How does God favor Asher as "blessed"?
What does "most blessed of sons" reveal about God's favor towards Asher?

Setting the Scene

Deuteronomy 33 records Moses’ final prophetic blessings over Israel’s tribes.

• Verse 24 reads: “About Asher he said: ‘Most blessed of sons is Asher; let him be favored by his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil.’”

• The phrase “most blessed of sons” signals a superlative—a blessing that rises above the ordinary portion granted to the other tribes.


Meaning of “Most Blessed of Sons”

• “Most blessed” (Hebrew: בָּרוּךְ בָּנִים, barukh banim) carries the sense of “exceedingly happy, abundantly endowed.”

• “Of sons” situates Asher within the family of Israel; among his brothers, he is singled out as experiencing a fuller measure of divine goodwill.

• Literally, it pictures Asher as standing at the head of the line when God distributes covenant benefits.


Cultural Context of Blessing

• In patriarchal culture, the father’s spoken blessing was considered legally and spiritually binding (Genesis 27:33).

• Moses, acting under God’s authority, bestows words that shape future realities; Asher’s status is therefore a decree, not a wish.

• Superlatives in ancient Hebrew blessings often pointed to material prosperity, social honor, and military security.


Expressions of Divine Favor

1. Material abundance

– “Let him dip his foot in oil” (Deuteronomy 33:24) pictures olive-oil streams so plentiful that feet are soaked in them.

– This fulfilled Jacob’s earlier word: “Asher’s food will be rich; he shall provide royal delicacies” (Genesis 49:20).

2. Social esteem

– “Let him be favored by his brothers” (33:24) shows the tribe gaining respect and cooperation from neighboring tribes.

3. Ongoing strength

– The very next verse promises: “Your bars shall be iron and bronze, and as your days, so shall your strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25).

– In ancient Near Eastern imagery, iron and bronze gates symbolized security and durability.


Implications for Asher’s Inheritance

• Geographic allotment: Asher’s territory along the fertile northern coastline yielded bumper crops of olives, grain, and wine (Joshua 19:24-31).

• Economic blessing: Olive oil became a lucrative trade commodity, aligning perfectly with the “oil-dipped foot” metaphor.

• Military stability: Strong “bars” (v. 25) imply fortifications that protected economic assets from invaders.


Wider Biblical Themes

• God delights to bless His people tangibly—food, security, and honor intertwine (Psalm 23:1–5; Matthew 6:33).

• Divine blessing does not diminish others; instead, it overflows to them—Asher is “favored by his brothers,” not envied by them (compare 2 Corinthians 9:8).

• The superlative blessing on Asher foreshadows the ultimate blessing found in Christ, in whom every spiritual blessing is secured (Ephesians 1:3).


Takeaway on God’s Favor Toward Asher

• “Most blessed of sons” underscores God’s generous, covenant-keeping nature.

• Asher becomes a living testimony that God’s promises are literal, precise, and rich in both spiritual and material dimensions.

• The tribe’s prosperity, esteem, and protection vividly display the Lord’s delight in rewarding obedience and fulfilling His word.

How does Deuteronomy 33:24 reflect God's blessings on Asher's descendants today?
Top of Page
Top of Page