Achish

David goes to Gath, a Philistine city, as a man on the run from King Saul. Its king, Achish, hears his servants say that this is the David of the victory songs, and David, “sore afraid,” pretends to be mad until Achish asks, “Have I need of mad men?” (1 Samuel 21:10-15). Later Achish takes David in as an ally and promises to make him “keeper of mine head” (1 Samuel 28:1-2). The last mention is a small one, when Shimei rides to Gath to fetch runaway servants (1 Kings 2:39-40).

10 verses

1 Samuel

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 21:13

And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

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 21:15

Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

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 Kings

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.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 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).

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From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(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.