The Tribe of Asher
26: 44-47
The tribe of Asher DIG: What does the Second Census tell us about Asher’s historical roots? Why did Asher increase so dramatically from the First Census? Why would the wilderness generation want to know they had common historical roots from their parents, but a wholly separate identity.
REFLECT: What meaningful tribe are you a member of? How does being a part of that group help to support you and make you grow spiritually? How does being a part of that group enable you to help others? What can you do to make sure that the positive parts of your past are accentuated in your relationship with God?
We need to remember that blessedness is intended for service and not for luxury.
1. The First Census in the past found the tribe of Asher being numbered at 41,500 (to see link click Ak – Numbering the Tribes). The banner of the tribe of Asher is a flourishing tree because their promised portion of land was promised to be fruitful and prolific. Asher was Jacob’s eighth son. His mother was Leah’s maidservant, Zilpah, and he was her second and last child with Ya’akov. When Asher was born, Leah said: “How happy am I?” The women will call me blessed (Genesis 30:13). Therefore, Asher’s name means happy or blessed and Jacob’s prophecy for the tribe of Asher certainly came true when they settled along the rich slopes of the Galilean coastland north of Mount Carmel (Joshua 19:24-31). Asher’s territory was known as one of the most fertile parts of Canaan, abounding in wheat and olive oil.
Ya’akov prophesied that Asher’s bread would be rich; saying: he will provide delicacies fit for a king (49:20). The Hebrew word for rich, or oil here is shmeinah, which literally means fat or oily. Moses also used this same word when he said: Most blessed of sons of Asher; let him be favored by his brothers, and let him bathe his feet in shmeinah, or in oil (Deuteronomy 33:24a). This particular word is found one hundred and ninety times in the TaNaKh and it is always, without exception, used of olive oil. This points out that the territory he had was suitable to grow olive trees, and in Joshua 19:24-31, we learn that Asher received land along the Mediterranean coast. His land was north of Manasseh, northwest of Zebulun, and west of Naphtali. To this day the territory along the coastline is rich with olive trees.
So even though Asher would be blessed, he would share his blessing with his brothers, and as you read his story you will find out that he lived up to Jacob’s prophecy pretty well. Not perfect – but pretty well. He is an example of someone who is blessed and wants to share those blessings. There are three important words in 49:20 the prophecy of Ya’akov that illustrate this.
Asher’s bread (49:20a): The first important word is lechem or bread – meaning the basic sustenance of life. That is why Jews say ha-motzi at the beginning of a meal. Because no matter what it is you are eating there is probably some form of bread on the table. So it is a general blessing for thanking ADONAI for all that He provides: Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the universe, Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, Melekh ha-olam – who brings forth bread from the earth, Ha-motzi lechem min ha’aretz (Amein).
It is also interesting to note that beth-lechem means house of bread, and Bethlehem was the place where Jesus was born (see the prophecy in Micah 5:2). Yeshua said: I AM the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty (John 6:35); therefore, the place where He was born is known as the house of bread.
Will be with oil (49:20b): The second important word used is shmeinah, or his bread will be with shmeinah, which should be translated olive oil because of the context. Asher settled in the area known as Haifa in northern Isra’el. It is still a beautiful coastline with fertile grounds and olive trees all around. Olive oil from the heart of olive country (It also has great surfing see promisedlandthemovie.com and view the trailer). In biblical times, the abundant olive oil was used for cooking, but it also had several other uses like for light and medicine. Thus, of all the tribes, Asher will be the one with a lot of shmeinah, and he shared it with all the other tribes. Moses would later prophesy: May Asher be most blessed of sons, may he bathe his feet in shmeinah (Deuteronomy 33:24). Meaning, that olive oil would be so plentiful that the Asherites could bathe their feet in it.
He will provide delicacies fit for a king (49:20c): The third important word is ma’adan translated here as delicacies, as in First Samuel 15:32; Lamentations 4:5, or delight in Proverbs 29:17. Gan ‘Edhen is translated the garden of Eden. But it was also called gan adan . . . the garden of paradise . . . the garden of feasting (Genesis 2-3). All that is captured in this Hebrew word ma’adan. So Asher will have bread, made with olive oil, yet he will share these royal delicacies of paradise with his brothers.
2. The Second Census in the present: The descendants of Asher by their three clans: through Imnah, the Imnaite clan; through Ishvi, the Ishvite clan; through Beriah, the Beriite clan; and through two sub-clans ofBeriah: through Heber, the Heberite clan; and through Malkiel, the Malkielite clan. The name of Asher’s daughter was Serah. The fact that she was named shows us that she was prominent, for other sons of Jacob had daughters, but they are not named. These were the clans of Asher those numbered were 53,400 (26:44-47), an increase of 11,900 from the First Census (see Ai – The First Census: The Old Generation of Rebellion), or 29 percent, the same as Benjamin, only trailing Manasseh’s 63 percent. Before entering the Promised Land, Moses had prophesied: Most blessed of sons is Asher – may he be the favorite of his brothers, and may he dip his foot in oil (33:24). The exaggerated metaphor of bathing one’s foot in oil suggests abundant prosperity. Even though olive groves were abundant in their territory of Asher, it seems that here the oil, which often symbolizes blessing in the TaNaKh (Deuteronomy 32:13; Job 29:5-6 and 11), provides a metaphor of prosperity in general. The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze. As your days, so will your strength be (33:25). The iron and bronze bolts refer to bolts that held a city gate in place as an essential means of defending themselves. The basic idea here is, “May your land be as secure as if it were locked up with bolts of iron and bronze.604 This tribe would enjoy many children, brotherly love, prosperity and security, and ADONAI would give them daily strength to accomplish their work. What more could anyone want?605
However, their prosperity seemed to be their undoing. They failed to drive out the Canaanites in the region of Tyre and Sidon, and because of this the people of Asher lived among the Canaanite inhabitants of the land (Judges 1:31-32). In the time of Deborah and Barak, Asher remained on the coast and stayed in its coves rather than join the fight against Jabin, a Canaanite king (Judges 5:17). The reason for their decline is unclear, although it could have been for their love of, and proximity to, the luxury of the Phoenicians.606 So, although Asher was richly blessed, they did not act admirably for a time in their history; when the time for action came, they failed to trust in God and honor His plan. By the time of King David, they had faded into insignificance. We lose our witness in the world when we become one with the world (First John 2:15-16). Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God (James 4:4).
Later in Judges, Asher did respond to Gideon’s call to repel the Midianites, Amalekites, and others from the East (Judges 6:35). In another important gesture, Asher accepted Hezekiah’s invitation to the tribes from the northern kingdom of Isra’el to join the Passover celebration in Jerusalem (Second Chronicles 30:11). This was considered an act of humility, proof of a contrite heart before God.
After the Babylonian captivity and even the dispersion after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the tribe of Asher did not lose its identity. There are no “lost tribes,” and there will always be a believing remnant. As an example, the prophetess Anna was from the tribe of Asher and she gave thanks to God for the birth of Jesus (see my commentary on The Life of Christ Au – Jesus Presented in the Temple).
Have you had some blessings lately? Family, friends, job, or your health? But it is one thing to be blessed, and it is quite another to be willing to share those blessings (see my commentary on The Life of Chris Il – The Rich Young Ruler). Yeshua said: Freely you have received – freely give (Matthew 10:8). We need to have a light touch on the things of this world. The richness of the Lord means sharing our blessings with others around us – especially if those blessings have nothing to do with money.
3. The Messianic Kingdom in the future: The lists of names and numbers are the material and tangible signs of God’s blessing, God’s faithfulness to past promises, and the surety of God’s future promise keeping (see Ae – Stars of Heaven, Grains of Sand, and the Promises of God). In the far eschatological future during the Messianic Kingdom, Asher will have one portion; it will border the territory of Dan from east to west (Ezekiel 48:2). Thus, descendants of Asher will live up to their forbearer’s name of blessed.607 How blessed are those who reject the advice of the wicked, don’t stand in the way of sinners or sit where scoffers sit. Their delight is in ADONAI’s Torah; in His Torah they meditate day and night (Psalm 1:1-2 CJB). We need to remember that blessedness is intended for service and not for luxury. The most fundamental meaning of Scripture is this: Blessed is the one who blesses because God is a God of blessing.608
Dear heavenly Father, How wonderful You are! The tribe of Asher received some excellent blessings, to be fruitful and prolific (Genesis 30:13) and Moses added having prosperity and security (Deuteronomy 33:24). Those are very good blessings, but they are only temporary, for this lifetime. Being prosperous and blessed in this life has some advantages; but those advantages last for such a short time. When Your children turn their gaze to focus on how Awesome You are, it gives us an eternal joy and peace that is far more valuable than any short-lived earthly prosperity. It is a blessing to share this blessing with others. Blessings that are eternal are so much more valuable! How wonderful God’s gracious gift of every spiritual blessing thru our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Messiah (Ephesians 1:3b-c).
Blessing that lasts for all eternity is when someone hears the message of your gospel, puts their trust in You and then you seal him with your promised Ruach ha-Kodesh, which opens the door for them to be “in Christ” and guarantees their redemption! After you heard the message of truth – the Good News of your salvation – and when you put your trust in Him, you were sealed with the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh. He is the guarantee of our inheritance, until the redemption of His possession – to His glorious praise! (Ephesians 1:13-14). In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His resurrection Amen
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