← H7221 H7223 →

רֹאשָׁה

𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤄

rôʼshâh

H7222 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root ראשׁ to be the head, to be first, to be chief or foremost

Definition

A feminine noun meaning the head, with uses referring both to the physical head (chief part, top) and, by extension, to the uppermost, principal, or foremost part of something (such as a stone in construction). The word may also be used for the peak or summit of an object, indicating its highest or most prominent part.

Semantic Range

head (physical), topmost part, summit, highest point, chief stone (capstone or headstone), principal part

Root / Etymology

From the root רֹאשׁ (rosh, ראש), meaning 'head,' either physically (the anatomical head) or figuratively (chief, principal). רֹאשָׁה is the feminine form, which may serve to match grammatical gender with the noun it qualifies or to denote a particular head or head part that is conceptually feminine, such as a 'headstone' (keystone, capstone) in construction.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רֹאשָׁה appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible and is primarily found in contexts referring to the summit or chief stone, as in Zechariah 4:7, which describes the 'headstone' placed atop a structure. Its usage parallels the masculine form רֹאשׁ but is grammatically feminine, likely to agree with feminine nouns or to denote a specific nuance. English translations sometimes use 'head,' 'headstone,' or 'summit,' but these do not always capture the breadth of the Hebrew, which can refer figuratively to prominence or preeminence. Unlike רֹאשׁ, which is frequent and broad in use, רֹאשָׁה is more specialized. The distinction is more grammatical than semantic, but when used, רֹאשָׁה can emphasize the terminal or crowning element of something. In later biblical and post-biblical literature, the figurative sense of prominence or the most important position was sometimes retained for this form.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine of רֹאשׁ; the head; head(-stone).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

ראשׁ (r-ʾ-sh) — head, firstness, chiefness, foremost position

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4761 מַרְאָשָׁה your dominions
H4762 מַרְאֵשָׁה to Mareshah
H4763 מְרַאֲשָׁה his headrests
H7217 רֵאשׁ be head
H7219 רֹאשׁ poison-plant

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7222-01 הָ/רֹאשָׁ֔ה haroshah HTd/Aafsa the head/top the foremost one 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7222-01 Zechariah 4:7 הָ/רֹאשָׁ֔ה haroshah HTd/Aafsa the head/top the foremost one
← H7221 Hebrew Lexicon H7223 →