Asher (Bible)

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Asher' (Hebrew: אָשֵׁר, Standard Ašer Tiberian ʾĀšēr), was, according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Jacob and Zilpah, and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Asher; however some Biblical scholars view this as postdiction, an eponymous metaphor providing an aetiology of the connectedness of the tribe to others in the Israelite confederation[1]. The text of the Torah argues that the name of Asher means happy/blessing, implying a derivation from the Hebrew term osher (with the same meaning); the Torah actually presents this in two variations - beoshri (meaning in my good fortune), and ishsheruni, which textual scholars attribute to different sources - one to the Yahwist and the other to the Elohist[2]. Many scholars suspect that the name of Asher may have more to do with a deity originally worshipped by the tribe, either Asherah[3], or Ashur, the chief Assyrian deity;[4] the latter possibility is cognate with Asher.[4]

In the Biblical account, Asher's mother is only a handmaid, rather than a wife of Jacob, which scholars see as indicating that the authors saw the tribe of Asher as being not of entirely Israelite origin;[4] scholars believe that Asher consisted of certain clans affiliated with portions of the Israelite tribal confederation, but which were never incorporated into the body politic.[4] A number of scholars have proposed that the tribe of Asher actually originated as the Weshesh group of Sea Peoples[5][6] - the name Weshesh (or rather Uashesh/Ueshesh - for easy pronunciation, this is usually transcribed into English as Weshesh) can be decomposed as men of Uash in Hebrew, and hence possibly a corruption of Asher[7].

The Torah states that Asher had four sons and one daughter, who were born in Canaan and migrated with him to Egypt[8], with their descendants remaining there until the Exodus;[9] this seems to be partly contradicted by Egyptian records, according to which a group named Aseru, a name from which Asher is probably derived,[4] were, in the 14th century BC, living in a similar region to Asher's traditional territory, in Canaan.[4] Asher's daughter is name by the Torah as Serach[8]. In classical rabbinical literature, Hadurah's marriage to Asher was his second marriage as well, his first having been to Adon, who was a descendant of Ishmael;[4] the Book of Jubilees contradicts this, arguing instead that Asher's wife was named Lyon (which probably means dove).[4]

According to classical rabbinical literature, Asher had informed his brothers about Reuben's incest with Bilhah, and as a result Asher came to be on bad terms with his brothers, though once Reuben confessed, the brothers realised they had been unjust towards Asher;[4] Asher's motivation is described, by classical rabbinical sources, as being entirely innocent of evil intent, and always in search of harmony between his brothers.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Peake's commentary on the Bible
  2. ^ Richard Elliott Friedman, Who wrote the Bible?
  3. ^ Metzeger, Bruce M. (ed); , Michael D. Coogan (ed) (1993). The Oxford Companion to the Bible. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 62. ISBN 0-19-504645-5. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Jewish Encyclopedia
  5. ^ Yigael Yadin And Dan, Why Did He Remain in Ships
  6. ^ SANDARS, N.K. The Sea Peoples. Warriors of the ancient Mediterranean, 1250-1150 BC. Thames & Hudson,1978
  7. ^ Ibid.
  8. ^ a b Genesis 46:17
  9. ^ Book of Exodus

[edit] See also

Children of Jacob by wife in order of birth (D = Daughter)
Leah Reuben (1) Simeon (2) Levi (3) Judah (4) Issachar (9) Zebulun (10) Dinah (D)
Rachel Joseph (11) Benjamin (12)
Bilhah (Rachel's servant) Dan (5) Naphtali (6)
Zilpah (Leah's servant) Gad (7) Asher (8)