אַשּׁוּר
𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤓
Ashur
H804 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun referring to Ashshur: (1) The second son of Shem in the genealogies of Genesis, regarded as the ancestor of the ancient population of Assyria; (2) By extension, the land, territory, or political entity associated with his descendants, namely, the region of Assyria—an important Mesopotamian state and empire centered along the Tigris River; (3) In some contexts, the term can also refer generally to the Assyrian people or political authority.
Semantic Range
eponymous ancestor (Ashshur son of Shem), ethnic group (descendants/people of Assyria), territory/kingdom/empire of Assyria, political authority or power
Root / Etymology
Root: אָשַׁר (ʼāshar) meaning 'to go straight, proceed, be successful,' though the connection is primarily in later interpretation; actual derivation of the name Ashshur as a proper noun is uncertain, with its use as a geographical or ethnical designation likely borrowing from the eponymous city or deity name attested in ancient Assyrian sources.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, אַשּׁוּר (Ashshur) primarily serves as a proper noun with three overlapping referents: a personal name (Shem's son; Genesis 10:11, 22), a people group (the Assyrians), and a land/entity (the Assyrian territory or empire). The biblical use reflects the reality that names of ancient peoples and territories were often traced back to eponymous ancestors. In the earliest genealogical contexts, Ashshur is an individual, but in later historical books, the term commonly denotes the Assyrian kingdom or empire—an imperial power engaging with Israel and Judah (e.g., in Kings, Isaiah). In extra-biblical texts, the name Ashshur appears as a leading city (modern Assur) and also as the name of the national deity of the Assyrians; the Hebrew form may reflect this broader Mesopotamian context. English translations often render אַשּׁוּר as 'Assyria' for the country/empire, 'Assyrian(s)' for the people, and occasionally retain 'Asshur' for the individual, though this does not always capture the nuance or historic overlap between individual, people, and place in biblical usage. The term is distinct from other names denoting Mesopotamian or Aramean peoples (such as עֲרָם 'Aram' for the Arameans/Syrians). Across Israelite history, especially from the monarchical period onward, Ashshur signified a major foreign power, and the evolution from eponymous ancestor to imperial entity reflects both biblical genealogical structures and broader ancient Near Eastern naming conventions.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or אַשֻּׁר; apparently from אָשַׁר (in the sense of successful); Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e. Assyria), its region and its empire; Asshur, Assur, Assyria, Assyrians. See אָשֻׁר.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אשר (ʾ-š-r) — to go straight, proceed, be successful
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7789 | שׁוּר | Ashshur |
| H833 | אָשַׁר | Declare fortunate! |
| H834 | אֲשֶׁר | that-which |
| H835 | אֶשֶׁר | his happinesses |
| H836 | אָשֵׁר | that-which |
Word Forms
9 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H804-01 |
אַשּׁ֑וּר | ashur | HNp |
of Assyria | Ashshur | 131 |
H804-02 |
אַשּׁ֑וּרָ/ה | ashurah | HNp/Sd |
to Assyria | toward Ashshur | 6 |
H804-05 |
מֵֽ/אַשּׁ֑וּר | meashur | HR/Np |
from Assyria | from Ashshur | 5 |
H804-09 |
וְ/אַשּׁ֑וּר | veashur | HC/Np |
and Asshur | and Ashshur | 4 |
H804-08 |
וּ/בְ/אַשּׁ֖וּר | uveashur | HC/R/Np |
and in Assyria | and in Ashshur | 1 |
H804-06 |
וּ/לְ/אַשּׁ֑וּר | uleashur | HC/R/Np |
and with Assyria | and to Ashshur | 1 |
H804-04 |
לְ/אַשּׁ֣וּר | leashur | HR/Np |
to Assyria | to Ashshur | 1 |
H804-07 |
וּ/מֵֽ/אַשּׁ֖וּר | umeashur | HC/R/Np |
and from Assyria | and from Ashshur | 1 |
H804-03 |
בְּ/אַשּׁ֑וּר | beashur | HR/Np |
into Assyria | in Ashshur | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
151 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H804-01 |
Genesis 2:14 | אַשּׁ֑וּר | ashur | HNp |
Assyria | Ashshur |
H804-01 |
Genesis 10:11 | אַשּׁ֑וּר | ashur | HNp |
Asshur | Ashshur |
H804-09 |
Genesis 10:22 | וְ/אַשּׁ֑וּר | veashur | HC/Np |
and Asshur | and Ashshur |
H804-02 |
Genesis 25:18 | אַשּׁ֑וּרָ/ה | ashurah | HNp/Sd |
Assyria | toward Ashshur |
H804-01 |
Numbers 24:22 | אַשּׁ֥וּר | ashur | HNp |
Asshur | Ashshur |
H804-01 |
Numbers 24:24 | אַשּׁ֖וּר | ashur | HNp |
Asshur | Ashshur |
H804-01 |
2 Kings 15:19 | אַשּׁוּר֙ | ashur | HNp |
of Assyria | Ashshur |
H804-01 |
2 Kings 15:20 | אַשּׁ֔וּר | ashur | HNp |
of Assyria | Ashshur |
H804-01 |
2 Kings 15:20 | אַשּׁ֔וּר | ashur-2 | HNp |
of Assyria | Ashshur |
H804-01 |
2 Kings 15:29 | אַשּׁוּר֒ | ashur | HNp |
of Assyria | Ashshur |