Asshur
Son of Shem and ancestor of the Assyrians
Also known as: Ashur, Ashshur, Ashhur
Asshur was one of Shem's five sons and a grandson of Noah. He is regarded as the patriarch of the Assyrians, and his name is used in the Bible to refer both to the person, the people, and the land of Assyria. In Genesis he is mentioned in the table of nations after the flood, where the origins of the peoples are described. Who built the Assyrian cities Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and Resen is disputed, since Gen 10:11 can be interpreted to mean that either Nimrod or Asshur went out and founded them. Asshur's descendants, the Assyrians, played a central role in biblical history as one of Israel's most powerful adversaries.
Family
Key events
Mentioned in the genealogy
Asshur is listed as one of Shem's five sons in the post-flood genealogy that describes the origins of the nations.
The Assyrian cities are built
According to Gen 10:11-12, the cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and Resen were built. The Hebrew text is ambiguous and can be understood either as Nimrod going into the land of Asshur and building these cities, or as Asshur himself going out and building them.
Mentioned in Chronicles
Asshur is also mentioned in the genealogy in 1 Chronicles, where the sons of Shem are listed to show Israel's historical connection with other nations.
Balaam's Prophecy about Asshur
Balaam prophesies about Asshur's future in his final speech, predicting that ships from Kittim will afflict Asshur and Eber.