Joshua 19:24-31

The Inheritance of Asher Joshua 19:24-31

24 And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.
25 And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Be-ten, and Achshaph,
26 And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reacheth to Carmel westward, and to Shihor-labnath;
27 And turneth toward the sunrising to Beth-dagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthah-el toward the north side of Beth-emek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand,
28 And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great Zidon;
29 And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:
30 Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages.
31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.

10.

Who was Asher? Joshua 19:24

Asher was the son of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid, and Jacob. When he was born (Genesis 30:13), he was given a name which signified that his mother was happy. Ashrah means happy in the Hebrew. Jacob mentioned him in his blessings of his sons (Genesis 49:20). At the census taken near Mount Sinai, there were 41,500 men of war in Asher. Later at the census taken in Moab, he had 53,400 men, twenty years of age and older (Numbers 1:26).

11.

Where was the territory of Asher? Joshua 19:24-31

The land assigned to the tribe of Asher reached from Mount Carmel to the northern border of Canaan itself. Carmel is a wooded mountain which stretches in the northwesterly direction, along the southern side of the River Kishon. Some of the land was very rich soil, and it made an excellent home for the descendants of Asher. Most of the land was along the Mediterranean seacoast, and would have been naturally bounded on the north by the Leontes River, Deborah made reference to the nature of the land as she said, Asher sat still at the haven of the sea and abode by his creeks (Judges 5:17 b).

12.

How many cities were in Asher? Joshua 19:30

Twenty-two cities are listed as being within the borders of the tribe of Asher. Most of them are rather unimportant, being mentioned very infrequently in the rest of Bible history. Anna, daughter of Phanuel, was from the midst of this tribe (Luke 2:36). The phrase, Great Sidon, denotes the preeminence which that city enjoyed over Tyre, the sister city, mentioned in Joshua 19:29, as being a strong city. These non-Israelite cities maintained their preeminence. Asher did not drive out the inhabitants; and the history of the people of Asher was inextricably intertwined with the history of the Phoenicians, who lived in Tyre and Sidon.