achish · Achish

What it means

achish (אֲכִישׁ) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “Achish”.

A Philistine king of the city of Gath, with whom David took refuge twice (1 Samuel 21 and 27–29); in 1 Kings 2:39-40 the king of Gath has the same name.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Where it appears

• 1 Samuel×19
• 1 Kings×2

• 1 Samuel 21:10

  David arose and fled on that day from Saul, and came to Achish king of Gath.

• 1 Samuel 21:11

  The servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David, the king of the land? Is it not of this one that they answered one another in the dances, saying, ‘Saul has struck his thousands, and David his myriads’?”

• 1 Samuel 21:12

  David laid these words in his heart and was very afraid of Achish king of Gath.

• 1 Samuel 21:14

  Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see a man behaving like a madman. Why do you bring him to me?

• 1 Samuel 27:2

  David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish son of Maoch, king of Gath.

• 1 Samuel 27:3

  David stayed with Achish at Gath, he and his men, each man with his household, David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal’s wife, of Carmel.

• 1 Samuel 27:5

  David said to Achish, “If please I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the towns of the open country, and I will stay there. For why should your servant stay in the royal city with you?”

• 1 Samuel 27:6

  Achish gave him Ziklag that day; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day.

• 1 Samuel 27:9

  David would strike the land and leave alive neither man nor woman, and he would take sheep and goats and cattle and donkeys and camels and clothing, and come back and come to Achish.

• 1 Samuel 27:10

  Achish would say, “Against whom have you raided today?” And David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah,” or “against the Negev of the Jerahmeelites,” or “against the Negev of the Kenites.”

• 1 Samuel 27:12

  Achish believed David, saying, “He has made himself utterly odious among his people, among Israel; so he will be my servant forever.”

• 1 Samuel 28:1

  In those days the Philistines gathered their camps for the army, to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, “Know for certain that with me you will go out in the camp, you and your men.”

• 1 Samuel 28:2

  David said to Achish, “Therefore you will know what your servant will do.” Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you keeper of my head for all time.”

• 1 Samuel 29:2

  The lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on at the rear with Achish.

• 1 Samuel 29:3

  The commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews?” Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or these years? I have found nothing in him from the day he deserted to me until this day.”

• 1 Samuel 29:6

  Achish called to David and said to him, “As YHWH lives, you are upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the camp is good in my eyes, for I have not found evil in you from the day you came to me until this day; but in the eyes of the lords you are not good.

• 1 Samuel 29:8

  David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day that I was before you until this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

• 1 Samuel 29:9

  Achish answered and said to David, “I know that you are good in my eyes, like an angel of Elohim; but the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He shall not go up with us into battle.’

• 1 Kings 2:39

  And it happened at the end of three years that two slaves of Shimei fled to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”

• 1 Kings 2:40

  And Shimei rose and saddled his donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his slaves. And Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath.

And 1 more times.