Achish (Hebrew: אָכִישׁʾāḵīš, Philistine: 𐤀𐤊𐤉𐤔 *ʾāḵayūš,[1] Akkadian: 𒄿𒅗𒌑𒋢 i-ka-ú-su) is a name used in the Hebrew Bible for two Philistine rulers of Gath. It is perhaps only a general title of royalty, applicable to the Philistine kings. The two kings of Gath, which is identified by most scholars as Tell es-Safi, are:
The monarch, described as "Achish the king of Gath", with whom David sought refuge when he fled from Saul.[2] He is called Abimelech (meaning "father of the king") in the superscription of Psalm 34. It was probably this same king, or his son with the same name, described as "Achish, the son of Maoch", to whom David reappeared a second time at the head of a band of 600 warriors. The king assigned David to Ziklag, whence he carried on war against the surrounding tribes whilst lying to Achish that he was waging war against Israel to garner his support.[3] Achish had great confidence in the valour and fidelity of David,[4] but, at the objection of the other Philistine rulers, did not permit him to go to battle along with the Philistine hosts.[5] David remained with Achish a year and four months. According to the Bible, in 1 Samuel 21:11–13, David was greatly afraid of Achish because he was being recognized by the servants of Achish. This led him to feign insanity in order to avoid harm from the King of Gath.
Another king of Gath, described as "Achish, son of Maacah", probably a grandson of the foregoing king, is referred to during Solomon's reign. I Kings 2:39–46 mentions two servants of Shimei fleeing to this king in Gath, and Shimei going to Gath to bring them back, in breach of Solomon's orders, and the consequence was that Solomon put Shimei to death.
The Latin transliteration "Achish" represents the "Begadkefat" aspiration over a medial stop, in later Aramaic and post-Biblical Hebrew. Before the strong influence of this dialect of Aramaic over Hebrew, which occurred after the Babylonian invasion, אָכִישׁ would (if the vowels are right) have been pronounced "Akîsh".
In the seventh-century B.C. Ekron inscription the name "Akîsh" appears as "son of Padi, son of Ysd, son of Ada, son of Ya'ir"; Akîsh by then held enough authority in Ekron to dedicate a temple. A similar name ("Ikausu") appears as a king of Ekron in seventh-century B.C. Assyrian inscriptions, as does Padi. Scholars agree that these two are the same men,[6] although a royal status cannot yet be confirmed for their ancestors Ysd, Ada, and Ya'ir.
This appears to indicate that either the name "Akish" was a common name for Philistine kings, used both at Gath and Ekron, or, as Naveh has suggested, that the editor of the biblical text used a known name of a Philistine king from the end of the Iron Age (Achish of Ekron) as the name of a king(s) of Gath in narratives relating to earlier periods.
^Ahituv, Shmuel (2008). Echoes from the Past: Hebrew and Cognate Inscriptions from the Biblical Period. Carta. p. 338. ISBN 9789652207081.
^1 Samuel 21:11–15
^1 Samuel 27:2–12
^1 Samuel 28:1–2
^1 Samuel 29:2–11
^Berlant, Stephen (2008), "The Mysterious Ekron Goddess Revisited," Journal of The Ancient Near Eastern Society vol. 31 pp. 15–21
Judah. It was a provincial town within the Philistine kingdom of Gath when Achish was king. Its exact location has not been identified with any certainty...
David fathered Absalom and Tamar by her. A King of Gath, to whose son, Achish, Shimei's servants fled early in Solomon's reign (1 Kings 2:39). About a...
Philistine city of Goliath, intending to seek refuge with King Achish there. Achish's servants or officials question his loyalty, and David sees that...
conflict with Nabal erupted." When David had fled from Saul and dwelt with Achish, king of Gath, he had his two wives Ahinoam and Abigail with him as per...
In June 2015 it was announced that Parker would play the role of King Achish in ABC TVs series Of Kings and Prophets. Parker is a voiceover artist and...
woman alive", in order that there would be none to tell the Philistine king Achish, whose protection David was under, that David was raiding against them,...
tribute. But having responded to various revolts, this policy hardened. Achish the king of Gath Palistin (or Walistin), a Syro-Hittite kingdom (11th–9th...
consider this the more correct reading. The king of Gath better known as Achish, referred to as Abimelech or Achimelech in the title of Psalm 34. The husband...
identification of the site, as well as five of its rulers, including Ikausu (Achish), son of Padi, who built the sanctuary. The sanctuary reflects a Phoenician...
Philistines, but the account of this event in 1 Samuel 21 refers to the king as Achish, not Abimelech. However, this seeming contradiction is easily explainable...
warfare: David and Goliath of Gath. Based on the Books of Samuel, which depict Achish as a king of Gath who was in conflict with Saul and recruited David to serve...
innocence to Achish and obeyed the command to return home, therefore saved from having to participate in the death of Saul and Jonathan. [Achish said to David]...
identification of the site, as well as five of its rulers, including Ikausu (Achish), son of Padi, who built the sanctuary. Padi and Ikausu are known as kings...
–pati-s, –pats, and Tocharian A pats. Some Philistine names, such as Goliath, Achish, and Phicol, appear to be non-Semitic in origin, and Indo-European etymologies...
According to 1 Samuel in the Old Testament, King David feigned madness to Achish, the king of the Philistines. Some scholars believe this was not feigned...
Goliath's sword. He then flees to Gath and seeks refuge at the court of King Achish, but feigns insanity since he is afraid of what the Philistines might do...
over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. "Achish, the son of Maoch": the additional identification of...
whether it was found in its primary context, as with the inscription of King Achish from Ekron, or in secondary use, as with the Tel Dan inscription. Of course...
by Saul (1 Samuel 22). David and Saul reconcile. David seeks refuge with Achish, king of Gath, and claims he is raiding Judah but is actually raiding and...
transposition has affected the text of Paralipomenon. Achimelech, a name given to Achish, King of Gath, in the title of Psalm 33. Some texts have Abimelech. This...
Mitinti, Hanun, and Dagon) some of the Philistine names, such as Goliath, Achish, and Phicol, appear to be of non-Semitic origin, and Indo-European etymologies...
not the salt. "Goodbyeee". BBC Comedy. Retrieved 28 July 2014. "BFI Screenonline: Colditz (1972-74)". David and king Achish Lucius Junius Brutus Hamlet...
made by a Gittite, or a person from Gath. In 1 Samuel 21, David stays with Achish, king of Gath, and could be understood to have taken back with him a musical...
Israel. David Walmsley as Yoab, the nephew of David. Nathaniel Parker as Achish, the king of Philistine. Louis Talpe as Eliab, the eldest brother of David...
whether it was found in its primary context, as with the inscription of King Achish from Ekron, or in secondary use, as with the Tel Dan inscription. Of course...
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