The Canaanite pagan goddess known by that name really isn't directly mentioned in the Bible, "Asherim" is a term for a type of pagan cultic object, translated "grove" in the KJV, that is probably tied to her worship, but as far as being specific about Canaanite goddess worship the Bible is far more interested in singling out Astarte, the Queen of Heaven.But there is a lot of talk online about a few archeological inscriptions taken as implying that the Israelites worshipped Asherah as the wife of YHWH. There is of course plenty of dispute about that reading of these inscription, but i have an interesting theory to add.Etymologically speaking Asherah is a feminine from of a Semitic word that means "happy" or "blessed", the same root the name of Asher comes from. In fact, the first time this word appears in the Bible at all is when explaining Asher's name in Genesis 30:13:>And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.I looked at every other account of a son of Jacob being named in Genesis 29-30, and only in this one does the mother naming him say something to imply the Feminine from of his name could be an additional name for herself.Another use of this word, when the context implies it's being used in it's feminine form, is Malachi 3:12:>And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.The word for "delightsome" here is the core root that Hephzibah comes from, a poetic name for the Land of Israel in Isaiah 60.This ties into the them of Israel being in a sense collection the wife of YHWH, "Asharah" is among her poetic alternate names in that context. But there is also some New Testament significance I could add, from Luke 2:28:>the Angel first appears to Mary and says;>Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Then there's the Visitation, 41-48:>And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:>And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.>And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.If they were originally speaking Hebrew, it's plausible Asharah is the word for "blessed" they were using.This does NOT vindicate Catholic Marian veneration. It only further shows that Mary being an important woman from the Bible doesn't change that veneration of images of her are idolatry.
The pagan cultic objects would typically be idols of Asherah, similar to how idols are often referred to as “gods” because they are depictions of pagan gods. The evidence of the pagan Israelites worshipping a goddess named Asherah as a wife of Yahweh implies that at least some times the scripture is referring to this practice and condemning it.
