Who was Assir in the Bible?

Assir was a Levite, listed as a son of Korah and an ancestor of the prophet Samuel. His lineage is recorded in the genealogies of the tribe of Levi (1 Chronicles 6:22-23, 37).

Why is Assir significant in the Bible?

Assir's significance lies in his place within the priestly lineage. His genealogy connects the line of Korah to the important prophet and judge Samuel, showing God's faithfulness through generations.

What key events was Assir involved in?

The Bible does not record specific events in Assir's life. His mention is solely genealogical, establishing his family line within the tribe of Levi during Israel's history.

Assir

Old TestamentEgypt & WildernessMaleProphetLevite

Assir was a Levite ancestor of Samuel the prophet (1 Chr 6:23, 37).

Assir

Biography

This Assir was a Levite ancestor appearing in the genealogical lineage traced from Levi to the prophet Samuel, as recorded in 1 Chronicles 6:23 and 6:37. He appears in the extended Kohathite line that runs through Ebiaph, Assir, Tahath, and onward through multiple generations to Elkanah and ultimately to Samuel. The Chronicler's careful enumeration of this line serves to establish Samuel's unimpeachable Levitical credentials and his legitimate standing as one who ministered before the Lord. Assir's place in this pedigree situates him in the wilderness period, among the generation that served God in the tabernacle. While no personal narrative attaches to him, his name in the sacred register connects the later great prophet Samuel to the founding Levitical ministry of Israel's early history.

Significance

Assir's position in the genealogy leading to Samuel reflects the Chronicler's central theological concern: that legitimate worship and prophetic ministry must be grounded in proper lineage and continuity. By tracing Samuel's ancestry through the Kohathite line back to Levi, the Chronicler validates Samuel's role not merely as a prophetic figure but as a Levitical servant whose ministry stood in direct continuity with Israel's earliest worship traditions. This genealogical legitimation matters for a post-exilic community rebuilding its religious institutions, it establishes that the prophetic and priestly heritage of Israel is not broken but preserved through faithful families. Assir, though personally obscure, is a link in the chain of sacred continuity that made Samuel's extraordinary ministry possible.

Verse Appearances (2)

1Chr

1Chr 6:23 1Chr 6:37

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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