Asshurim is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Asshurim was one of the sons of Dedan, and thus a descendant of Abraham through Keturah, the wife Abraham took after Sarah’s death (Genesis 25:1). The account in Genesis 25:3 reads, “And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.” Asshurim is therefore named among the third generation of Abraham’s posterity through Keturah: Abraham fathered Jokshan, Jokshan fathered Dedan, and Dedan fathered Asshurim along with his brothers Letushim and Leummim.
The setting of this name is a genealogy—a record of family lines rather than a narrative of events. Scripture does not record anything Asshurim said or did. He appears only in this single verse, listed as one of Dedan’s sons. The genealogy itself serves to trace the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that he would become the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4–5). These lines through Keturah were distinct from the line of promise through Isaac, yet they were still part of Abraham’s legacy and were remembered in Israel’s records.
What Scripture says of Asshurim is limited to his name and his place in this family tree. The source note identifies him simply as one of the sons of Dedan, a descendant of Abraham and Keturah. No further details about his life, occupation, or descendants are given in the King James Bible. He stands as a name in a lineage, one of many who together testify to the broadening family of Abraham.
The Name
The name Asshurim is Hebrew, and it is related to a root associated with “Asshur,” a name also used for Assyria. Because of this connection, the name is often understood as carrying a sense of “steps,” “level places,” or “guided ones,” though the precise meaning is not entirely certain. Some scholars link it to the idea of walking or going straight. It is worth noting that the name is not clearly explained in Scripture itself, and the exact sense is debated. What can be said with confidence is that it belongs to a group of names in this passage that appear to be ancestral or tribal designations. Beyond this general connection, the meaning is not firmly recoverable, and it is best not to press it further than the text allows.
A Closing Thought
Asshurim’s life is summed up in a single line of a genealogy—no deeds, no words, no recorded legacy beyond his name. Yet that name is written in the book of Genesis, preserved for thousands of years as part of the family of Abraham. Most of us will not be remembered by great achievements or public acts. Our lives may feel as hidden as Asshurim’s. But God keeps His own record, and no one who belongs to His family is forgotten. A quiet place in a long lineage of faith is no small thing; it is a place in the story of God’s faithfulness to His promises.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Genesis 25:3 — And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.