ASHERAH ə shĭr’ ə (אֲשֵׁרָה, H895). The KJV usually trs. this word by “grove(s)”; the ASV often treats it as a proper noun in order to avoid the problems raised by KJV “grove” in some contexts; the RSV makes no attempt to distinguish the name of the goddess from the name of the cult object, using “Asherah” for both.

The LXX usually tr. אֲשֵׁרָה, H895, with ἄλσος (grove); however, in two places (Isa 17:8; 27:9) it has δένδρα (tree), and in two other places (2 Chron 15:16; 24:18) it has ̓Αστάρτη and ̓Αστάρταις, a divine name (“Astarte”).

Although the authors of the Mishna explained Asherah as a tree that was worshiped, and the LXX tr. ἄλσος (grove) will often fit the context, there are other contexts where the LXX rendering is unsuitable (if ἄλσος means only grove). An examination of the contexts of אֲשֵׁרָה, H895, reveals the following: it was made of wood (Judg 6:26); manufactured (1 Kings 14:15), planted (Deut 16:21), erected (1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 17:10), burned (Deut 12:3; 2 Kings 23:6, 15), cut down (Exod 34:13; Deut 7:5; Judg 6:25, 28, 30; 2 Kings 18:4; 23:14; 2 Chron 14:3; 31:1); overthrown (Mic 5:14); destroyed (2 Chron 34:4). With the אֲשֵׁרָה, H895, were associated incense stands (Isa 17:8), altars (Jer 17:2), high places (2 Chron 17:6), other images (2 Chron 34:4), and maṩṩēbōth (2 Chron 34:4). The “image” of Asherah is mentioned in 1 Kings 15:13, 2 Kings 21:7, and 2 Chronicles 15:16. Women wove hangings for the Asherah (2 Kings 23:7).

The deity Asherah is now known from several extra-Biblical sources. In Ugaritic she is the goddess of the sea and the consort of El. She is there described as the progenitress of several gods, including Baal, who was also associated with her (Judg 3:7; 6:26-30). The Tell el-Amarna tablets preserve the personal name Abdi-Ashirti (Servant of Asherah) and other Akkad. texts from Mesopotamia mention the deity Ashratu. In old S Arabia the deity Athirat is mentioned.

Asherah is not mentioned in connection with the patriarchs nor is she associated with the kings of the monarchy, but later, after the kingdom split, Asherah is mentioned in connection with both the northern and southern kingdoms. Manasseh introduced Asherah into the Temple at Jerusalem (2 Kings 21:3, 7); Josiah brought the Asherah out of the Temple and burned it (23:4). The Israelites were commanded to cut down (Exod 34:13), or burn (Deut 12:3) the Asherim of the Canaanites, and also were forbidden to plant any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the Lord (16:21). However, when the Israelite invaders appropriated for their own religious worship the “high places” of the Canaanites, they also adopted the maṩṩebah and Asherah (1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 17:10, 16; Isa 17:8; 27:9; Jer 17:2; Mic 5:13, 14). With this cult were associated incense stands (Isa 17:8), altars (Jer 17:2), high places (2 Chron 17:6), and other images (34:4), as well as the maṩṩeboth (34:4).

Asherah is coupled with Baal in OT usage (Judg 3:7; 1 Kings 18:19; 2 Kings 23:4) in the same way that Ashtoreth is coupled with Baal (Judg 2:13). Both passages in the Book of Judges (2:13; 3:7) apparently refer to images.

Bibliography W. H. Ward, “The Asherah” AJSL, 19 (1902), 33-44; W. F. Albright, Archaeology and the Religion of Israel (1946), 73-78; W. L. Reed, The Asherah in the Old Testament (1949), 1-116.