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אֶשֶׁר

𐤀𐤔𐤓

ʼesher

H835 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A (noun) state or condition of well-being, happiness, or prosperity. Most frequently expressed in the phrase אַשְׁרֵי (ʾashrēi), 'happy is...' or 'blessed is...', introducing statements about those who experience divine favor, proper conduct, or good circumstances. The meaning centers on the experience of positive fortune or satisfaction, without necessarily implying material wealth.

Semantic Range

happiness, well-being, state of felicity, condition of being fortunate, blessedness (in the descriptive not cultic sense), enviable condition

Root / Etymology

From the root אָשַׁר (אשר), meaning 'to progress, go straight, advance, walk,' the noun אֶשֶׁר acquires the sense of 'state of going well' or 'prosperity.' The connection is thematic: one whose path is straight or guided rightly is 'fortunate' or 'happy.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

The noun אֶשֶׁר occurs almost exclusively in the plural construct form אַשְׁרֵי (ʾashrēi), typically used as an interjection at the start of sentences ('How fortunate/happy/blessed is...') — especially in Psalms and Wisdom Literature (e.g., Psalm 1:1, Psalm 32:1–2, Proverbs 3:13). It expresses admiration or congratulation for one's station or circumstance, usually as a result of proper action or divine favor. While standard English translations often use 'blessed,' this can misleadingly imply a conferral of holiness or sacred status; the original nuance is closer to 'happy,' 'fortunate,' or 'privileged.' In post-biblical Hebrew, the meaning further specialized to 'happiness.' The term is distinct from בָּרוּךְ (barukh, 'blessed'), which refers to a formal invocation of blessing, usually with reference to God's action rather than to a descriptive state. אֶשֶׁר does not denote ritual or cultic blessing, but rather an observed favorable state. It does not appear in the Pentateuch but is common in the Psalms and Proverbs, reflecting its origins and principal usage in wisdom and liturgical contexts.

Translation Consistency

primary "blessed" 39 occurrences

“Blessed” is the most natural, widely recognized rendering for אַשְׁרֵי/אֶשֶׁר in Biblical contexts (e.g., Psalms and the Beatitudes). It conveys the positive state of well‑being, divine favor, and enviable condition that the SILEX range describes, while remaining idiomatic in English and fitting the typical usage across occurrences.

Alternatives (6 occurrences):
"happy are" (2x) "happy is he" (2x) "states of well-being" (1x) "happiness" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָשַׁר; happiness; only in masculine plural construction as interjection, how happy!; blessed, happy.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

אשר (Ashur) — to go straight, to be happy, to be blessed

Root אשר to go straight, progress, be right, advance
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H804 אַשּׁוּר Ashshur
H834 אֲשֶׁר that-which
H837 אֹשֶׁר in my prosperity
H839 אֲשֻׁר straight conifers
H8391 תְּאַשּׁוּר upright-growing tree

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H835-03 אַשְׁרֵ֣י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are! 36
H835-01 אַשְׁרָֽי/ו asherayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms blessed is he his happinesses happy is he 2
H835-04 אַשְׁרֶ֨י/ךָ ashereykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms happy are you your happinesses happy are you 2
H835-07 וְ/אַשְׁרֵ֖י veasherey HC/Ncmpa and how blessed and happy are and blessed are 2
H835-02 אַשְׁרֵֽ/הוּ asherehu HNcmsc/Sp3ms happy is he his happiness his happiness 1
H835-05 אַשְׁרֵ֣י/ךְ ashereykhe HNcmpc/Sp2fs Blessed [are] you your happinesses blessed are you 1
H835-06 אַשְׁרֵי/כֶ֕ם ashereykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp Blessed are you your states of well-being your states of well-being 1

Occurrences in Scripture

45 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H835-04 Deuteronomy 33:29 אַשְׁרֶ֨י/ךָ ashereykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms Happy are you your happinesses happy are you
H835-03 1 Kings 10:8 אַשְׁרֵ֣י asherey HNcmpa Happy [are] Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 1 Kings 10:8 אַשְׁרֵ֖י asherey-2 HNcmpa Happy [are] Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Isaiah 30:18 אַשְׁרֵ֖י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-06 Isaiah 32:20 אַשְׁרֵי/כֶ֕ם ashereykhem HNcmpc/Sp2mp Blessed are you your states of well-being your states of well-being
H835-03 Isaiah 56:2 אַשְׁרֵ֤י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 1:1 אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 2:12 אַ֝שְׁרֵ֗י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 32:1 אַשְׁרֵ֥י asherey HNcmpa Blessed is Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 32:2 אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed is
H835-03 Psalms 33:12 אַשְׁרֵ֣י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 34:9 אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י asherey HNcmpa blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 40:5 אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 41:2 אַ֭שְׁרֵי asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 65:5 אַשְׁרֵ֤י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 84:5 אַ֭שְׁרֵי asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 84:6 אַשְׁרֵ֣י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 84:13 אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 89:16 אַשְׁרֵ֣י asherey HNcmpa Blessed are Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 94:12 אַשְׁרֵ֤י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 106:3 אַ֭שְׁרֵי asherey HNcmpa Blessed are Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 112:1 אַשְׁרֵי asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed is
H835-03 Psalms 119:1 אַשְׁרֵ֥י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 119:2 אַ֭שְׁרֵי asherey HNcmpa Blessed are Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 127:5 אַשְׁרֵ֤י asherey HNcmpa Blessed is Oh the happinesses! Blessed is
H835-03 Psalms 128:1 אַ֭שְׁרֵי asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed is
H835-04 Psalms 128:2 אַ֝שְׁרֶ֗י/ךָ ashereykha HNcmpc/Sp2ms happy are you your happinesses happy are you
H835-03 Psalms 137:8 אַשְׁרֵ֥י asherey HNcmpa How blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 137:9 אַשְׁרֵ֤י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 144:15 אַשְׁרֵ֣י asherey HNcmpa Happy Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 144:15 אַֽשְׁרֵ֥י asherey-2 HNcmpa happy Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Psalms 146:5 אַשְׁרֵ֗י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed is
H835-03 Proverbs 3:13 אַשְׁרֵ֣י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-07 Proverbs 8:32 וְ֝/אַשְׁרֵ֗י veasherey HC/Ncmpa blessed and happy are and blessed are
H835-03 Proverbs 8:34 אַ֥שְֽׁרֵי asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-01 Proverbs 14:21 אַשְׁרָֽי/ו asherayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms happy is he his happinesses happy is he
H835-01 Proverbs 16:20 אַשְׁרָֽי/ו asherayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms blessed is he his happinesses happy is he
H835-03 Proverbs 20:7 אַשְׁרֵ֖י asherey HNcmpa blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-03 Proverbs 28:14 אַשְׁרֵ֣י asherey HNcmpa Blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed is
H835-02 Proverbs 29:18 אַשְׁרֵֽ/הוּ asherehu HNcmsc/Sp3ms happy is he his happiness his happiness
H835-03 Job 5:17 אַשְׁרֵ֣י asherey HNcmpa happy is Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-05 Ecclesiastes 10:17 אַשְׁרֵ֣י/ךְ ashereykhe HNcmpc/Sp2fs Blessed [are] you your happinesses blessed are you
H835-03 Daniel 12:12 אַשְׁרֵ֥י asherey HNcmpa Blessed [is] Oh the happinesses! Blessed is
H835-03 2 Chronicles 9:7 אַשְׁרֵ֣י asherey HNcmpa How blessed Oh the happinesses! Blessed are!
H835-07 2 Chronicles 9:7 וְ/אַשְׁרֵ֖י veasherey HC/Ncmpa and how blessed and happy are and blessed are
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