Lives of Scripture

Achish, king of the Philistine city of Gath, appears twice during David's years fleeing King Saul. First, David came to him alone seeking refuge, but grew afraid when Achish's servants recognized him as the man Israel sang songs about for killing tens of thousands; David feigned madness, scratching on the doors and letting saliva run down his beard, until Achish dismissed him in disgust, asking his servants why they had brought him a madman (1 Samuel 21:10-15). Psalm 34's title recalls this same episode, attributing it to David's escape "before Abimelech." Later, David returned to Achish with 600 men and his household, this time received as a defector from Saul; Achish granted David the town of Ziklag, where David lived for a year and four months, all while secretly raiding Israel's enemies and deceiving Achish about it (27:2-12). Achish trusted David enough to make him his permanent bodyguard and to bring him along to fight Israel at Aphek, but the other Philistine commanders refused to fight alongside a Hebrew and insisted Achish send David back, sparing David from having to raise arms against his own people (28:1-2; 29:2-11). Achish is recalled once more decades later, when Solomon cites the border of his territory in warning Shimei not to leave Jerusalem (1 Kings 2:39-40).