אָסַף (a.saph)
a.saph
to gather
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 176 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb asaph means to gather, collect, or bring together for a specific purpose. It appears frequently in the Old Testament, describing physical acts like gathering people into an assembly or collecting crops from the fields. The word carries a sense of intentional accumulation, whether that involves assembling troops, bringing in harvest produce, or uniting individuals into a community.
A notable nuance is its use in the phrase "gathered to his fathers," which serves as a euphemism for death and burial. In this context, the action shifts from physical collection to a final return to one's ancestors, as seen when Genesis records the deaths of patriarchs like Abraham and Isaac. This usage highlights a transition from life among the living to being gathered with those who have passed.
The root also appears in contexts of removal or destruction, such as gathering away rain or consuming enemies. Translators often render it simply as "gather," but the Hebrew encompasses both the act of bringing things together and the result of their removal or final placement. This dual sense reflects a comprehensive view of order, where things are either assembled for use or gathered into their final state.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word asaph captures more than just physical collection; it speaks to intentional gathering for a purpose. In daily life, this might look like gathering crops after a long season of work or assembling community members for a shared meal. These acts reflect an underlying order where things and people are brought together to fulfill a specific need or celebration.
There is also a profound comfort in its use regarding the end of life. When Scripture says a patriarch was 'gathered to his people,' it does not describe loss but rather a return to family and ancestry. This language reminds us that death is not an abrupt ending but a transition into the presence of those who have gone before, held within God’s care.
Whether we are gathering resources for provision or resting in the promise of being gathered home, this word points to a God who organizes our lives with purpose. It invites us to trust that every assembly and every conclusion has meaning under His sovereign hand.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 176 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ they gathered19×
- and/ he gathered18×
- they gathered9×
- gather8×
- and/ you will gather6×
- and/ he was gathered5×
- they will be gathered4×
- gather yourselves4×
- and/ they will gather4×
- they had gathered3×
- he will be gathered3×
- and/ you will be gathered3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יֶּאֱסֹ֥ף6×
- וַ/יֶּאֱסֹ֤ף4×
- נֶאֶסְפ֥וּ3×
- יֵאָסֵ֑ף3×
- יֵאָֽסְפוּ֙3×
- וַ/יֶּאֱסֹ֣ף3×
- וַ/יֵּאָ֖סֶף3×
- וְ/אָסַפְתָּ֖3×
- מְאַסֵּ֥ף2×
- יֶאֱסֹֽף\׃2×
- וַ/יַּ֣אַסְפ֔וּ2×
- וַ/יֶּאֱסֹ֨ף2×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 25:8
Abraham gave up his spirit, and died at a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
This verse uses the phrase 'gathered to his people' as a respectful euphemism for death, framing it as a return to one's ancestors rather than mere cessation of life.
-
Exodus 23:16
And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of your labors, which you sow in the field; and the feast of ingathering, at the end of the year, when you gather in your labors out of the field.
Here the word describes the Feast of Ingathering, highlighting the agricultural cycle where the harvest is collected at the year's end as an act of worship and provision.
-
Genesis 49:29
He instructed them, and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
Jacob explicitly instructs his sons regarding his own burial, using the term to confirm his desire to be united with his fathers in the family tomb.
-
Exodus 3:16
Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and tell them, ‘Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt.
Moses is commanded to gather the elders, showing how this verb initiates communal action and leadership response to God's call for deliverance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word asaph mean?
Why is asaph used when describing someone's death?
How is asaph different from other words for collecting?
Where does this word appear most frequently?
Every Occurrence (176 verses across 30 books)
Genesis 14 verses
Take with you some of all food that is eaten, and gather it to yourself; and it will be for food for you, and for them.”
Genesis 25:8Abraham gave up his spirit, and died at a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.
Genesis 25:17These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up his spirit and died, and was…
Genesis 29:3There all the flocks were gathered. They rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the…
Genesis 29:7He said, “Behold, it is still the middle of the day, not time to gather the livestock together. Water the sheep, and go…
Genesis 29:8They said, “We can’t, until all the flocks are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth. Then…
Genesis 29:22Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
Genesis 30:23She conceived, bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”
Genesis 34:30Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have troubled me, to make me odious to the inhabitants of the land, among the…
Genesis 35:29Isaac gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons,…
Genesis 42:17He put them all together into custody for three days.
Genesis 49:1Jacob called to his sons, and said: “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in…
Genesis 49:29He instructed them, and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in…
Genesis 49:33When Jacob finished charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, breathed his last breath, and was gathered…