Lexical Summary ashar: To be happy, to be blessed, to go straight, to lead, to guide Original Word: אָשַׁר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance call, be blessed, happy, go, guide, lead, relieve Or rasher {aw-share'}; a primitive root; to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy); figuratively, to go forward, be honest, proper -- (call, be) bless(-ed, happy), go, guide, lead, relieve. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof prim. root Definition to go straight, go on, advance NASB Translation bless (1), call him blessed (1), call the blessed (1), call you blessed (1), called her blessed (1), called me blessed (1), called blessed (1), direct (1), guide (2), guided (1), happy (2), proceed (2), reprove (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [אָשַׁר] verb go straight, go on, advance (Assyrian ašâru ZimBP 11; Arabic, Aramaic in derivatives) — Qal Imperative אִשְׁרוּ Proverbs 9:6 אִשְׁרוּ בְדֶרֶךְ בִּינָה go straight on in the way of understanding. Pi`el Perfect אִשְּׁרוּ Malachi 3:12; Genesis 30:13; Imperfect תְּאַשֵּׁר Proverbs 4:14 4t.; Imperative אַשֵּׁר Proverbs 23:19; Participle plural מְאַשְּׁרִים Malachi 3:15 2t.; — 1 intensive go straight on, advance Proverbs 4:14. 2 causative lead on Proverbs 23:19; Isaiah 3:12; Isaiah 9:15. 3 set right, righten Isaiah 1:17. 4 pronounce happy, call blessed Genesis 30:13 (J) Job 29:11; Psalm 72:17; Proverbs 31:28; Songs 6:9; Malachi 3:12,15. Pu`al Imperfect יְאֻשַּׁר Psalm 41:3; Participle מְאֻשָּׁר Proverbs 3:18; Isaiah 9:15. 1 be led on Isaiah 9:15. 2 be made happy, blessed Psalm 41:3; Proverbs 3:18. Topical Lexicon Semantic Scope and Nuances אָשַׁר (ʼâshar) moves along two closely-related tracks: 1. “to declare or regard as blessed/happy.” Both ideas grow out of the same covenant soil: life ordered aright under Yahweh’s favor becomes observable blessedness that can be publicly acknowledged. Earliest Appearance: The Tribe of Asher Genesis 30:13 records Leah’s exclamation, “How happy I am! For the daughters will call me blessed.” The birth of Asher (“happy/blessed”) memorializes the term in one of Israel’s tribal names, anchoring the concept of manifest blessedness in Israel’s collective memory. Blessing Acknowledged by the Community Job 29:11, Psalm 41:2, Psalm 72:17, Proverbs 31:28, Song of Songs 6:9, Malachi 3:12 and 3:15 use ʼâshar for verbal recognition of favor. Psalm 72:17 anticipates the Messiah: “All nations will be blessed in Him; they will call Him blessed”. Here ʼâshar joins the Abrahamic promise (Genesis 12:3) and anticipates worldwide acknowledgement of messianic kingship. Wisdom Literature: Straight Paths and Right Guidance Proverbs employs the verb both ways. Thus Proverbs joins guidance and blessedness: right guidance produces observable felicity. Prophetic Usage: True and False Guidance Isaiah broadens the word into leadership critique. “O My people, your guides lead you astray” (Isaiah 3:12) and “Those who guide this people mislead them” (Isaiah 9:16) play on ʼâshar’s guidance sense. Misleaders invert the verb’s intended straightness, exposing the nation to judgment. Conversely Isaiah 1:17 urges remedial action: “Learn to do right! Seek justice, relieve the oppressed.” The verb “relieve” (ʼâshar) pictures setting the oppressed on a straight, restored path. Covenant Hope and Eschatology Malachi 3 contrasts covenant faithfulness and cynicism. In 3:12 Yahweh promises, “All the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight.” In 3:15 faithless Israel retorts, “Now we call the arrogant blessed.” The pivot underscores ʼâshar as the visible verdict nations (or cynics) pronounce based on perceived outcomes. Eschatologically, Yahweh guarantees the final verdict of blessedness will rest on the faithful remnant. Christological Trajectory The Septuagint regularly renders ʼâshar with the Greek makarizō, the root of makarios used by Jesus in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5). Thus Old-Testament ʼâshar themes of manifest favor and righteous direction flow naturally into New-Testament declarations of kingdom blessedness realized in Christ. Ministry Implications 1. Pastoral guidance: Leaders are called to “guide hearts on the right path” (Proverbs 23:19), echoing ʼâshar’s directive aspect. Faithful shepherds straighten paths rather than distort them. Contemporary Application Believers pursue the straight path through obedience, wisdom, and Spirit-enabled guidance, confident that visible blessedness—characterized by spiritual fruit and covenant faithfulness—will provoke a watching world to acknowledge the favor of God. Forms and Transliterations אִשְּׁר֖וּנִי אַשְּׁר֣וּ אשרו אשרוני וְ֝אִשְׁר֗וּ וְאִשְּׁר֥וּ וְאַשֵּׁ֖ר וְאֻשַּׁ֣ר וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֑וּהָ וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֔וּהָ וַֽתְּאַשְּׁרֵ֑נִי וּמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖יו ואשר ואשרו ויאשרוה ומאשריו ותאשרני יְאַשְּׁרֽוּהוּ׃ יאשרוהו׃ מְאַשְּׁרִ֣ים מְאַשְּׁרֵ֥י מְאַשְּׁרֶ֣יךָ מְאֻשָּֽׁר׃ מאשר׃ מאשרי מאשריך מאשרים תְּ֝אַשֵּׁ֗ר תאשר ’aš·šə·rū ’aššərū ’iš·šə·rū·nî ’iššərūnî ashsheRu ishsheRuni mə’aššərê mə’aššəreḵā mə’aššərîm mə’uššār mə·’aš·šə·rê mə·’aš·šə·re·ḵā mə·’aš·šə·rîm mə·’uš·šār meashsheRei meashsheReicha meashsheRim meushShar tə’aššêr tə·’aš·šêr teashSher ū·mə·’uš·šā·rāw ūmə’uššārāw umeushshaRav vatteashsheReni vayashsheRuha veashSher veishRu veishsheRu veushShar wat·tə·’aš·šə·rê·nî wattə’aššərênî way’aššərūhā way·’aš·šə·rū·hā wə’aššêr wə’išrū wə’iššərū wə’uššar wə·’aš·šêr wə·’iš·rū wə·’iš·šə·rū wə·’uš·šar yə’aššərūhū yə·’aš·šə·rū·hū yeashsheRuhuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 30:13 HEB: בְּאָשְׁרִ֕י כִּ֥י אִשְּׁר֖וּנִי בָּנ֑וֹת וַתִּקְרָ֥א NAS: will call me happy. So she named KJV: for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called INT: Happy for happy women will call Job 29:11 Psalm 41:2 Psalm 72:17 Proverbs 3:18 Proverbs 4:14 Proverbs 9:6 Proverbs 23:19 Proverbs 31:28 Songs 6:9 Isaiah 1:17 Isaiah 3:12 Isaiah 9:16 Isaiah 9:16 Malachi 3:12 Malachi 3:15 16 Occurrences |
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