Maoch

Maoch (meaning compressed or one who is oppressed) was the father of Achish king of Gath, the Philistine ruler in whose court David took refuge when fleeing from Saul (1 Samuel 27:2). Achish is referred to as "the son of Maoch" in 1 Samuel 27:2 to distinguish him from or identify him in relation to his father, establishing the royal Philistine lineage. In 1 Kings 2:39 the same king of Gath is called Achish son of Maachah, which may reflect a different name for the same person (Maoch/Maachah as variant forms) or may indicate a different Achish ruling in a later generation.

Beyond his identification as Achish's father, Maoch receives no narrative of his own in Scripture. He represents the Philistine royal house of Gath whose hospitality to the fugitive David — and whose territory David governed as a vassal for sixteen months (1 Samuel 27:7) — provides the setting for one of the most politically complex periods of David's pre-royal career.