Asshur was a son of Shem and is considered the father of the Assyrians (Gen.10.22; 1Ch.1.17).
son of Shem (GEN 10:22)
Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem › Asshur
- en Asshur
- en Asshur · Also called · H804 none · GEN 10:22
- en Ashur · Also called
- he אַשּׁ֑וּר ashur · H804 · GEN 10:22
- he אַשּׁוּר · H0804H
- el Ασσουρ Assour · none · GEN 10:22
- bg Асур
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Conditional birth estimate
Conditional birth bounds under generation assumptions; not attested parental ages, biological limits or a lifespan.
The anchors give incompatible conditional intervals. This calculation establishes no birth year.
Below are relatives with a selected birth year, the generations separating them, and the interval allowed by each anchor. Each relative’s page shows available dates and sources. The overall estimate uses the intersection of the allowed intervals.
| Relative / anchor year | Generations | Conditional interval |
|---|---|---|
| Shem · 2447 BC Ancestor |
1 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2422 BC – 2317 BC |
| Noah · 2948 BC Ancestor |
2 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2898 BC – 2688 BC |
| Lamech · 3130 BC Ancestor |
3 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3055 BC – 2740 BC |
| Methuselah · 3317 BC Ancestor |
4 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3217 BC – 2797 BC |
| Enoch · 3382 BC Ancestor |
5 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3257 BC – 2732 BC |
| Jared · 3544 BC Ancestor |
6 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3394 BC – 2764 BC |
| Mahalaleel · 3609 BC Ancestor |
7 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3434 BC – 2699 BC |
| Cainan · 3679 BC Ancestor |
8 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3479 BC – 2639 BC |
| Cain · 4004 BC Ancestor |
8 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3804 BC – 2964 BC |
| Enos · 3769 BC Ancestor |
9 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3544 BC – 2599 BC |
| Adam · 4004 BC Ancestor |
9 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3779 BC – 2834 BC |
| Eve · 4005 BC Ancestor |
9 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3780 BC – 2835 BC |
| Seth · 3874 BC Ancestor |
10 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3624 BC – 2574 BC |
Asshur is mentioned in the genealogies of Genesis 10 and 1Chronicles 1, known as the Table of Nations. He was a son of Shem, one of the three sons of Noah. The Table of Nations records the spreading out of Noah's descendants after the flood, indicating the origins of various people groups. Asshur is associated with the Assyrians, an ancient Semitic people who inhabited the region of Mesopotamia. The Assyrians established a powerful empire that played a significant role in the history of the ancient Near East. The name Asshur is also used to refer to the chief deity of the Assyrian pantheon and the capital city of the Assyrian Empire.
Second son of Shem (Gen. 10:22; 1 Chr. 1:17). He went from the land of Shinar and built Nineveh, etc. (Gen. 10:11, 12). He probably gave his name to Assyria, which is the usual translation of the word, although the form Asshur is sometimes retained (Num. 24:22, 24; Ezek. 27:23, etc.). In Gen. 2:14 “Assyria” ought to be “Asshur,” which was the original capital of Assyria, a city represented by the mounds of Kalah Sherghat, on the west bank of the Tigris. This city was founded by Bel-kap-kapu about B.C. 1700. At a later date the capital was shifted to Ninua, or Nineveh, now Koyunjik, on the eastern bank of the river.
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Asshur_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Asshur@Gen.10.22-1Ch) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, asshur_349)