Atomic Bible

Philistine king of Gath, gave refuge to David

Achish

Named in 20 verses across 2 books, first in 1 Samuel 21:10.

אָכִישׁAchish

אֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְAbimelech

Also called Abimelech.

The name means “thus it is; how is this.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

Father
Maoch
People
Philistia

About Achish Written by AI

Achish, also known as Abimelech, was the Philistine king of Gath during the time of King Saul and King David. When David fled from Saul, he sought refuge in Gath, pretending to be insane to avoid being perceived as a threat (1 Samuel 21:10 to 15). Achish's servants recognized David as the celebrated Israelite warrior, but David's act of insanity convinced Achish to dismiss him (1 Samuel 21:11 to 15). Later, when David was again fleeing from Saul, he returned to Achish in Gath, this time with a group of 600 men (1 Samuel 27:1 to 4). Achish granted David and his men the town of Ziklag as a base (1 Samuel 27:5 to 6). David and his men raided the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites, but deceived Achish into believing that they were raiding the Israelites and their allies (1 Samuel 27:8 to 12). When the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel, Achish brought David and his men with him (1 Samuel 28:1 to 2). However, the Philistine commanders objected to David's presence, fearing that he might turn against them in battle (1 Samuel 29:1 to 5). Achish, trusting in David's loyalty, defended him, but ultimately sent him back to Ziklag (1 Samuel 29:6 to 11). After David became king, some of his servants fled to Achish in Gath (1 Kings 2:39 to 40), indicating that David maintained a relationship with Achish even after becoming king. Psalm 34 is attributed to David when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech (Achish), who drove him away (Psalm 1 Kings 34:1). The psalm expresses David's trust in God and his deliverance from fear and trouble.

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

Angry, perhaps only a general title of royalty applicable to the Philistine kings. (1.) The king with whom David sought refuge when he fled from Saul (1 Sam. 21:10-15). He is called Abimelech in the superscription of Ps. 34. It was probably this same king to whom David a second time repaired at the head of a band of 600 warriors, and who assigned him Ziklag, whence he carried on war against the surrounding tribes (1 Sam. 27:5-12). Achish had great confidence in the valour and fidelity of David (1 Sam. 28:1,2), but at the instigation of his courtiers did not permit him to go up to battle along with the Philistine hosts (1 Sam. 29:2-11). David remained with Achish a year and four months. (2.) Another king of Gath, probably grandson of the foregoing, to whom the two servants of Shimei fled. This led Shimei to go to Gath in pursuit of them, and the consequence was that Solomon put him to death (1 Kings 2:39-46).

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names him

  1. 1 Samuel 21:10

    That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.

  2. 1 Samuel 21:11

    But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Did they not sing about him in their dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”

  3. 1 Samuel 21:12

    Now David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

  4. 1 Samuel 21:14

    Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you can see that the man is insane! Why have you brought him to me?

  5. 1 Samuel 27:2

    So David set out with his six hundred men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath.

  6. 1 Samuel 27:3

    David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal.

  7. 1 Samuel 27:5

    Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let me be assigned a place in one of the outlying towns, so I can live there. For why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

  8. 1 Samuel 27:6

    That day Achish gave him Ziklag, and to this day it still belongs to the kings of Judah.

  9. 1 Samuel 27:9

    Whenever David attacked a territory, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but he took the flocks and herds, the donkeys, camels, and clothing. Then he would return to Achish,

  10. 1 Samuel 27:10

    who would ask him, “What have you raided today?” And David would reply, “The Negev of Judah,” or “The Negev of Jerahmeel,” or “The Negev of the Kenites.”

  11. 1 Samuel 27:12

    So Achish trusted David, thinking, “Since he has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel, he will be my servant forever.”

  12. 1 Samuel 28:1

    Now in those days the Philistines gathered their forces for warfare against Israel. So Achish said to David, “You must understand that you and your men are to go out to battle with me.”

  13. 1 Samuel 28:2

    David replied, “Then you will come to know what your servant can do.” “Very well,” said Achish. “I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

  14. 1 Samuel 29:2

    As the Philistine leaders marched out with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men marched behind them with Achish.

  15. 1 Samuel 29:3

    Then the commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, the servant of King Saul of Israel? He has been with me all these days, even years, and from the day he defected until today I have found no fault in him.”

  16. 1 Samuel 29:6

    So Achish summoned David and told him, “As surely as the LORD lives, you have been upright, and it seems right in my sight that you should march in and out with me in the army, because I have found no fault in you from the day you came to me until this day. But you are not good in the sight of the leaders.

  17. 1 Samuel 29:8

    “But what have I done?” David replied. “What have you found against your servant, from the day I came to you until today, to keep me from going along to fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

  18. 1 Samuel 29:9

    Achish replied, “I know that you are as pleasing in my sight as an angel of God. But the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go into battle with us.’

  19. 1 Kings 2:39

    After three years, however, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And Shimei was told, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”

  20. 1 Kings 2:40

    So Shimei saddled his donkey and set out to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves, and he brought them back from Gath.

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.