Asher (2)
A Border Town of Manasseh
The town of Asher is briefly mentioned in Joshua 17:7, where it appears as a landmark along the southern boundary of the territory allotted to the tribe of Manasseh. The verse describes the border running from Asher to Michmethath, which lies east of Shechem. This places the town somewhere in the central hill country of Israel, in the region between the territories of Manasseh and Ephraim.
Distinguishing This Asher from the Tribe
It is important not to confuse this town with the far more prominent tribe of Asher, one of the twelve tribes of Israel descended from Jacob's son Asher (Genesis 30:13). The tribal territory of Asher was located in the far northwest of Canaan along the Mediterranean coast, stretching from Mount Carmel northward toward Sidon (Joshua 19:24-31). The town of Asher mentioned in Joshua 17:7, by contrast, was a small settlement in the central highlands, used simply as a geographical reference point for describing tribal boundaries.
The Division of the Land
The mention of Asher occurs within the broader narrative of Israel's division of the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership. After the conquest of Canaan, the land was carefully divided among the twelve tribes by lot, as God had commanded (Joshua 14:1-2). The precise description of borders, including minor towns like Asher, reflects the seriousness with which Israel treated the divine allocation of territory. Every boundary marker, no matter how small, served to define each tribe's inheritance from God.
An Unidentified Location
Despite its mention in Scripture, the exact site of Asher has never been positively identified by archaeologists or biblical geographers. The town was evidently small and may not have survived long enough to leave a significant archaeological footprint. Its primary importance lies in its function as a geographical marker in the biblical text rather than as a settlement of historical significance in its own right.
The Apocryphal Connection
A place called Asher is also mentioned in the book of Tobit (Tobit 1:2), where it is identified with Hazor in the territory of Naphtali. This is a different location from the Manassite border town and reflects the broader use of the name Asher across different regions and time periods in ancient Israel.
Biblical Context
Asher (2) appears only in Joshua 17:7 as a geographical marker on the southern boundary of Manasseh's territory. It is part of the detailed border descriptions found in Joshua 13-19, which record the division of the Promised Land among Israel's tribes. The town is distinct from the tribal territory of Asher in northern Israel described in Joshua 19:24-31.
Theological Significance
Though a minor place name, Asher's mention in the border descriptions reflects the theological importance of land inheritance in Israel's covenant with God. The careful delineation of tribal boundaries demonstrated that the land was a divine gift, distributed according to God's sovereign plan. Even obscure landmarks served to define and preserve each tribe's God-given portion.
Historical Background
The exact location of this Asher remains unidentified. It was situated somewhere in the central hill country between the territories of Manasseh and Ephraim, near Shechem. The lack of archaeological identification suggests it was a small, possibly short-lived settlement. Ancient Near Eastern boundary descriptions commonly used towns, geographical features, and landmarks as reference points, and Asher served this practical function in Israel's territorial records.