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Asher (Hebrew: ×ָשֵ×ר, Standard AÅ¡er Tiberian ʾĀšēr), in the Book of Genesis, is the second son of Jacob and Zilpah, and the founder of the Tribe of Asher. Ashar is also a place in Israel. Asher comes from the Hebrew word Osher meaning "happy" or "blessing" (See Gen. 30:13), but others associated the origin of the name with the goddess Asherah. [Metzeger, Bruce M. (ed); , Michael D. Coogan (ed) (1993). The Oxford Companion to the Bible. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-504645-5. ] Asher played a role in the plot to sell his brother Joseph into slavery.(Gen. 37:23-36) Asher and his four sons and daughter settled in Canaan. On his deathbed, Jacob blesses Asher by saying that "his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties"(Genesis 49:20 [Authorized (King James)Version].
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