Hebrew word · H833

אָשַׁר

'isheruni

to bless

In the basic stem: 'to go straight on, advance, step forward' (BDB lists this verse as the only clear case of that stem). The same root gives ʾašrê, 'how happy!' (Ps 1:1; Prov 8:32, 34), and ʾăšûr, 'step' (Prov 14:15, 'the prudent watches his steps').

Appears 16 times in 15 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to go straight, walk, go on, advance, make progress

1a)(Qal) to go straight on, make progress

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to go straight on, advance

1b2) to lead on (causative)

1b3) to set right, righten

1b4) to pronounce happy, call blessed

1c) (Pual)

1c1) to be advanced, be led on

1c2) to be made happy, be blessed

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Proverbs 9:6

Range of meaning

In the basic stem: 'to go straight on, advance, step forward' (BDB lists this verse as the only clear case of that stem). In the intensive stem: 'to lead straight, guide' (Prov 23:19, 'guide your heart in the way'; Isa 1:17, 'set the oppressor right'), 'to walk' (Prov 4:14, 'do not walk in the way of evildoers'), and 'to call someone happy / fortunate' (Gen 30:13; Prov 31:28). The same root gives ʾašrê, 'how happy!' (Ps 1:1; Prov 8:32, 34), and ʾăšûr, 'step' (Prov 14:15, 'the prudent watches his steps').

Against the English

Most versions translate it as movement: 'walk' (BSB, WEB, NIV, ESV), 'go' (KJV), 'proceed' (NASB). YLT takes the 'happy' sense: 'be happy in the way of understanding.' The supplied lemma gloss 'to bless' reflects the 'call happy' use, not the sense here.

Used elsewhere in the period

Proverbs 4:14 and 23:19 use the same root with 'way' (derekh), just as here, which strongly supports the path sense. Proverbs 8:32, 34 (in the poem just before this one) uses ʾašrê for those who 'keep my ways' and 'watch daily at my gates'. That ties 'happy' and 'way' together in Wisdom's speech.

From the study of Proverbs 3:18

Range of meaning

This root gives the familiar ʾašrê, 'how fortunate / happy is…', which opens Psalm 1. In the Piel verb form it means to call or count someone fortunate. Leah says 'women will call me happy' (Gen 30:13). In Proverbs 31:28 'her children rise up and call her blessed.' The passive form used here means 'to be pronounced fortunate'. A separate meaning of the same letters is 'to walk straight, to lead' (Prov 4:14; 9:6; 23:19).

Against the English

BSB and NIV 'blessed' can make modern readers think of a gift from God. Hebrew uses a different word for that, bārûk (H1288). This root describes how a person's life looks: well-off, to be envied, flourishing in a way others can see and praise. KJV and WEB 'happy' is closer, but modern 'happy' means a passing feeling, and this word describes a person's whole situation. ESV 'are called blessed' keeps the passive, 'pronounced so' sense.

How it drifted

English Bibles have long translated both ʾšr and brk as 'blessed'. The Greek translators used makarios for ʾšr, and Jesus' beatitudes ('Blessed are…') made that word the standard choice. So English readers lose the distinction between 'God blesses you' (brk) and 'how fortunate you are' (ʾšr).

Used elsewhere in the period

The passive form appears again in Psalm 41:2 [Heb. 41:3]: 'he will be called fortunate in the land.' The Septuagint usually renders ʾašrê as makarios. In this verse the Septuagint takes a different route (see textual notes).

From the study of Isaiah 1:17

Range of meaning

ʾāšar in its basic form means 'go straight, advance' (Proverbs 9:6). The intensive form ʾiššēr means 'lead straight, guide' (Proverbs 23:19; Isaiah 3:12; 9:16), and in other passages 'call fortunate' (Genesis 30:13; Proverbs 31:28). ḥāmôṣ occurs only here. It is related to ḥmṣ, 'be violent, ruthless' (ḥômēṣ, 'ruthless man,' Psalm 71:4).

Against the English

BSB 'correct the oppressor' and NASB 'reprove the ruthless' follow the written vowels. KJV/WEB 'relieve the oppressed', NIV 'defend the oppressed' and NLT 'help the oppressed' follow the ancient versions. ESV 'correct oppression' turns the word into an abstract noun. YLT 'make happy the oppressed' uses the 'call blessed' meaning of the verb, which sounds odd in a list of legal commands.

Used elsewhere in the period

The Septuagint has rhysasthe adikoumenon ('rescue the one being wronged'). The Vulgate has subvenite oppresso ('help the oppressed'). Jeremiah 22:3 is a close parallel in idea: 'rescue the robbed from the hand of the oppressor (ʿāšôq),' with ʿāšôq built on the same pattern as ḥāmôṣ.

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 30:13 אִשְּׁר֖וּנִי they will call happy me

    Leah said, “How happy I am! For the women call me happy.” So she named him Asher.

Job · 1

  1. Job 29:11 וַֽתְּאַשְּׁרֵ֑נִי and it called blessed me

    For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,

Psalms · 2

  1. Psalm 41:2 וְאֻשַּׁ֣ר and he will be called blessed

    The LORD will protect and preserve him; He will bless him in the land and refuse to give him over to the will of his foes.

    Here: 'And he will be called happy.' It comes from the same root as the opening word of verse 1, 'ashre' ('happy is…'). The one who was declared happy in principle will be seen to be happy, and people around him will congratulate him. The form is passive, so it is a verdict others pronounce. It is a different word from the usual Hebrew word for God's blessing (barak).

  2. Psalm 72:17 יְאַשְּׁרֽוּהוּ׃ may they call blessed him

    May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed.

    Here: 'They will call him happy / count him fortunate'. This verb is related to 'ashrei, 'how fortunate!' (Psalm 1:1). It is a different verb from 'bless' in the previous line. The nations look at the king's flourishing reign and say, 'What a fortunate man!'

Proverbs · 5

  1. Proverbs 3:18 מְאֻשָּֽׁר׃ פ [are] called blessed

    She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and those who lay hold of her are blessed.

    Here: 'Is pronounced fortunate.' The verb form is passive, so other people pronounce or recognise the person as well-off. The word is singular though 'those who grip her' is plural. That means 'each one of them'. It picks up 'fortunate is the one' (ʾašrê) from v. 13, so the word opens and closes the little poem.

  2. Proverbs 4:14 תְּ֝אַשֵּׁ֗ר you advance

    Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.

    Here: A walking verb, related to the noun 'ashur, 'step.' It pictures striding forward or going straight on down a road. The first line said don't step onto the road; this line says don't keep going down it. The same root also gives 'ashrei, 'happy/blessed,' which is why some old translations read 'be not happy' here.

  3. Proverbs 9:6 וְ֝אִשְׁר֗וּ and advance

    Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”

    Here: 'And go straight on, step forward.' In this verb form the root means walking straight ahead along a path. The same root gives ʾašrê, 'how happy / blessed', so the word quietly suggests that walking this road is the happy life, though the main picture is movement.

  4. Proverbs 23:19 וְאַשֵּׁ֖ר and guide

    Listen, my son, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right course.

    Here: A command from the root meaning 'walk straight on, go forward.' This form means 'steer straight' or 'keep moving forward': the son is told to march his own heart along the road. A different root with the same letters means 'call happy', which is how YLT read it (see debates).

  5. Proverbs 31:28 וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֑וּהָ and they called blessed her

    Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:

    Here: "And they declare her fortunate." This is the verb behind ʾashrê, "Happy is the one who..." (Psalm 1:1). It is not the usual word for blessing (barak). The children are not asking God to bless her. They are saying out loud that she is someone whose life has turned out well, someone others would envy.

Song of Songs · 1

  1. Song of Songs 6:9 וַֽיְאַשְּׁר֔וּהָ and they called blessed her

    but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the favorite of the mother who bore her. The maidens see her and call her blessed; the queens and concubines sing her praises.

    Here: "And they declared her happy": they congratulated her and called her a woman to be envied. It comes from the same root as ʾašrê, "how fortunate!" (Ps 1:1). It is not the usual word for blessing (bārak).

Isaiah · 4

  1. Isaiah 1:17 אַשְּׁר֣וּ set right

    Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”

    Here: In this intensive form the verb means 'guide straight, set right' (as in Isaiah 3:12 and 9:16, 'those who guide this people'). Aimed at 'the ruthless one', it means put him straight or rein him in. If the object is 'the oppressed', it means set that person right, that is, rescue them. The supplied gloss 'to bless' reflects another use of the same stem ('call happy', Genesis 30:13), and that use is unlikely here.

  2. Isaiah 3:12 מְאַשְּׁרֶ֣יךָ guides your

    Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths.

    Here: A participle from a root meaning 'to step straight, lead on', which also gives the verb 'to call someone blessed or happy' (ʾašrê, 'happy is…'). It points to those who lead the people. The second sense also suggests people who tell them all is well. The ancient Greek and Latin chose 'those who call you blessed'.

  3. Isaiah 9:16 מְאַשְּׁרֵ֥י וּמְאֻשָּׁרָ֖יו [the] guides, and [those who] were guided by him

    For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.

Malachi · 2

  1. Malachi 3:12 וְאִשְּׁר֥וּ and they will call blessed

    “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight,” says the LORD of Hosts.

    Here: "And they will declare you fortunate." The verb is the same root as the familiar ʾashrê, "Happy is the one…" of the Psalms, not the usual Hebrew word for blessing. The "and" plus this verb form marks it as the result of the promises in verses 10–11: when the harvests come back, the nations will say it out loud.

  2. Malachi 3:15 מְאַשְּׁרִ֣ים [are] calling blessed

    So now we call the arrogant blessed. Not only do evildoers prosper, they even test God and escape.’”

    Here: An ongoing verb form: 'we keep calling', or 'from now on we call'. It is the verb behind 'ashrei, 'happy/fortunate is…', and it means a human verdict that someone's life is enviable. It is not God's blessing. It echoes 3:12 ironically, where God promised that the nations would call Israel fortunate.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.