Zadok the Priest צדוק הכהן
anointed Solomon at Gihon; a whole priestly line took its name from him
Zadok came from Eleazar, the elder line of Aaron. Under David he served together with Abiathar — a rare case of two high priests at once.
On the night of the revolt both carried the Ark out of the city after the departing king. David sent them back: take the Ark back to the city; if I find favour, He will bring me back and show it to me again. The priests became his eyes in the occupied city, and reports came through their sons.
The decisive choice came at the end of the reign. Adonijah proclaimed himself king, and Abiathar went with him. Zadok stayed with David — and it was he who took the horn of oil from the Tent and anointed Solomon at the spring of Gihon, while the people blew the shofar and shouted, long live King Solomon.
Solomon made him high priest in place of Abiathar, and from then on the service ran through Zadok's line. Ezekiel, describing the Temple to come, says plainly: "the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept the charge of My sanctuary" — they shall draw near to serve. From this comes the later name of a whole party, the Sadducees.
On the timeline
Sources
Tanakh
- Shmuel II 15:24–29 — the Ark sent back to the city; the priests as the king's eyes
- Melachim I 1:38–39 — the anointing of Shlomo at Gichon
- Yechezkel 44:15 — “the sons of Tzadok, who kept the charge of the sanctuary”
Basis: stated in the Tanakh.