🔼The name Asshurim: Summary
- Meaning
- Happy People, Upright People, Steppers
- Etymology
- From the verb אשר ('ashar), to go (straight) on, or ישר (yashar), to be level, straight up, just.
🔼The name Asshurim in the Bible
The Asshurim are descendants of Dedan, son of Jokshan, son of Abraham with Keturah (Genesis 25:3). They are mentioned only once in the Bible, along with the Letushim and the Leummim.
🔼Etymology of the name Asshurim
The name Asshurim appears to be derived from the plural of the name Asshur (which would be אשורים, but our name is spelled without the י, yod), and is related to the verbs אשר ('ashar), meaning to go (straight) on, and ישר (yashar), meaning to be level, straight up, just:
ישר אשר
Verb ישר (yashar) means to be straight or level. Adjective ישר (yashar) means right or upright. Nouns ישר (yosher), ישרה (yeshara) and מישר (meshar) mean uprightness or straightness. Noun מישור (mishor) describes a level place or plain.
Verb אשר ('ashar) covers a decisive progression or a setting right, and is often applied to describe happiness and prosperity (right on!). This is not due to a curious coincidence but to the obvious correlation of righteousness and efficiency. Righteousness in the Biblical sense describes a solid grasp of natural law, which leads to high levels of technology, social liquidity and thus peace and prosperity.
Nouns אשר ('esher), אשר ('ashar) and אשר ('osher) mean happiness or blessedness. Nouns אשור (ashur) and אשר (ashur) mean a step, a walk or a going. The noun תאשור (te'ashur) refers to a kind of tree (a happy tree? a progressing tree?).
The relative particle אשר (asher) means who or which, and may or may not be related to the previous (but probably does).
🔼Asshur meaning
The Asshurim are the Happy People, the Upright People, or simply the Steppers.