Person

Achish

also known as Abimelech

Gender:: Male
Verse mentions:: 20

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.

Family tree

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Achish's place in the wider story of Scripture, connecting the people, places, families, and events tied to their life. See how these relationships overlap and form a single picture instead of separate lists.

Parents 1

Maachah· father

Appears in 20

Reference	Verse
1 Samuel 21:10	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 21:14	Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
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 27:5	And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?
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 28:2	And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of mine head for ever.
1 Samuel 29:2	And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with Achish.
1 Samuel 29:3	Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews here? And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell unto me unto this day?
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.
1 Samuel 29:8	And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
1 Samuel 29:9	And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
1 Kings 2:39	And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.
1 Kings 2:40	And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.

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