Ἀσήρ
Asḗr
G768 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name: Asēr — Asher, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Refers specifically to the tribal group descended from Asher, son of Jacob/Israel, and to individuals identified with this tribe. In biblical texts, functions exclusively as a proper noun designating this group or its territory.
Semantic Range
the tribe of Asher; a descendant of Asher; territory of the tribe of Asher; personal or ancestral designation
Root / Etymology
Hebrew origin: אָשֵׁר (ʾĀšēr), meaning 'happy' or 'blessed.' Direct transliteration from Hebrew into Greek (Ἀσήρ) in the Septuagint and New Testament. Not derived from a Greek root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ἀσήρ appears in the Septuagint and New Testament as a direct transliteration of the Hebrew tribal name Asher (אָשֵׁר). The name designates one of the sons of Jacob/Israel (Genesis accounts), ancestor of the tribe that later settled in territory in northern Israel. In the LXX, Ἀσήρ is found in tribal lists and genealogies; in the New Testament (Luke 2:36), it is retained in the context of Anna's ancestry. English translations traditionally use 'Asher,' maintaining transliteration without translating the underlying meaning. The form Ἀσήρ does not carry meaning as a Greek word and is always a proper name, never a title or common noun. The term does not evolve in meaning within Greek; it always remains a designation for the Israelite tribe/descendant. The letter sigma (σ) in Ἀσήρ aligns with the Shin (שׁ) in the Hebrew name. Comparable proper-name transliterations are frequent in the LXX for the tribes (e.g., Δαν for Dan, Νεφθαλί for Naphtali). Later Jewish and Christian writers in Greek likewise retain the transliterated form when referring to the biblical tribe or region.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (אָשֵׁר); Aser (i.e. Asher), an Israelite tribe:--Aser.
Root Family
Ἀσήρ (Asēr) — Asher, tribal ancestor, tribe name
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G768-01 |
Ἀσήρ | aser | N GEN M SG |
Asher | of Asher | Aser | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G768-01 |
Luke 2:36 | Ἀσήρ | aser | N GEN M SG |
of Asher | of Asher | Aser |
G768-01 |
Revelation 7:6 | Ἀσὴρ | aser | N GEN M SG |
Asher | of Asher | Aser |