Asher
אָשֵׁר · a.sher · H0836Ἀσήρ · Asēr · G07682 other spellings“happiness” Hitchcock's 186946 mentions in 13 books, most in Numbers (11)
Who he was
Asher was the eighth son of Israel (or 'Jacob') and the second son of Zilpah, Leah's maidservant. He was born in Paddan-aram and was one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Asher's descendants formed the tribe of Asher, which was allocated territory in the northern part of Canaan, along the Mediterranean coast. The tribe of Asher was known for its fertile land and abundance of olive oil. In the blessings of Jacob and Moses, Asher was described as being blessed with rich food and providing royal delicacies. During the period of the judges, Asher was criticized for not joining the fight against Sisera. The tribe of Asher was among those taken into Assyrian captivity. In the New Testament, Anna, a prophetess, is mentioned as being from the tribe of Asher. In the book of Revelation, 12,000 from the tribe of Asher are sealed as servants of God.
Article: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Family
FatherIsraelMotherZilpahSiblingsReuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah, Joseph, BenjaminChildrenImnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, Serah
Family relations: STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0
Every mention
46 references, counted from STEPBible, Tyndale House Cambridge · CC BY 4.0 · verse text: World English Bible (public domain)
Genesis4 mentions
Genesis 30:13Leah said, “Happy am I, for the daughters will call me happy.” She named him Asher.Genesis 35:26The sons of Zilpah (Leah’s servant): Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan Aram.Genesis 46:17The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and Serah their sister. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.Genesis 49:20“Asher’s food will be rich. He will produce royal dainties.
Exodus1 mention
Numbers11 mentions
Numbers 1:13Of Asher: Pagiel the son of Ochran.Numbers 1:40Of the children of Asher, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go…Numbers 1:41those who were counted of them, of the tribe of Asher, were forty-one thousand five hundred.Numbers 2:27“Those who encamp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher. The prince of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ochran.Numbers 7:72On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ochran, prince of the children of Asher,Numbers 10:26Pagiel the son of Ochran was over the army of the tribe of the children of Asher.Numbers 13:13Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.Numbers 26:44The sons of Asher after their families: of Imnah, the family of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the family of the Berites.Numbers 26:46The name of the daughter of Asher was Serah.Numbers 26:47These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those who were counted of them, fifty-three thousand four hundred.Numbers 34:27Of the tribe of the children of Asher a prince, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.
Deuteronomy2 mentions
Joshua8 mentions
Joshua 17:7The border of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethath, which is before Shechem. The border went along to the right hand, to the inhabitants of En Tappuah.Joshua 17:10Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea was his border. They reached to Asher on the north, and to Issachar on the east.Joshua 17:11Manasseh had three heights in Issachar, in Asher Beth Shean and its towns, and Ibleam and its towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and its towns…Joshua 19:24The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.Joshua 19:31This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.Joshua 19:34The border turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, and went out from there to Hukkok. It reached to Zebulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west, and to Judah at the Jordan toward the…Joshua 21:6The children of Gershon had thirteen cities by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, out of the tribe of Asher, out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half-tribe of…Joshua 21:30Out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands,
Judges5 mentions
Judges 1:31Asher didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Sidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob;Judges 1:32but the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they didn’t drive them out.Judges 5:17Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks.Judges 6:35He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they also were gathered together to follow him. He sent messengers to Asher, to Zebulun, and to Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.Judges 7:23The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued Midian.
2 Samuel1 mention
1 Kings1 mention
1 Chronicles6 mentions
1 Chronicles 2:2Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.1 Chronicles 6:62To the sons of Gershom, according to their families, out of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in…1 Chronicles 6:74and out of the tribe of Asher, Mashal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands,1 Chronicles 7:30The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Serah was their sister.1 Chronicles 7:40All these were the children of Asher, heads of the fathers’ houses, choice and mighty men of valor, chief of the princes. The number of them listed by genealogy for service in war was…1 Chronicles 12:36Of Asher, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array: forty thousand.
2 Chronicles1 mention
Ezekiel4 mentions
Ezekiel 27:6They have made your oars of the oaks of Bashan. They have made your benches of ivory inlaid in cypress wood from the islands of Kittim.Ezekiel 48:2“By the border of Dan, from the east side to the west side, Asher, one portion.Ezekiel 48:3“By the border of Asher, from the east side even to the west side, Naphtali, one portion.Ezekiel 48:34“At the west side four thousand five hundred reeds, with their three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; the gate of Naphtali, one.
What the dictionary says
Happy, Jacob’s eigth son; his mother was Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid (Gen. 30:13).
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Read the article →Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain