Abiathar was a survivor.
All the men in Abiathar’s family were slaughtered, and his whole family killed because they were suspected of helping David escape from Saul (1 Samuel 22).
Only Abiathar escaped, making his way to David’s outlaw camp. He was David’ primary spiritual advisor and became the nation’s high priest once David was crowned king. He remained loyal to David when his son, Absalom, led a rebellion and became a spy for David (2 Samuel 15:24-29).
In the end, Abiathar backed Adonijah when he tried to take the throne from feeble and old King David. David did not kill him as he ought — instead he was banished, doomed to end his life as he began — an outcast and fulfilling the prophecy of the end of the rule of the house of Eli (1 Samuel 2:31-35).