok (line of Eleazar) served with him under David. Solomon's removal of Abiathar fulfilled the word against Eli's house and left Zadok's line as the principal priests.
Where the text shows it:1 Sam 22:18-23 — Saul kills the priests at Nob; Abiathar escapes2 Sam 8:17 — Zadok and Ahimelech son of Abiathar as priests1 Kgs 2:26-27 — Abiathar dismissed1 Chr 6:50-53 — Zadok's line from Eleazar
Sources: 1 Sam 22:18-23 · 2 Sam 8:17 · 1 Kgs 2:26-27 · 1 Chr 6:50-53
ZadokHastingsHastings’ Dictionary of the Bible (1898)
ZA'DOK (just). Son of Ahitub, of the family of Eleazar, and one of the two high priests in the time of David, Abiathar being the other. 2 Sam 8:17. He joined David at Hebron, 1 Chr 12:28, and was always faithful to him, staying behind in Jerusalem at his request during Absalom's rebellion, and subsequently anointed Solomon king, 1 Kgs 1:39, and was rewarded by Solomon for his faithful service by being made sole high priest. See Abiathar. A priest in the time of King Ahaziah. 1 Chr 6:12. The father of King Uzziah's wife. 2 Kgs 15:33; 2 Chr 27:1. One who repaired a part of the wall. Neh 3:4. 6, 7. Three other persons. Neh 3:29; Gen 10:21; Josh 13:13.
ZA'DOK (just). Son of Ahitub, of the family of Eleazar, and one of the two high priests in the time of David, Abiathar being the other. 2 Sam 8:17. He joined David at Hebron, 1 Chr 12:28, and was always faithful to him, staying behind in Jerusalem at his request during Absalom's rebellion, and subsequently anointed Solomon king, 1 Kgs 1:39, and was rewarded by Solomon for his faithful service by being made sole high priest. See Abiathar. A priest in the time of King Ahaziah. 1 Chr 6:12. The father of King Uzziah's wife. 2 Kgs 15:33; 2 Chr 27:1. One who repaired a part of the wall. Neh 3:4. 6, 7. Three other persons. Neh 3:29; Gen 10:21; Josh 13:13.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
Where Zadok appears
40 verses in 5 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H6659
Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had passed out of the city.
Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again.
The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.
So Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “This is what Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I have advised.
Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “No matter what, please let me also run behind the Cushite!” “My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?”
The watchman said, “The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” “This is a good man,” said the king. “He comes with good news.”
Then King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace, since the talk of all Israel has reached the king at his quarters?
There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ramʼs horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’
Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with the Cherethites and Pelethites, went down and set Solomon on King Davidʼs mule, and they escorted him to Gihon.
Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ramʼs horn, and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!”
And with Solomon, the king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with the Cherethites and Pelethites, and they have set him on the kingʼs mule.
Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there with rejoicing that rings out in the city. That is the noise you hear.
The scribe, Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officers: Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of families of the priests and the Levites—one family being taken from Eleazar, and then one from Ithamar.
As their brothers the descendants of Aaron did, they also cast lots in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the families of the priests and Levites—the family heads and their younger brothers alike.
That day they ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the LORD. Then, for a second time, they designated Davidʼs son Solomon as king, anointing him before the LORD as ruler, and Zadok as the priest.
and Azariah, the chief priest of the household of Zadok, answered him, “Since the people began to bring their contributions into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and there is plenty left over, because the LORD has blessed His people; this great abundance is what is left over.”
and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, the only Levites who may approach the LORD to minister before Him.”
You are to give a young bull from the herd as a sin offering to the Levitical priests who are of the family of Zadok, who approach Me to minister before Me, declares the Lord GOD.
But the Levitical priests, who are descended from Zadok and who kept charge of My sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from Me, are to approach Me to minister before Me. They will stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood, declares the Lord GOD.
It will be for the consecrated priests, the descendants of Zadok, who kept My charge and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.