Asher means 'happy' or 'blessed' and was the eighth son of Jacob, born to Leah's maidservant Zilpah (Genesis 30:13). The tribe of Asher was allotted territory in the fertile coastal plain of northern Canaan, known for its abundance of oil.
The name Asher derives from the root ashar (H833), meaning to go straight, advance, be happy. Jacob's blessing over Asher declares 'his food shall be rich, and he shall yield royal delicacies' (Genesis 49:20). Moses' blessing adds: 'Most blessed of sons is Asher; let him be favored by his brothers' (Deuteronomy 33:24). The prophetess Anna was from the tribe of Asher (Luke 2:36), one of the few New Testament references to the northern tribes. Theologically, Asher represents the blessedness that flows from covenant relationship — abundance that is to be shared.