Achzib

Ach'zib (Heb. Akzib'. אֶכזַּיב, falsehood; Sept. Α᾿χζείβ, but in Mic. μάταιος and Vulg. maendacium), the name of two places, sometimes Latinized Aczib.

1. A town in the plain of Judah, adjoining the Highlands, mentioned between Keilah and Mareshah (Jos 15:44). It appears to have proved faithless to the national cause on the Assyrian invasion (Mic 1:14); hence this passage contains a play on the name: "the houses of Achzib (אֶכזַּיב) shall be a lie (אִכזִב)." It is probably the same as the CHEZIB SEE CHEZIB in Canaan where Shelah was born (Ge 38:5), and perhaps also the CHOZEBA SEE CHOZEBA where his descendants were finally located (1 Chronicles — 4:22). In the time of Eusebius, Onomast. s.v. Xασβεί) it was a deserted village near Eleutheropolis toward Adullam. From the associated localities, also, it appears to have been situated not far north-east of the former.

2. A maritime city assigned to the tribe of Asher (Jos 19:29), but from which the Israelites were never able to expel the Phoenicians (Jg 1:31). According to Eusebius (Onom. s.v. Α᾿χζίφ) it was 9 (according to the Jerusalem Itinerary 12) Roman miles north of Accho or Ptolemais. In the Talmud (Shebiith, 6, 1; Challah, 4, 8) it is called Kezib

⇒Bible concordance for ACHZIB.

(כּזיב), and in later times Ecdippa (τὰ ῎Εκδιππα, Josephus, War, 1, 13, 4; Ptolmy 5:15; Pliny, 5:17), from the Aramaean pronunciation (אֶכַדּיב). Josephus also (Ant. 5, 1, 22) gives the name as Arce or Actippus (Α᾿ρκὴ. . . .ἡ καὶ Α᾿κτιπούς). In the vicinity (at the mouth of the Nahr Herdawil, comp. Wilson, Lands of the Bible, 2, 233) was the Casale Huberti of the Crusaders (Ritter, Erdk. 16, 782). It was first identified by Maundrell (Journey, March 21) in the modern es-Zib (comp. Vit. Salad. p. 98), on the Mediterranean coast, about ten miles north of Acre (Robinson's Researches, 3, Append. p. 133; new ed. 3, 628). It stands on an ascent close by the sea-side, overhanging the ancient Roman road, and is a small place with a few palm-trees rising above the dwellings (Pococke, East, 2, 115; Richter, Wallf. p. 70; Irby and Mangles, p. 196; Buckingham, Palest. 1, 99; Legh, in Machmichael's Journey, p. 250; De Saulcy's Narrative, 1, 66; comp. Lightfoot, Opp. 2, 219; Fuller, Miscel. p. 4, 15; Cellarii Notit. 2, 481; Reland, Paloest. p. 544; Gesenius, Thes. Heb p. 674). It has evident traces of antiquity, but could never have been a large city (Thomson's Land and Book, 1, 471).