ACHA (EBR. 'AHIYYAH = FRATELLO DI JAHWEH = NOME DI CA. 2 PERSONE NEL VECCHIO TESTAMENTO, TRADOTTO DALLA VOLGATA ACHIAS O AHIA [V.]; SETTANTA: 'AYA'AH)

ACHA (Hebrew 'Ahiyyah = brother of Jahweh = name of about 2 persons in the Old Testament, translated by the Vulgate as Achias or Ahia [q.v.]; Septuagint: 'Aya'ah). — Great-grandson of Eli (q.v.), grandson of Phinehas and son of Ahitub. He was high priest and keeper of the ephod in Saul’s war against the Philistines. When Saul, with 600 men, sought to surprise the enemy, he summoned A. to consult the oracle (1 Sam 14:3–18). While the Masoretic text and the Vulgate read (v. 18): “Bring near the ark” (the ark was then at Kiriath-jearim, under Philistine surveillance, cf. V. 3), the true reading is given by the Greek versions: “And Saul said to Ahiah: Bring near the ephod.” In the same book (chs. 21–22) mention is made of another high priest, Ahimelech (q.v.), also son of Ahitub: it is commonly held that this is the same person as A.