Boy Old Testament Rare
Ahitub
brother of goodness
אֲחִיטוּב a.chi.tuv
Ahitub (Hebrew: אֲחִיטוּב, a.chi.tuv) means “brother of goodness”, by traditional interpretation. Five men in scripture bear the name; the best attested is a priest. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Abiathar in 1 Samuel 22.
Which Ahitub?
Five men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
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Ahitub
father of Zadok
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Ahitub
father of Ahimelech
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Ahitub
father of Zadok; son of Amariah
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Ahitub
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Ahitub
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 15 across 5 books
- Bearers
- 5 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- United Monarchy
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | 1 Samuel 14:3 |
| Last appears | Nehemiah 11:11 |
| Cross-references | 156 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Amariah co-occurrence Appears with Amariah in 1 Chronicles 6.
- Seraiah co-occurrence Appears with Seraiah in 2 Samuel 8.
- Ahimelech co-occurrence Appears with Ahimelech in 1 Samuel 22.
- Meshullam co-occurrence Appears with Meshullam in Nehemiah 11.
- Meraioth co-occurrence Appears with Meraioth in 1 Chronicles 6.
- Ichabod co-occurrence Appears with Ichabod in 1 Samuel 14.
- Zadok co-occurrence Appears with Zadok in Ezra 7.
- Shallum co-occurrence Appears with Shallum in Ezra 7.
Origin & meaning
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.6.11;
son of: Amariah (H0568H);
father of: Zadok (H6659I)
§ Ahitub = "my brother is good (goodness)"
1) a grandson of Eli
2) the father of Zadok the priest
Ahitub, son of Amariah and father of Zadok, was an ancestor of Ezra the scribe in the priestly line.
The biblical story
Ahitub is mentioned in the genealogy of Ezra, the priest and scribe who played a significant role in the religious reforms and the restoration of Jewish worship after the Babylonian exile. Ahitub is listed as the son of Amariah and the father of Zadok in this priestly lineage. (1Ch.6.11,12; Ezr.7.2)
The genealogy in 1 Chronicles 6 traces the descendants of Levi, focusing on the priestly line of Aaron. It establishes the legitimacy and continuity of the priesthood, highlighting significant figures such as Zadok, who served during the reigns of David and Solomon.
In the book of Ezra, the same genealogy is repeated, demonstrating Ezra's priestly heritage and his authority to teach and enforce the Law of Moses among the returning exiles. (Ezr.7.1-6)
While no specific details are provided about Ahitub's life or his role as a priest, his inclusion in the genealogies underscores the importance of the priestly lineage and its connection to the spiritual leadership of Israel, particularly in the post-exilic period.
Key verses
Ahitub appears in 3 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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And Azariah begat Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub,
1 Chronicles 6:11 -
And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Shallum,
1 Chronicles 6:12 -
The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
Ezra 7:2
Show all 3 references
1 Chronicles (2)
- 1 Chronicles 6:11
- 1 Chronicles 6:12
Ezra (1)
- Ezra 7:2