Asher doesn’t rank very highly in lists of famous people in the Bible. However, as we look at the few things the Bible does tell us about him and his descendants, we find some surprising insights for our lives today.
There are several references to Asher in the Bible. Firstly, Asher is the eighth son of Jacob (Genesis 30:13). As Jacob lay dying and pronounced blessings on his sons, he pronounced this blessing on Asher: “Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.” Asher is one of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:20).
In the book of Numbers, God told Moses to number the people. The census takes place in the second month of the second year after the children of Israel left Egypt (Numbers 1:1). The Lord told Moses:
“Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.” (Numbers 1:2-3).
“Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war: Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.” (Numbers 1:40-41)
In Numbers 2, God provides the children of Israel with a structure for their lives in the wilderness. The tabernacles become the center of how the tribes are organized (The KJV Study Bible, Barbour Publishing, 2011). The Lord said in Numbers 2:2, “Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father’s house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.” So, each tribe has a standard or banner that displays the tribe’s symbol.
The campsites are described in relation to the tabernacle: some may be in the north, east, south, or west (The KJV Study Bible, 2011). Their structure was significant not only for camping but also for traveling. Leading the way is the ark of the covenant which the priests carry. The tribes to the east and south march ahead of the tabernacle; those to the west and north march behind it (The KJV Study Bible, 2011).
“And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe of Asher: and the captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran” (Numbers 2:27). Asher’s tribe was on the north side. Numbers 2:25 reads, “The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies.” Later you read that the camp of Asher is beside Dan.
Other references of Asher appear in Exodus 1:4, Deuteronomy 33:24-25, Numbers 26:44, 1 Chronicles 7:30, Luke 2:36, Revelation 7:6, Judges 1:31-32, Joshua 19:24, Judges 5:17, and Joshua 17:7.
Asher is one of the twelve sons of Israel (or Jacob). His mother was Zilpah, one of the handmaids of Leah. Leah is the first wife of Jacob. Jacob was tricked into sleeping with her () and served seven more years to get Rachel, who he really adored. Read Genesis 29 for the details.
In Genesis 30:9-13, we see where Leah can no longer conceive children. She had already bore six sons for Jacob: Judah, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, and Zebulun. Leah then took Zilpah, her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Zilpah gave birth to Gad and later Asher, although Leah named Asher. In Genesis 30:13, she says, “Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.” I do not wish to understand the dynamics of marriages in those days. It seems like it was customary for men to have a few wives and for the wives to have handmaids. Your contemporary woman of this age will not tolerate such arrangements.
Years later, Asher and his brothers resented Rachel’s son Joseph, Jacob’s favorite son. He participated with his brothers in selling Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver. Joseph was then brought into Egypt (Genesis 37:28). Read Genesis 43-49 for the full story of how they met Joseph again years later.
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Asher was blessed from birth because Leah pronounced a blessing as she named him. Jacob also declared that Asher would be blessed. In Genesis 49:20, Jacob declared that Asher’s bread would be fat and he would yield royal dainties. Dainties are things that are royal, luxurious, and costly.
Before Moses died, he imparted blessings upon the tribes of the children of Israel: “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)
It appears that Moses is equipping Asher to be strong in battle with the references of shoes shall be iron and brass. “As thy days, so shall thy strength be” appears to mean that the tribe will be strengthened throughout all the days of their existence.
We know that Asher is also considered one of the lost tribes of Israel. Following the death of King Solomon, the northern tribes separated into the northern Kingdom of Israel. When the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom, the ten northern tribes dispersed, including the tribe of Asher. Deuteronomy 27:13 includes Asher as one of the tribes that would give curses. One would assume that if you are set aside to pronounce curses, you have wisdom or insight from God on when to pronounce a curse.
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We know that God wants us to be happy and blessed. We also know that God wants us to keep His commandments. If we don’t, we face the consequences. It was not uncommon for prophets to pronounce curses when the tribes of Israel disobeyed God. We always want to hear the positive and the blessing. Unfortunately, if we continue in disobedience, pain can follow.
Many times, the tribe of Asher and other Israelites got specific directives from God when they were taking territory. Gold told Saul to slay the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 15. He was to destroy all that they had. Saul was not to spare anyone small or great. The prophet Samuel told him to slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel, and ass. Saul killed almost everyone, but those were not the instructions. He spared the King Agag and took the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and anything good that Saul saw.
For not obeying His directives, God demoted Saul. Israel would receive a new king. Later Samuel would anoint David to be king. The children of Israel were no different. You will notice in Judges 1 that the tribe of Asher dwelt with the Canaanites. Many of the other tribes did the same thing. This was not pleasing to God. In Judges 2, an angel of the Lord reminded them that they were not to make a league with any of the inhabitants of the lands that they possessed. Of course, God is a merciful God. When Israel repented and cried out to the Lord. He assisted them by raising up judges.
We should ollow God’s instructions. Read the word of God so that you know the character of God. Seek a relationship with God so you can tell if a word from God is for you. The enemy has been known to confuse people: “And these are they by the wayside, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.” (Mark 4:15)
As a Christian, you need to be involved in a Bible study or Sunday School. You need to read the word for yourself. I have read the Bible a few times from cover to cover. I still read the Bible. Since my youth, I have been involved in a Bible study or Sunday School. I think it’s a good practice, and God advises us to study His word to show ourselves approved.
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