Asaph

Asaph is a biblical male name primarily used in English contexts. It means "collector" in Hebrew, more specifically derived from the Hebrew verb אָסַף (’āsap̄), signifying "to gather" or "to assemble." In the Old Testament, several minor characters bear this name, most notably a Levite musician appointed by King David to lead worship in the tabernacle, traditionally regarded as one of the chief authors of the Psalms – twelve psalms (50 and 73–83) are attributed to "Asaph." The name also appears in 2 Chronicles 20:14, where a man named Asaph prophesies victory over the Moabites. Additionally, an alternative spelling links Asaph to the Scottish saint Asaph (or Asaff), a 6th-century bishop of the kingdom of Powys in present-day Wales, after whom the town and cathedral of St Asaph are named. St Matthew's Gospel uses "Asaph" as an alternative name for the Judean King Asa in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:7–8) in certain manuscripts, though modern translations favor Asa. As such, the name occupies a minor but distinctive place in both scriptural and ecclesiastical tradition.

• Meaning: "Collector" or "Gathered by God"
• Origin: Hebrew
• Type: Biblical given name
• Usage regions: English-speaking world, esp. among religious families