ASHAN ā’ shən (עָשָֽׁן; LXX ̓Ανώχ; Vul. and Luther Asan; means smoke in Heb.). A town in SW Shephelah (Negeb) of Judah (Josh 15:42). Ashan is also called (1) בְּבﯴר־עָשָׁ֖ן smoking pit/furnace (1 Sam 30:30); LXX βηρσαβεε; RSV BORASH’-AN; KJV CHO-RA’-SHAN, because of a typographical error in a printed Heb. text; and (2) עַ֣יִן eye; fountain/spring of water (Josh 21:16); LXX (A) Αἰν, (B) ̓Ασα; KJV, RSV A-in (cf. 1 Chron 6:59; Heb. and LXX 6:44). This Ain is not to be confused with the Ain in Numbers 34:11, a landmark on the NE border of Canaan—perhaps modern Umm er-Ramā-mīn, c. eighteen m. SW of Hebron.

Ashan was originally assigned to Judah (Josh 15:42). Later it was either transferred to Simeon or considered a border town on the boundary line of both tribes (19:7), and was finally designated a Levitical city of refuge (21:16; 1 Chron 6:59). Here David roamed with his outlaw band (1 Sam 30:30). Ashan is identified with modern Khirbet ’Asan c. one and one-half m. NW of Beer-sheba.