Achish
King of Gath, son of Maoch; called Abimelech, i.e., not merely a king, but also son of a king in the title to Psalm 34: See ABIMELECH for the seeming discrepancy with 1Sa 21:10-13; 1Sa 27:2. Twice David fled to him. On the first occasion, being recognized as the conqueror of the Philistines, he in fear reigned madness (as the Roman L. Junins Brutus did: Livy, 1:56), and so was let escape to the cave of Adullam.
On the second he stayed at Gath, with 600 men, a year and four months, having had Ziklag assigned to him. The unbelieving propensity to calculate probabilities, instead of trusting implicitly to God, misleads even believers into self sought positions of great spiritual danger. "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul, there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines," said David.
This false step on his part necessitated gross lying to the trustful Philistine king (1Sa 27:1; 1Sa 27:8-12). He finally escaped, only by God's undeserved providential interposition, from having to march with Achish against his own countrymen (1 Samuel 28; 29). Achish, or his son, is again mentioned (1Ki 2:40) as the receiver of Shimei when he left Jerusalem contrary to Solomon's command.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Achish
Achish a'-kish ('akhish): King of the city of Gath in the days of David. His father's name is given as Maoch (1Sa 27:2), and Maacah (1Ki 2:39). David sought the protection of Achish when he first fled from Saul, and just after his visit to Nob (1Sa 21:10-15). Fearing rough treatment or betrayal by Achish, he feigned madness. But this made him unwelcome, whereupon he fled to the Cave of Adullam (1Sa 22:1). Later in his fugitive period David returned to Gath to be hospitably received by Achish (1Sa 27:1 ff), who gave him the town of Ziklag for his home. A year later, when the Philistines invaded the land of Israel, in the campaign which ended so disastrously for Saul (1Sa 31:1-13), Achish wished David to participate (1Sa 28:1-2), but the lords of the Philistines objected so strenuously, when they found him and his men with the forces of Achish, that Achish was compelled to send them back. Achish must have been a young man at this time, for he was still ruling forty years later at the beginning of Solomon's reign (1Ki 2:39). He is mentioned as Abimelech in the title of Ps 34:1-22. ⇒See…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Achish
The king of Gath to whom David lied for refuge after the massacre of the priests at Nob. Finding himself recognised as the slayer of Goliath, David feigned madness, and BO escaped from the Phil, court (1 S 21'"). (This incident belongs to one of the later documents of Samuel.) In 1 S 27' (belonging to the Judaic or earliest document) A. is called ' the son of Maoch' (possibly = ' son of Maacah.'l K2*), receives David with his band of 6(H) men, and a-isigns him the city of Ziklag in the S. of Judah. De.s|iite the vlabes of A., the other Phil, princes refuse to let David take part in the final campaign against Saul. J. F. Stenning. ACHMETHA(Knsn! vriter8; and (3) localises Shiz at Takht-i-Sulayraan, where a conical hill, surrounded by ruins, which enclose a lake that has attracted the observation of ancient and modem travellers, corresponds with the description of Ecbatana ^ven by Herodotus, as well as with what that historian tells us of the char- acter of the surrounding country (i. 110). Hama- dan, which lies at the foot of a mountain, would not admit of being fortified in the way d…
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Achish
(angry), a Philistine king of Gath, who in the title of the 34th Psalm is called Abimelech. David twice found a refuge with him when he fled from Saul. (B.C. 1061.) On the first occasion he was alarmed for his safety, feigned madness, and was sent away.
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia