Question 1

Who are the main family heads named from the tribe of Asher in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The passage lists several family heads from the tribe of Asher. It mentions Jimna, whose family is called the Jimnites. It then names Jesui, whose family is called the Jesuites. Next is Beriah, whose family is called the Beriites. From Beriah come two more family lines, those of Heber and Malchiel, called the Heberites and the Malchielites. These names mark out the main clans that later Israelites from Asher would trace their family line back to.

Question 2

What is the significance of naming Asher's daughter Serah in this genealogy?

Accepted Answer

In the middle of listing Asher's families, the text pauses to name his daughter, called Serah or Sarah. The passage does not explain why she is mentioned, but the simple fact that her name is recorded sets her apart as noteworthy in some way. In a list that mainly focuses on male family heads and their clans, it is unusual to see a daughter named. The passage shows that her name was remembered among the people of Israel, even if the specific reason is not given here.

Question 3

How many people from the tribe of Asher are counted in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The passage ends by giving the total number of people from the tribe of Asher who were counted in this census. It says that those who were numbered from the families of Asher were fifty-three thousand and four hundred. This total includes the different clans named in the verses and shows the size of Asher as part of the wider people of Israel at that time in the wilderness.

Question 4

What does this short list of Asher's families show about Israel at this time?

Accepted Answer

This list of Asher's families is part of a larger census of all the tribes. By naming the clans and giving their total number, the passage shows that Israel was organized by tribes and by families, not just as one large crowd. Each group could trace its line back to an early ancestor. The passage also shows that God's people were being counted and ordered before they went into the land they had been promised, with each tribe knowing its place among the others.

Question 5

Why are different family names like Jimnites and Heberites mentioned for Asher?

Accepted Answer

The different family names, such as Jimnites, Jesuites, Beriites, Heberites, and Malchielites, come from the personal names of Asher's descendants. Each of these men became the head of a clan, and the people who came from them took their name. By listing these clan names, the passage shows how one tribe was made up of several groups, each with its own family line. This helped Israel keep track of its ancestry and how many people belonged to each family within the tribe.

Numbers 26:44

¶ Of the children of Asher after their families: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.

The Tribe of Asher

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Numbers 26:44

¶ Of the children of Asher after their families: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.

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The Tribe of Asher

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