Who was Asriel in the Bible?

Asriel was a son of Gilead and a grandson of Manasseh, making him a descendant of Joseph and part of the tribe of Manasseh (1 Chronicles 7:14). He is listed in a genealogical record, and his descendants were known as the Asrielites (Numbers 26:31).

What is the significance of Asriel in the Bible?

Asriel's primary significance is genealogical, as he helped establish one of the clans within the tribe of Manasseh. His lineage was important for defining tribal inheritance and identity in the Promised Land (Joshua 17:2).

Are there any key events in Asriel's life?

The Bible does not record any specific events in Asriel's personal life. His mention is solely within family lists, indicating his role in the continuation of the tribe of Manasseh through his sons and the clan that bore his name.

Asriel

Old TestamentEgypt & WildernessMaleSon

Asriel was a son of Gilead and a descendant of Manasseh (1 Chr 7:14).

Asriel

Biography

This Asriel appears in 1 Chronicles 7:14 as a son of Manasseh through his Aramean concubine, listed alongside Machir. The Chronicler's genealogical record of Manasseh's descendants is complex, reflecting the mixed ancestry that characterized certain segments of the half-tribe of Manasseh. As a son of Manasseh, Asriel would have belonged to the generation of Jacob's grandsons who were part of Israel's formative period in Egypt. The mention of the Aramean concubine as his mother sets this Asriel apart from the Asriel descended through Gilead (Num 26:31), though the two may be related through the same broad Manassite genealogical tradition. He is not the subject of any extended narrative but is preserved as a name within the tribe's foundational family structure.

Significance

The mention of Asriel through an Aramean concubine in 1 Chronicles 7:14 subtly reflects the ethnic complexity within Israel's tribal identity. Manasseh's descendants included both full-blooded Israelites and those of mixed heritage, yet all are included in the sacred genealogical record without distinction of legitimacy or exclusion. This reflects a biblical pattern in which God's covenantal community was never ethnically monolithic: the foreigner and the mixed-heritage individual were incorporated into Israel's story. Asriel's inclusion thus anticipates the broader New Testament reality in which the people of God transcend ethnic boundaries. Though unnamed in any narrative event, his presence in the genealogical register affirms God's inclusive accounting of those who belong to the covenant people.

Verse Appearances (1)

1Chr

1Chr 7:14

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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