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רֹאשׁ

𐤓𐤀𐤔

rôʼsh

H7218 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ראש head, top, principal, foremost

Definition

The uppermost part of the body; head (of a person or animal); by extension, the top or summit of objects (such as mountains, buildings, or pillars); figuratively, a leader, chief, or principal person; beginning (of a period, event, or series); source or starting point. The term encompasses literal, spatial, and metaphorical senses, such as the head of a body, the peak of a structure, the foremost position, or the principal status within a group.

Semantic Range

head of a body (person or animal), top/summit/peak of objects, leader/chief/principal person, beginning or starting point (of time or process), source (of rivers or lists), principal thing or status

Root / Etymology

From the root ראש (ר-א-ש), meaning 'head' or 'top.' The root suggests 'to be at the head' or 'to be prominent.' There is no securely attested meaning 'to shake' for this root in surviving Semitic sources; the suggestion of 'shake' is conjectural and lacks linguistic consensus. The noun רֹאשׁ derives directly from this root and consistently means 'head' or 'top' in a physical sense and, by extension, denoting leadership or primacy.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רֹאשׁ occurs frequently throughout the Hebrew Bible, both in literal contexts (the head as a body part, the top of mountains, pillars, or rivers) and in extended uses (leader of a group or tribe, start or beginning of a time or process). In social or political contexts, רֹאשׁ regularly denotes the chief or leader—such as the head of a clan or community—without the later connotations of monarchy or priestly office specifically, though it is sometimes applied to high priests or other preeminent figures. In poetic texts, it may refer to prominence or exalted status. The translation 'chief' or 'leader' is often appropriate in narrative and genealogical sections, but 'head' or 'top' is required in spatial or anatomical contexts. Later religious or ethnic titles like 'Jew' or 'Jewish leader' are not implied by the word in ancient usage. In post-exilic and later texts, רֹאשׁ may also denote preeminence in wisdom or status. Greek Septuagint translations typically render רֹאשׁ as κεφαλή (kephalē, 'head'), preserving both literal and figurative senses. English translations sometimes render the term as 'chief' or 'principal,' but these can narrow the scope of meaning where the Hebrew is broader, especially in metaphorical applications.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root apparently meaning to shake; the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.); band, beginning, captain, chapiter, chief(-est place, man, things), company, end, [idiom] every (man), excellent, first, forefront, (be-)head, height, (on) high(-est part, (priest)), [idiom] lead, [idiom] poor, principal, ruler, sum, top.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ראש (r-ʾ-sh) — head, top, principal, foremost

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1265 בְּרוֹשׁ at the head of
H7219 רֹאשׁ poisonous plant
H7220 רֹאשׁ Rosh
H7223 רִאשׁוֹן in the first
H7226 רַאֲשֹׁת from headrests of

Word Forms

60 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7218-33 רֹ֔אשׁ rosh HNcmsa head head 146
H7218-27 רָאשֵׁ֥י rashey HNcmpc heads heads of 75
H7218-43 רֹאשֽׁ/וֹ rosho HNcmsc/Sp3ms his head his head 65
H7218-15 הָ/רֹ֖אשׁ harosh HTd/Ncmsa the chief the head 38
H7218-06 בְּ/רֹ֣אשׁ berosh HR/Ncmsc at the head at the head of 35
H7218-42 רֹאשִֽׁ/י roshi HNcmsc/Sp1cs my head my head 26
H7218-18 לְ/רֹ֣אשׁ lerosh HR/Ncmsc head to the head of 23
H7218-32 רָאשִֽׁים rashim HNcmpa heads heads 19
H7218-35 רֹאשָׁ֖/ם rosham HNcmsc/Sp3mp their heads their head 14
H7218-25 מֵ/רֹ֤אשׁ merosh HR/Ncmsc from the beginning from the head 14

Occurrences in Scripture

600 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7218-32 Genesis 2:10 רָאשִֽׁים rashim HNcmpa headstreams heads
H7218-33 Genesis 3:15 רֹ֔אשׁ rosh HNcmsa head head
H7218-27 Genesis 8:5 רָאשֵׁ֥י rashey HNcmpc tops heads of
H7218-60 Genesis 11:4 וְ/רֹאשׁ֣/וֹ verosho HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms with its top and his head
H7218-60 Genesis 28:12 וְ/רֹאשׁ֖/וֹ verosho HC/Ncmsc/Sp3ms and its top and his head
H7218-34 Genesis 28:18 רֹאשָֽׁ/הּ roshah HNcmsc/Sp3fs top of it her head
H7218-38 Genesis 40:13 רֹאשֶׁ֔/ךָ roshekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your head your head
H7218-42 Genesis 40:16 רֹאשִֽׁ/י roshi HNcmsc/Sp1cs my head my head
H7218-42 Genesis 40:17 רֹאשִֽׁ/י roshi HNcmsc/Sp1cs my head my head
H7218-38 Genesis 40:19 רֹֽאשְׁ/ךָ֙ roshekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your head your head
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