רֵאשִׁית (H7225) — Hebrew Lexicon

רֵאשִׁית

𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕

rêʼshîyth

H7225 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ראשׁ to be head, be chief, be first

Definition

Principal or initial part, beginning, earliest, or chief portion of something; in various contexts, refers to the origin or starting point of a process, period, or thing (e.g., 'beginning of time,' 'first produce,' 'chief rank'). May designate the first portion of produce offered or harvested, an initial period, or a preeminent segment within a series.

Semantic Range

beginning, first part, earliest time, principal portion, chief, firstfruits, starting point, preeminent part

Root / Etymology

From the root רֹאשׁ (rōʾsh), meaning 'head,' 'top,' or 'chief.' רֵאשִׁית is a feminine noun derived from this root and typically expresses 'first' or 'beginning' as a state or period. Though cognate to רֹאשׁ in form and meaning, רֵאשִׁית most often emphasizes the initiating phase or the foremost portion, whereas רֹאשׁ primarily emphasizes 'head' or 'chief' as status or position.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רֵאשִׁית functions in a range of contexts: temporally, it denotes the starting moment or phase (Genesis 1:1, 'In the beginning'); materially, it can mean the initial portion or firstfruit (Exodus 23:19, best or earliest yield offered to the deity); by extension, it can imply primacy, preeminence, or precedence (Amos 6:1, 'notable men, first of the nations'). In early Israelite usage, commonly refers to the earliest phase or first yield, especially in contexts of offering or ritual. In wisdom literature and prophetic texts, can signal a foundational principle or most important concept (e.g., Proverbs 1:7, 'The beginning of knowledge'). Not synonymous with רֹאשׁ, which may refer to 'head' (physical or figurative), rank, or leader, while רֵאשִׁית refers more to initiation or primary status as a portion or phase; רֵאשִׁית never denotes a literal physical 'head.' English translations often render it as 'beginning,' 'first,' or 'firstfruits,' sometimes not capturing its full connotation of primacy or foundational portion. Over time, the word's ritual and temporal senses remained but could be nuanced by context, especially as cultic or philosophical significance increased in later biblical writings.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the same as רֹאשׁ; the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a firstfruit); beginning, chief(-est), first(-fruits, part, time), principal thing.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ראשׁ (r-ʾ-sh) — head, chief, first, top

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
H7221	רִאשָׁה	from your beginnings
H7222	רֹאשָׁה	the foremost one
H7223	רִאשׁוֹן	the first (feminine)
H7224	רִאשֹׁנִי	the first one

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H7225-06`	רֵאשִׁ֤ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	first	beginning of	28
`H7225-10`	וְ/רֵאשִׁ֣ית	vereshit	`HC/Ncfsc`	and the first	and beginning-of	6
`H7225-01`	בְּ/רֵאשִׁ֖ית	bereshit	`HR/Ncfsa`	In the beginning	initial beginning	5
`H7225-04`	מֵ/רֵאשִׁית֙	mereshit	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the first	from the first-part of	5
`H7225-05`	מֵ/רֵאשִׁת֑/וֹ	mereshito	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	than-his-beginning	from his first part	2
`H7225-08`	רֵאשִׁיתְ/ךָ֣	reshitekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your beginning	your beginning	1
`H7225-09`	וּ֝/מֵ/רֵאשִׁ֗ית	umereshit	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and from the firstfruits	and from the beginning of	1
`H7225-02`	בְּ/רֵ֣אשִׁיתָ֔/הּ	bereshitah	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs`	in its first season	in her beginning	1
`H7225-07`	רֵאשִׁיתָ֛/ם	reshitam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	firstfruits	their first portion	1
`H7225-03`	לָ/רֵאשִׁ֣ית	lareshit	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for the firstfruits	to the first part	1

Occurrences in Scripture

51 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H7225-01`	Genesis 1:1	בְּ/רֵאשִׁ֖ית	bereshit	`HR/Ncfsa`	In the beginning	initial beginning
`H7225-06`	Genesis 10:10	רֵאשִׁ֤ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	of his kingdom	beginning of
`H7225-10`	Genesis 49:3	וְ/רֵאשִׁ֣ית	vereshit	`HC/Ncfsc`	and the beginning	and beginning-of
`H7225-06`	Exodus 23:19	רֵאשִׁ֗ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	first	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Exodus 34:26	רֵאשִׁ֗ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	first	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Leviticus 2:12	רֵאשִׁ֛ית	reshit	`HNcfsa`	of firstfruits	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Leviticus 23:10	רֵאשִׁ֥ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	the firstfruits	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Numbers 15:20	רֵאשִׁית֙	reshit	`HNcfsc`	first	beginning of
`H7225-04`	Numbers 15:21	מֵ/רֵאשִׁית֙	mereshit	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the first	from the first-part of
`H7225-07`	Numbers 18:12	רֵאשִׁיתָ֛/ם	reshitam	`HNcfsc/Sp3mp`	firstfruits	their first portion
`H7225-06`	Numbers 24:20	רֵאשִׁ֤ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	First	beginning of
`H7225-04`	Deuteronomy 11:12	מֵֽ/רֵשִׁית֙	mereshit	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the beginning	from the first-part of
`H7225-06`	Deuteronomy 18:4	רֵאשִׁ֨ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	firstfruits	beginning of
`H7225-10`	Deuteronomy 18:4	וְ/רֵאשִׁ֛ית	vereshit	`HC/Ncfsc`	and the first	and beginning-of
`H7225-06`	Deuteronomy 21:17	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	the beginning	beginning of
`H7225-04`	Deuteronomy 26:2	מֵ/רֵאשִׁ֣ית	mereshit	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the first	from the first-part of
`H7225-06`	Deuteronomy 26:10	רֵאשִׁית֙	reshit	`HNcfsc`	firstfruits	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Deuteronomy 33:21	רֵאשִׁית֙	reshit	`HNcfsa`	first part	beginning of
`H7225-04`	1 Samuel 2:29	מֵ/רֵאשִׁ֛ית	mereshit	`HR/Ncfsc`	from the first	from the first-part of
`H7225-06`	1 Samuel 15:21	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	the best	beginning of
`H7225-04`	Isaiah 46:10	מֵֽ/רֵאשִׁית֙	mereshit	`HR/Ncfsa`	from the beginning	from the first-part of
`H7225-06`	Jeremiah 2:3	רֵאשִׁ֖ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	firstfruits	beginning of
`H7225-01`	Jeremiah 26:1	בְּ/רֵאשִׁ֗ית	bereshit	`HR/Ncfsc`	In the beginning	initial beginning
`H7225-01`	Jeremiah 27:1	בְּ/רֵאשִׁ֗ית	bereshit	`HR/Ncfsc`	In the beginning	initial beginning
`H7225-01`	Jeremiah 28:1	בְּ/רֵאשִׁית֙	bereshit	`HR/Ncfsc`	at the beginning	initial beginning
`H7225-01`	Jeremiah 49:34	בְּ/רֵאשִׁ֗ית	bereshit	`HR/Ncfsc`	in the beginning of	initial beginning
`H7225-06`	Jeremiah 49:35	רֵאשִׁ֖ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	chief	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Ezekiel 20:40	רֵאשִׁ֛ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	first	beginning of
`H7225-10`	Ezekiel 44:30	וְ/רֵאשִׁית֩	vereshit	`HC/Ncfsc`	And the first	and beginning-of
`H7225-10`	Ezekiel 44:30	וְ/רֵאשִׁ֤ית	vereshit-2	`HC/Ncfsc`	and the first	and beginning-of
`H7225-06`	Ezekiel 48:14	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	firstfruits	beginning of
`H7225-02`	Hosea 9:10	בְּ/רֵ֣אשִׁיתָ֔/הּ	bereshitah	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs`	in its first season	in her beginning
`H7225-06`	Amos 6:1	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	foremost	beginning of
`H7225-10`	Amos 6:6	וְ/רֵאשִׁ֥ית	vereshit	`HC/Ncfsc`	and the finest	and beginning-of
`H7225-06`	Micah 1:13	רֵאשִׁ֨ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	the beginning	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Psalms 78:51	רֵאשִׁ֥ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	first	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Psalms 105:36	רֵ֝אשִׁ֗ית	reshit	`HNcfsa`	first	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Psalms 111:10	רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	beginning	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Proverbs 1:7	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	beginning	beginning of
`H7225-09`	Proverbs 3:9	וּ֝/מֵ/רֵאשִׁ֗ית	umereshit	`HC/R/Ncfsc`	and from the firstfruits	and from the beginning of
`H7225-06`	Proverbs 4:7	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	beginning	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Proverbs 8:22	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	beginning	beginning of
`H7225-06`	Proverbs 17:14	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	beginning	beginning of
`H7225-08`	Job 8:7	רֵאשִׁיתְ/ךָ֣	reshitekha	`HNcfsc/Sp2ms`	your beginning	your beginning
`H7225-06`	Job 40:19	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	first	beginning of
`H7225-05`	Job 42:12	מֵ/רֵאשִׁת֑/וֹ	mereshito	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`	than-his-beginning	from his first part
`H7225-05`	Ecclesiastes 7:8	מֵֽ/רֵאשִׁית֑/וֹ	mereshito	`HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms`		from his first part
`H7225-10`	Daniel 11:41	וְ/רֵאשִׁ֖ית	vereshit	`HC/Ncfsc`	and the chief	and beginning-of
`H7225-06`	Nehemiah 10:38	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	firstfruits	beginning of
`H7225-03`	Nehemiah 12:44	לָ/רֵאשִׁ֣ית	lareshit	`HRd/Ncfsa`	for the firstfruits	to the first part
`H7225-06`	2 Chronicles 31:5	רֵאשִׁ֣ית	reshit	`HNcfsc`	the firstfruits of	beginning of

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