Original Word: אָשֵׁרִי
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: Asheriy
Pronunciation: ash-ray
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-shay-ree')
KJV: Asherites
NASB: Asherites
Word Origin: [patronymic from H836 (אָשֵׁר - Asher)]

1. an Asherite (collectively) or descendant of Asher

Asherites

Patronymic from 'Asher; an Asherite (collectively) or descendant of Asher -- Asherites.

see HEBREW 'Asher

Word Origin
from Asher
Definition
desc. of Asher
NASB Translation
Asherites (1).

אָשֵׁרִי adjective, of a people with article ׳הָא as noun collective Judges 1:32.

Biblical Occurrence

The form אָשֵׁרִי appears once, in Judges 1:32: “So the Asherites lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out”. The word identifies the people of the tribe of Asher in a narrative that assesses Israel’s incomplete conquest of Canaan.

Historical Context

Judges 1 records the individual tribes’ efforts after Joshua’s death. Asher’s failure to expel the Canaanites contrasts with earlier divine commands (Deuteronomy 7:1-5) and Joshua’s exhortations (Joshua 23:6-13). This lapse set a pattern for spiritual compromise that echoed through Israel’s history.

Tribal Identity and Territory

Asher was Jacob’s eighth son, born to Zilpah (Genesis 30:12-13). The tribe received a fertile coastal-hill region in northern Canaan (Joshua 19:24-31), bounded by Naphtali and Zebulun to the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. The area included rich agricultural land and access to trade routes, fulfilling Jacob’s prophetic blessing, “Asher’s food will be rich; he shall provide royal delicacies” (Genesis 49:20).

Prophetic Blessings Associated with Asher

Moses’ final blessings highlight abundance and security: “May Asher be blessed above sons… dip his foot in oil. May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze, and your strength match your days” (Deuteronomy 33:24-25). The imagery of oil and fortified gates points to prosperity and stability, gifts intended for faithful obedience.

Incomplete Conquest and Spiritual Lessons

Judges 1:32 underscores a tension between promise and possession. Although endowed with rich land and divine favor, Asher compromised by co-existing with idolatrous Canaanites. The narrative warns that partial obedience undermines promised blessing. Later prophetic indictments of idolatry in the northern kingdom (for example, Hosea 4:17) trace their roots to these early failures.

Role in Later Israelite History

Asher seldom appears in the wars and administrative lists of united-monarchy Israel, implying limited influence. Yet individuals from Asher surface in redemptive moments:
• At Hezekiah’s Passover invitation, some Asherites humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 30:11).
• The prophetess Anna, “of the tribe of Asher,” recognized the infant Messiah and proclaimed His redemption (Luke 2:36-38). Thus, remnants of faithfulness persisted despite the tribe’s early compromise.

Ministry Implications Today

1. Obedience and Separation: Judges 1:32 reminds believers that co-habitation with worldly values stifles spiritual inheritance (2 Corinthians 6:17).
2. Stewardship of Blessing: Abundance, pictured in Asher’s oil and delicacies, is entrusted for kingdom service, not self-indulgence (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
3. Hope for the Remnant: Anna’s witness shows that God preserves a faithful lineage even in obscurity; present-day ministry should cultivate faithfulness regardless of prominence.

Summary

אָשֵׁרִי identifies the Asherite people at a pivotal moment when obedience faltered. The tribe’s account weaves together lavish promise, compromised practice, and enduring grace—offering abiding lessons on holiness, stewardship, and hope.

הָאָ֣שֵׁרִ֔י האשרי hā’āšêrî hā·’ā·šê·rî haAsheRiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts