Asher

Meaning: happy

Asher was Jacob’s 11th son; his mother was Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid (Genesis 30:13).

Of the tribe founded by him, nothing is recorded beyond its holding a place in the list of the tribes (35:26; 46:17; Exodus 1:4, etc.).

Its size increased by 29 percent, during the 38 years’ wanderings. The place of this tribe during the march through the desert was between Dan and Naphtali (Numbers 2:27).

Territory of the Tribe of Asher

Map of the ancient Israelite tribal territories in the Promised Land. CC BY-SA 3.0
Asher is shaded in green on the north coast.

This map shows the approximate location and boundaries of the 12 Israelite tribes, based on records in the Book of Joshua. This, and more, was The Promised Land given by God to the descendants of Israel, the grandson of Abraham. The full extent of the Canaanite land promised was never acquired, due to the repeated disobedience of the Israelites during the their commanded conquest of this very idolatrous, heathen land, after the Exodus from slavery in Egypt and the following 40 years of Divine punishment wandering in the wilderness, before Joshua and the living descendants were allowed to enter the land, following the death of Moses.

The boundaries of the inheritance given to Asher contained some of the richest soil in Canaan, and the names of its towns, are recorded in Joshua 19:24-31; Judges 1:31-32.

Asher and Simeon were the only tribes west of the Jordan which furnished no hero or judge for the nation.

Anna the prophetess was of this tribe (Luke 2:36).

Relatives

Prophecy in the book of Revelation

Revelation 7:4–8 mentions that people from the 12 tribes of Israel will be sealed by an angel of God. Asherites will be a part of the 144-thousand Israelite evangelists for Christ during The Great Tribulation.

And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:

of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
of tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.

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Article Version: July 27, 2021