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אָסָף

𐤀𐤎𐤐

Asaf

H623 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Proper masculine name: Asaph. Refers primarily to an individual identified as a prominent Levite musician appointed by King David as one of the chief singers and leaders of liturgical music in the Israelite sanctuary. Also designates his descendants or the guild associated with him, recognized for their involvement in temple music and worship. Additionally, serves as the personal name of two other individuals in post-exilic contexts.

Semantic Range

personal name; clan or guild name associated with temple musicians; name of a Levite, post-exilic Israelite official, or other individuals

Root / Etymology

Root: אָסַף (אסף), meaning 'to gather, collect, assemble.' The proper name אָסָף (Asaph) is formed from this root, possibly conveying the idea of 'he has gathered' or 'gatherer,' but in practice functions as a personal name without direct semantic reference to 'gathering.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, Asaph is most prominent as a Levite appointed by David to oversee musical worship with his descendants, the 'sons of Asaph,' credited with composing or performing several psalms (e.g., Psalms 73–83). In late biblical books (e.g., Nehemiah), the name appears for other individuals, such as an official in the Persian period. English translations typically use the transliterated name 'Asaph' without rendering its root meaning. The term 'sons of Asaph' refers both to genealogical descendants and to a professional group engaged in temple music over several centuries. There is no evidence for a religious or geographic shift in meaning, but the role of Asaph and his descendants as musicians is a distinctive aspect of Israelite worship, especially in the First and Second Temple periods. The meaning is distinct from the common noun 'collector' or 'gatherer,' and context always indicates a personal or collective proper name.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from אָסַף; collector; Asaph, the name of three Israelites, and of the family of the first; Asaph.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

אָסַף (Eveyasaf) — to gather, collect, assemble

Root אָסַף to gather, collect, assemble
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H43 אֶבְיָסָף Father-has-gathered

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H623-01 אָסָ֔ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf 27
H623-02 לְ/אָסָ֖ף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf 15
H623-03 וְ/אָסָ֖ף veasaf HC/Np and Asaph and he gathered and Asaf 4

Occurrences in Scripture

46 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H623-01 2 Kings 18:18 אָסָ֖ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 2 Kings 18:37 אָסָ֧ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 Isaiah 36:3 אָסָ֖ף asaf HNp of Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 Isaiah 36:22 אָסָ֧ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 50:1 לְ/אָ֫סָ֥ף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 73:1 לְ/אָ֫סָ֥ף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 74:1 לְ/אָ֫סָ֥ף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 75:1 לְ/אָסָ֣ף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 76:1 לְ/אָסָ֣ף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 77:1 לְ/אָסָ֥ף leasaf HR/Np Of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 78:1 לְ/אָ֫סָ֥ף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 79:1 לְ/אָ֫סָ֥ף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 80:1 לְ/אָסָ֣ף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 81:1 לְ/אָסָֽף leasaf HR/Np Of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 82:1 לְ/אָ֫סָ֥ף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-02 Psalms 83:1 לְ/אָסָֽף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-01 Ezra 2:41 אָסָ֔ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 Ezra 3:10 אָסָף֙ asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 Nehemiah 2:8 אָסָף֩ asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 Nehemiah 7:44 אָסָ֔ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 Nehemiah 11:17 אָסָ֜ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 Nehemiah 11:22 אָסָף֙ asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 Nehemiah 12:35 אָסָֽף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-03 Nehemiah 12:46 וְ/אָסָ֖ף veasaf HC/Np and Asaph and he gathered and Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 6:24 אָסָ֔ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 6:24 אָסָ֥ף asaf-2 HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 9:15 אָסָֽף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 15:17 אָסָ֖ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 15:19 אָסָ֖ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 16:5 אָסָ֥ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-03 1 Chronicles 16:5 וְ/אָסָ֖ף veasaf HC/Np and Asaph and he gathered and Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 16:7 אָסָ֖ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-02 1 Chronicles 16:37 לְ/אָסָ֖ף leasaf HR/Np Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 25:1 אָסָף֙ asaf HNp of Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 25:2 אָסָ֗ף asaf HNp of Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 25:2 אָסָ֑ף asaf-2 HNp of Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 25:2 אָסָ֔ף asaf-3 HNp of Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 25:6 אָסָ֥ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-02 1 Chronicles 25:9 לְ/אָסָ֖ף leasaf HR/Np for Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-01 1 Chronicles 26:1 אָסָֽף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-02 2 Chronicles 5:12 לְ/אָסָ֡ף leasaf HR/Np of Asaph to Asaph to Asaf
H623-01 2 Chronicles 20:14 אָסָ֑ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-01 2 Chronicles 29:13 אָסָ֔ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-03 2 Chronicles 29:30 וְ/אָסָ֣ף veasaf HC/Np and Asaph and he gathered and Asaf
H623-01 2 Chronicles 35:15 אָסָ֜ף asaf HNp Asaph he gathered Asaf
H623-03 2 Chronicles 35:15 וְ/אָסָ֞ף veasaf HC/Np and Asaph and he gathered and Asaf
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