Asher (Tribe)

The tribe of Asher lived in the fertile coastal area when the promised land was divided. Asher's territory stretched from north of Mount Carmel to slightly above Sidon, with its eastern boundary running along the western slopes of the Galilean hills (Joshua 19:24–34). To the east, Asher was bordered by the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. To the south, the Carmel mountain range separated Asher from the tribe of Manasseh. The land of Asher was rich in agriculture and known for its olive groves. Economically, the Asherites traded with the Phoenicians of Tyre through ships.

The size of the tribe varied over time. From the few who entered Egypt with Jacob, Asher grew to 41,500 adult warriors at Mount Sinai (Numbers 1:40–41). By the second census in the wilderness, the tribe had 53,400 soldiers (Numbers 26:47). During King David's reign, the number of warriors ranged from 26,000 to 40,000 (1 Chronicles 7:40; 12:36). Asher was never more than the fifth largest tribe among the Israelites.

Asher, like the other tribes, rejected Caleb and Joshua's positive reports about Canaan (Numbers 13:30–14:10). Consequently, that generation perished in the wilderness after 40 years (Numbers 14:22–25).

At the end of the northern campaign in the promised land, Joshua assigned territories to the remaining seven tribes, including Asher (Joshua 18:2). Earlier, God had appointed Ahihud to distribute land within Asher's territory (Numbers 34:16, 27). Certain Levites from the tribe of Gershom were given cities within Asher's borders (Joshua 21:6, 30; 1 Chronicles 6:62, 74).

Like the rest of the tribes of Israel, Asher never fully owned all the land it was given. The tribe failed to drive out the inhabitants of cities like Acco, Sidon, and others, leading them to be influenced by pagan cultures (Judges 1:31). This "unpossessed" territory lay primarily along the northern coastal region adjacent to Asher’s inheritance, an area dominated by Sidonian (Phoenician) cities. Thus, "the Asherites lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land, because they did not drive them out" (Judges 1:32). It is possible that their involvement in Phoenician trade diminished their desire to expel the Phoenicians from their cities.

After the death of the Israelite judge Ehud, Israel was oppressed by Jabin, king of Canaan. When Judge Deborah urged Barak to lead Israel's forces, they won a great victory and were freed from oppression (Judges 4). After the victory, Deborah complained that "Asher stayed at the coast and remained in his harbors" (Judges 5:17). Over time, the tribe was influenced by Phoenician religion and culture, leading to its decline.

Little is said in the Bible about the tribe’s national leadership. At the time of the exodus, when the nation was organized at Mount Sinai, Pagiel son of Ochran served as the tribal chief (Numbers 1:13; 2:27; 7:72; 10:26). After this period, Scripture names no prominent leaders from Asher. None of Israel’s judges came from the tribe, and in King David’s day, Asher (along with Gad) was omitted from the list of the nation’s chief officers (1 Chronicles 27:16–22).

But some positive examples appear in the history of the tribe of Asher:

They supported Gideon in defeating the Midianites (Judges 6:1–8, 35; 7:23).

They defended Saul, their first king (1 Samuel 11:7).

Forty thousand Asherites supported David in taking Saul's kingdom (1 Chronicles 12:23–36).

After the fall of Samaria in 722 BC, a small remnant from Asher came to Jerusalem for the first Passover feast in many years (2 Chronicles 30:5) when King Hezekiah invited all the tribes to join in the celebration. (2 Chronicles 30:10–11). Hezekiah ruled from 715 to 686 BC.

The New Testament mentions an 84-year-old widow named Anna, who was a descendant of Asher. She was a prophetess who recognized Jesus as "the redemption of Jerusalem" during His dedication in the temple (Luke 2:36–38).

See also Israel, History of.