Achzib

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This entry incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.

Achzib - "falsehood".

(1.) A town in the Shephelah, or plain country of Judah (Josh. 15:44); probably the same as Chezib of Gen. 38:5 = Ain Kezbeh.

(2.) A Phoenician city (the Gr. Ecdippa), always retained in their possession though assigned to the tribe of Asher (Josh. 19:29; Judg. 1:31) "And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher ... and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib". It is identified with the modern es-Zib, on the Mediterranean, about 8 miles north of Acco.

The remnants of Achzib, now known as Tel Achziv is located on a sandstone mound between two creeks, Kziv creek on the north and Shaal creek on the south, and close to the border with Lebanon.

An ancient port was located on the coast, and another secondary port is located 700M to the south, at a site called Khirbet "port of Achziv".

Archeological excavations have revealed that a walled city existed at the location from the Middle Bronze period. History of Achzib goes back to the Chalcolithic period (45-32C BC).

King David added the city into his Kingdom, but King Solomon returned it to Hiram as part of the famous pact.

During Sancheriv invasions, the Assyrians conquered the city.

During the reign of the Seleucids, the border was established at Rosh Hanikra, just north to Achziv, making it a border city, and under the control of Acco.

During the Crusader period, a fortress called "Casal Humberti", named after a knight commander of the fort, was built.

The village of El-Zeeb was established here during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods, the houses berected usinf the stones of the Crusader castle. The viillage was abandoned in 1948, when the inhabitants fled to Lebanon, after the Israeli War of Independence.

During the fight, in 1946, the United Resistance blew up the railroad bridge over the creek at Achzib. In memory of the 14 soldiers who died during operation Markolet (Night of the bridges), a monument was erected.

In addition, Kibbutz Gesher-Haziv (bridge of Achziv) is named after the fallen fighters, and Kibbutz Yehiam is named after the commander, Yehiam Weitz, who died in the action.

Today, Achzib is a national park.

[edit] External links

• Achziv Achziv, by the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, excavated under the direction of Dr. Eilat Mazar.
• Achziv archeological exhibt at the Hecht Museam Artifacts from the Cemetery at Achziv