Achish אָכִישׁ

Philistine king. Achish, also referred to as Abimelech, was the Philistine king of Gath who granted refuge to David when he fled from King Saul, but later dismissed him due to the suspicion of his servants.

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Also called Abimelech, Abimelek.

Family

Where Achish appears

1 Samuel (18), 1 Kings (2), Psalms (1)

Key verses

• 1 Samuel 21:10 first mention — And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
• 1 Samuel 21:11 — And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
• 1 Samuel 21:12 — And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
• 1 Samuel 27:2 — And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
• 1 Samuel 27:3 — And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.
• 1 Samuel 27:6 — Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.
• 1 Samuel 27:9 — And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.
• 1 Samuel 27:10 — And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.
• 1 Samuel 27:12 — And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.
• 1 Samuel 28:1 — And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to battle, thou and thy men.
• 1 Samuel 29:6 — Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not.
• Psalms 34:1 — [A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.] I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Person data: STEPBible.org TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0), adapted. Verse text: King James Version.