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אָסָא

𐤀𐤎𐤀

Asa

H609 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain (personal name, meaning lost or ambiguous)

Definition

Asa—personal name borne by two notable figures in the Hebrew Bible: (1) a king of the southern kingdom of Judah (reigned c. 911–870 BCE), and (2) a member of the Levite temple singers listed in the time of Ezra. Asa as a personal name is not clearly linked to a specific Hebrew root, and its literal meaning remains uncertain. The name functions primarily as an individual identifier in biblical texts rather than bearing an overt lexical meaning.

Semantic Range

personal name, specifically of a Judahite king; personal name of a Levite, with no evidence of use as a common noun or verb.

Root / Etymology

etymology uncertain. Although some have conjectured possible connections to Hebrew roots such as אָסָה (to heal) or אָסַף (to gather), there is no clear morphological or semantic evidence in the biblical corpus to confirm these associations. The form does not align directly with common verbal or nominal roots in Hebrew.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The primary occurrence of Asa is as the third king of the Judahite kingdom, highlighted in 1 Kings 15 and 2 Chronicles 14–16, noted for religious reforms and conflict with neighboring polities. In later books (e.g., Nehemiah 12:13), the name appears in genealogical lists pertaining to Levites. The original import of the name has been lost, though attempts have been made to associate it with healing or gathering, echoing later tradition but lacking strong textual support. English translations simply carry the name as 'Asa.' Unlike some biblical names with explicit meanings or theophoric components, 'Asa' is enigmatic in form and definition, underscoring the diversity of personal naming practices in the ancient Israelite milieu.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain derivation; Asa, the name of a king and of a Levite; Asa.

Bantu Hebrew

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

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Root Family

uncertain (uncertain) — uncertain; personal name with lost or ambiguous meaning

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar
H1114 בִּלְשָׁן Bilshan
H1150 בִּנְעָא Bin'a
H116 אֱדַיִן and then

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H609-01 אָסָ֥א asa HNp Asa Asa 46
H609-02 לְ/אָסָ֖א leasa HR/Np of Asa to Asa 11
H609-03 וְ/אָסָ֣א veasa HC/Np and Asa and Asa 1

Occurrences in Scripture

58 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H609-01 1 Kings 15:8 אָסָ֥א asa HNp Asa Asa
H609-01 1 Kings 15:9 אָסָ֖א asa HNp Asa Asa
H609-01 1 Kings 15:11 אָסָ֛א asa HNp Asa Asa
H609-01 1 Kings 15:13 אָסָא֙ asa HNp Asa Asa
H609-01 1 Kings 15:14 אָסָ֗א asa HNp of Asa Asa
H609-01 1 Kings 15:16 אָסָ֗א asa HNp Asa Asa
H609-02 1 Kings 15:17 לְ/אָסָ֖א leasa HR/Np to Asa to Asa
H609-01 1 Kings 15:18 אָ֠סָא asa HNp Asa Asa
H609-01 1 Kings 15:18 אָסָ֗א asa-2 HNp Asa Asa
H609-01 1 Kings 15:20 אָסָ֗א asa HNp Asa Asa
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