Asher was the eighth son of Jacob, and the second of Jacob's two sons by Zilpah, Leah's maid. The other son by Zilpah was Gad . When Jacob blessed his 12 sons before he died, he said that Asher would have a life blessed with an abundance of food and delicacies befitting a king . Asher made the journey with Jacob and the family from Padan Aram to Canaan, and then later to Egypt.