The term Ashuri (אַשׁוּרִי) appears in 2 Samuel 2:9, where Abner established Ish-bosheth as king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel after Saul's death. The exact identification is debated — possibly the tribe of Asher or settlers in Transjordan.
The political situation described in 2 Samuel 2 — with Ish-bosheth ruling northern tribes from Mahanaim while David ruled Judah from Hebron — illustrates a recurring biblical theme: God's anointed king versus the human-appointed alternative. The seven-year civil war was ultimately resolved by God's providential ordering of events, not military dominance. Every contested loyalty in this narrative points toward the eventual unification under David — a type of Christ's ultimate kingship over all peoples.