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Leah said, “How happy I am! For the women call me happy.” So she named him Asher.
Genesis 30:13 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Leah said, “Happy am I, for the daughters will call me happy.” She named him Asher.
  • KJV And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.
  • NKJV Then Leah said, “I am happy, for the daughters will call me blessed.” So she called his name Asher.
  • NASB Then Leah said, “Happy am I! For women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher.
  • NLT And Leah named him Asher, for she said, “What joy is mine! Now the other women will celebrate with me.”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Leah names this son Asher, meaning 'happy,' expecting others will call her blessed. It expresses her satisfaction at her growing household.

Overview

Asher joins the roster of Jacob's sons and the future tribes of Israel. Leah's words echo a longing to be esteemed, a theme running through her since she felt unloved compared to Rachel. The Lord continues, despite the disordered family, to advance his covenant purpose of multiplying Abraham's offspring.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 7

  • Luke 1:48For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed.
  • Song 6:9but 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.
  • Gen 35:26And the sons of Leah’s maidservant Zilpah were Gad and Asher. These are the sons of Jacob, who were born to him in Paddan-aram.
  • Gen 49:20Asher’s food will be rich; he shall provide royal delicacies.
  • Prov 31:28Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband praises her as well:
  • Gen 46:17The children of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel.
  • Deut 33:24–25And concerning Asher he said: “May Asher be the most blessed of sons; may he be the most favored among his brothers and dip his foot in oil.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (8)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Genesis videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Genesis 30:13YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on GenesisMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.

How Genesis 30:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.