Lexical Summary Akzib: Akzib Original Word: אַכְזִיב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Achzib From 'akzab; deceitful (in the sense of a winter- torrent which fails in summer); Akzib, the name of two places in Palestine -- Achzib. see HEBREW 'akzab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kazab Definition "deceptive," two places in Pal. NASB Translation Achzib (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs אַכְזִיב proper name, of a location 1. in lowland of Judah Joshua 15:44 (ᵐ5 Ακιεζει καὶ Κεζειβ, ᵐ5L Αχζειβ), Micah 1:14 (ᵐ5 οἴκους ματαίους; see also כְּזִיב, כֹּזֵבָא). 2 in Asher Judges 1:31 (ᵐ5 Ασχαζει), and (אַכְזִ֫יבָה) Joshua 19:29 (ᵐ5 Εχοζοβ, A Αχζειφ, ᵐ5L Αχαζειβ); it lay on the coast south of Tyre, in Assyrian Akzibi, COTJoshua 19:29 DlPar. 284; Greek Εκδιππα; modern ez-Zîb, BdPal. 272 BuhlG. § 120 and (on pronunciation) KasterenZPV xiii. 101. כזר (√ of following; Aramaic Ethpe`el be cruel (ᵑ7 Job 10:1), compare Syriac Topical Lexicon AchzibGeographical Setting Scripture mentions two separate towns named Achzib. 1. In Judah’s lowland (Shephelah) west of Hebron (Joshua 15:44). Its location is usually identified with Khirbet ʿAin el-Kezbeh, roughly 22 kilometers northwest of Hebron, overlooking fertile valleys that feed into the coastal plain. Old Testament References • Joshua 15:44 – listed among the towns allotted to Judah alongside Keilah and Mareshah. Historical Background Achzib in Judah lay near the route connecting the Philistine plain with the Judean hill country. Control of this corridor was essential during the united monarchy and later Judean kings. The city’s mention only in territorial lists suggests it remained a small agrarian settlement, overshadowed by Lachish and Hebron. Coastal Achzib flourished under Phoenician influence. Classical writers called it Ecdippa (Josephus, Wars 1.257). Assyrian inscriptions note its surrender to Sennacherib in 701 BC, confirming the biblical picture of the region’s shifting allegiances. During the Maccabean and later Crusader eras the site continued to serve as a minor harbor, though eclipsed by Acco. Archaeological Insights Excavations at Achziv (Asher) have yielded rock-cut tombs, Phoenician stelae, Greek amphorae seals, and caches of dyed-fabric industry waste, attesting to maritime trade and artisanal wealth. The fortification line visible today dates to the Persian period, illustrating continuous occupation well after Micah’s prophecy. Ceramic remains at the Shephelah candidate site match ninth–eighth-century Judean typology, in harmony with the prophetic timeframe. Theological and Ministry Implications Incomplete Obedience Judges 1:31 records that Asher “did not drive out” the inhabitants of Achzib. The lingering Canaanite presence foreshadowed syncretism and moral compromise. The episode warns contemporary believers that partial obedience leaves footholds for persistent worldly influence (compare James 1:22-25). False Confidence Micah’s pun turns Achzib (“deception”) into a living illustration: the town that retained its Canaanite identity becomes a “deceitful brook” (cf. Job 6:15). Israel’s kings expected tribute or refuge from fortified cities, but the prophet declares those hopes will “deceive.” The lesson is timeless—security grounded in political alliances or material strongholds proves illusory apart from covenant faithfulness. Covenant Faithfulness Joshua’s territorial lists show that the land promise was specific and concrete; every town, even an obscure Achzib, formed part of God’s gift. Believers learn to value the seemingly insignificant details of divine provision, trusting that God numbers and names His inheritance (Luke 12:7). Gospel Echoes Achzib’s “deception” motif contrasts sharply with Jesus Christ, “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Where Achzib symbolizes failed hopes, Christ offers living water that never disappoints (John 4:14). The city’s downfall underscores the surpassing reliability found in the Savior. Prophetic Significance Micah places Achzib within a series of place-name puns that forecast judgment on the cities of Judah. Each pun heightens the inevitability of exile while reaffirming the prophetic office’s authority. Achzib’s inclusion stresses that no community, however small, escapes accountability to the covenant. Lessons for Today • Root out areas of partial obedience before they become entrenched strongholds. Summary Achzib, whether in Judah’s hills or on Asher’s coast, serves as more than a geographical notation. Its history of unremoved Canaanites, strategic promise, prophetic warning, and archaeological witness combines to remind God’s people of the dangers of compromise and the certainty of God’s word. Forms and Transliterations אַכְזִֽיבָה׃ אַכְזִיב֙ אכזיב אכזיבה׃ וְאַכְזִ֖יב ואכזיב ’aḵ·zî·ḇāh ’aḵ·zîḇ ’aḵzîḇ ’aḵzîḇāh achZiv achZivah veachZiv wə’aḵzîḇ wə·’aḵ·zîḇLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:44 HEB: וּקְעִילָ֥ה וְאַכְזִ֖יב וּמָֽרֵאשָׁ֑ה עָרִ֥ים NAS: and Keilah and Achzib and Mareshah; KJV: And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; INT: and Keilah and Achzib and Mareshah cities Joshua 19:29 Judges 1:31 Micah 1:14 4 Occurrences |
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