The name Asher (Hebrew: ’Asher) means “happy” or “blessed.” He was the eighth son of Jacob (Israel) and the second son born to Jacob’s concubine, Zilpah, the handmaid of Leah. Asher’s birth and the meaning of his name are crucial to understanding his mother’s joy and his subsequent tribal identity.
His life is recorded in the Book of Genesis, and his tribe’s history is chronicled throughout the Old Testament.
1. The Birth and the Name
Asher’s birth occurred amidst a period of intense rivalry between Jacob’s first two wives, Leah and Rachel, who were competing to bear children for Jacob. When Leah’s handmaid, Zilpah, conceived, Leah viewed the birth as a sign of divine favor.
Genesis 30:13 records the moment of his naming:
“And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.” (KJV, emphasis added).
The name Asher was a direct expression of Leah’s sense of blessing and vindication.
2. The Tribal Blessing
Before his death, Jacob gathered his sons and delivered prophetic blessings over each of them. Asher’s blessing foretold a tribe characterized by prosperity and abundance, specifically relating to food and luxury:
“Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.” (Genesis 49:20, KJV, emphasis added).
Centuries later, Moses reaffirmed this theme of richness and security in his final blessing over the tribe of Asher:
“And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil. Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.” (Deuteronomy 33:24-25, KJV, emphasis added).
The phrase “dip his foot in oil” refers to the abundance of olive oil, for which the region allotted to the tribe of Asher was famously known.
3. The Land and the History of the Tribe
When the Israelites conquered and divided the land of Canaan, the Tribe of Asher was allotted a fertile coastal plain territory in the north-west of the country, stretching along the Mediterranean Sea coast, bordered by Mount Carmel and the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali.
- Failure to Expel: The tribe of Asher, like several others, failed to fully drive out the original Canaanite inhabitants from their territory, including the cities of Accho, Sidon, and Ahlab, as recorded in Judges 1:31-32. This failure compromised the tribe’s spiritual and political purity, leading to later assimilation and trouble.
- Loyalty During Judges: The tribe showed mixed loyalty during the early period of the Judges. They were criticized for not fully committing to the fight against the Canaanites under Deborah and Barak (Judges 5:17). However, they did later rally to fight against the Midianites alongside Gideon (Judges 7:23).
- New Testament Appearance: The tribe of Asher is mentioned positively in the New Testament with the appearance of the prophetess Anna at the Temple in Jerusalem. Anna is explicitly identified as belonging to the tribe of Asher: “And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;” (Luke 2:36, KJV, emphasis added). Her presence affirmed that even after the dispersion of the ten northern tribes, the lineage was still recognized and faithful individuals remained.
The Theological Significance
Asher is a key figure who stands as a reminder of God’s blessing and provision. His tribe’s history illustrates the danger of compromise (failing to drive out the Canaanites) but also the enduring power of covenant identity (seen in the prophetess Anna). He remains one of the twelve named foundation stones of the nation of Israel.