ACHSHAPH ăk’ shăf (אַכְשָֽׁף, sorcery, enchantment). An old Canaanite Bronze Age town on the border of the territory given to Asher at Shiloh (Josh 19:25) after Joshua led the Israelites into northern Pal. against the coalition of kings under Jabin, king of Hazor. The king of Achshaph, summoned with many other kings of northern Canaanite city states by Jabin, was, with the others, defeated by Joshua in a battle by the waters of Merom (Josh 11:1; 12:20).

Achshaph is mentioned in Egyp. Execration Texts of the 19th and 18th centuries b.c., in the Karnak list of places conquered by Tuthmosis III (1490-1436 b.c.), in the Tell el-Amarna letters of the 14th cent. b.c., and in a 13th cent. Egyp. letter, the Papyrus Anastasi. Achshaph is tentatively identified with Tell Kisan c. seven m. SE of Acco.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

A city in the northern part of the territory conquered by Joshua. The king of Achshaph was a member of the coalition against Israel under Jabin and Sisera. It is mentioned with Hazor, Megiddo, Taanach, etc., in the list of conquered kings. It is one of the cities marking the boundaries of the tribe of Asher (Jos 11:1; 12:20; 19:25). Several attempts have been made to identify the site of it, but explorers are not agreed as to the identification.

See also