ACHZIB

(Achʹzib) [Deceitful Place].

The name of two cities.

1. A city in the southern part of the Promised Land, in the territory of Judah. (Jos 15:44) It is understood to be the same as “Chezib” (Ge 38:5, KJ), the birthplace of Judah’s son Shelah. Joshua 15:33 shows it to be in the hilly country of the Shephelah, and it is tentatively identified with Tell el-Beida (Horvat Lavnin) 5 km (3 mi) WSW of Adullam. Lachish, Moresheth-gath, and Mareshah (mentioned along with Achzib in Mic 1:13-15) are all in that area. Cozeba, in 1 Chronicles 4:22, is generally considered to be the same as Achzib.

2. A Phoenician coastal city in the territory of the tribe of Asher. (Jos 19:29) Asher, however, never succeeded in conquering it, nor the more important city of Acco (Acre) to the S, perhaps due to hindering action on the part of the Phoenician fleet. (Jg 1:31, 32) Sennacherib of Assyria overran it in King Hezekiah’s time and mentions it in his annals under the name Akzibi. In Greek and Roman times it was called Ecdippa. It has been identified with ez-Zib (Tel Akhziv), some 14 km (9 mi) N of Acco at the mouth of the Wadi Qarn (Nahal Keziv).