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אֲכִישׁ

𐤀𐤊𐤉𐤔

Akhish

H397 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain proper name, title of a Philistine ruler

Definition

A personal name referring specifically to one or more rulers of Gath, a major Philistine city-state. Most notably, 'Akish' designates the Philistine king during the period of David's fugitive years as described in 1 Samuel, and is also mentioned in a similarly titled passage in 1 Kings. The name functions as a proper noun rather than carrying a lexical meaning outside its function as a personal name.

Semantic Range

personal name of Philistine king of Gath; title or dynastic designation of non-Israelite ruler

Root / Etymology

etymology uncertain. While the name does not transparently derive from a recognizable Hebrew root, it is likely of Philistine (possibly Aegean or Anatolian) origin, reflecting the non-Israelite context in which it appears.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The name Akish (אֲכִישׁ) refers exclusively to a Philistine ruler(s) of Gath during the time of David (1 Samuel 21, 27, 29; designated as 'the son of Maachah' in 1 Kings 2:39, possibly a different individual or dynastic title). The form אֲכִישׁ does not correspond to typical Israelite or Judahite naming patterns and lacks a clear Hebrew root, a feature consistent with other Philistine and non-Israelite onomastics in the Hebrew Bible. The Philistines, as a distinct population with probable Aegean connections, often appear with names lacking Hebrew etymologies. In English translations, this name is often rendered 'Achish,' a traditional form based on the Greek Septuagint and Latin traditions, but using the more direct transliteration 'Akish' preserves the distinctive non-Israelite character. There is no evidence that the name bore specific meaning in Philistine or related languages, and it is used purely as a proper title. The English term 'king' may imply royal authority as understood in later periods, but the power structure of Philistine cities may have differed substantially from Israelite or later Judean models. In sum, 'Akish' identifies an individual ruler of Gath without a wider lexical use, and should be understood as a foreign personal name.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain derivation; Akish, a Philistine king; Achish.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

— (—) — proper name, dynastic title of Philistine ruler

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H116 אֱדַיִן then
H133 אַדְמָתָא Admatha
H175 אַהֲרוֹן and in Aharon
H1834 דַּמֶּשֶׂק Damascus
H1867 דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ Darius

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H397-01 אָכִ֖ישׁ akhish HNp Achish Akish 21

Occurrences in Scripture

21 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H397-01 1 Samuel 21:11 אָכִ֖ישׁ akhish HNp Achish Akish
H397-01 1 Samuel 21:12 אָכִישׁ֙ akhish HNp Achish Akish
H397-01 1 Samuel 21:13 אָכִ֥ישׁ akhish HNp Achish Akish
H397-01 1 Samuel 21:15 אָכִ֖ישׁ akhish HNp Achish Akish
H397-01 1 Samuel 27:2 אָכִ֥ישׁ akhish HNp Achish Akish
H397-01 1 Samuel 27:3 אָכִ֥ישׁ akhish HNp Achish Akish
H397-01 1 Samuel 27:5 אָכִ֗ישׁ akhish HNp Achish Akish
H397-01 1 Samuel 27:6 אָכִ֛ישׁ akhish HNp Achish Akish
H397-01 1 Samuel 27:9 אָכִֽישׁ akhish HNp Achish Akish
H397-01 1 Samuel 27:10 אָכִ֔ישׁ akhish HNp Achish Akish
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