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רֵאשִׁית

𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤕

rêʼshîyth

H7225 noun

SILEX Entry

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.

Translation Consistency

beginning "beginning" 27 occurrences

Temporal origin or starting point

firstfruits "firstfruits" 7 occurrences

First portion of harvest or offering

chief "chief" 5 occurrences

Foremost in rank or importance

Alternatives (11 occurrences):
"first of" (4x) "first portion" (2x) "first-part of" (2x) "first" (1x) "beginning-of" (1x) "first portion of" (1x)

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

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Yoruba Ìbẹ̀rẹ̀ the beginning

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Root Family

ראשׁ (Mareeshah) — head, chief, to lead

Root ראשׁ to be head, be chief, be first
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4761 מַרְאָשָׁה your dominions
H4762 מַרְאֵשָׁה to Mareshah
H4763 מְרַאֲשָׁה his headrests
H7217 רֵאשׁ be head
H7221 רִאשָׁה from your beginnings

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7225-06 רֵאשִׁ֣ית reshit HNcfsc first beginning of beginning of 28
H7225-10 וְ/רֵאשִׁ֥ית vereshit HC/Ncfsc and the first and beginning-of and first of 6
H7225-01 בְּ/רֵאשִׁ֖ית bereshit HR/Ncfsa In the beginning initial beginning in the beginning 5
H7225-04 מֵ/רֵאשִׁ֛ית mereshit HR/Ncfsc from the first from the first-part of from the first-part of 5
H7225-05 מֵֽ/רֵאשִׁית֑/וֹ mereshito HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms than-his-beginning from his first part from his beginning 2
H7225-02 בְּ/רֵ֣אשִׁיתָ֔/הּ bereshitah HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs in its first season in her beginning in its beginning 1
H7225-03 לָ/רֵאשִׁ֣ית lareshit HRd/Ncfsa for the firstfruits to the first part for the firstfruits 1
H7225-07 רֵאשִׁיתָ֛/ם reshitam HNcfsc/Sp3mp firstfruits their first portion their first portion 1
H7225-08 רֵאשִׁיתְ/ךָ֣ reshitekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your beginning your beginning your beginning 1
H7225-09 וּ֝/מֵ/רֵאשִׁ֗ית umereshit HC/R/Ncfsc and from the firstfruits and from the beginning of and from the firstfruits of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

51 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7225-01 Genesis 1:1 בְּ/רֵאשִׁ֖ית bereshit HR/Ncfsa In the beginning initial beginning in the beginning
H7225-06 Genesis 10:10 רֵאשִׁ֤ית reshit HNcfsc of his kingdom beginning of beginning of
H7225-10 Genesis 49:3 וְ/רֵאשִׁ֣ית vereshit HC/Ncfsc and the beginning and beginning-of and the beginning
H7225-06 Exodus 23:19 רֵאשִׁ֗ית reshit HNcfsc first beginning of beginning of
H7225-06 Exodus 34:26 רֵאשִׁ֗ית reshit HNcfsc first beginning of beginning of
H7225-06 Leviticus 2:12 רֵאשִׁ֛ית reshit HNcfsa of firstfruits beginning of first portion
H7225-06 Leviticus 23:10 רֵאשִׁ֥ית reshit HNcfsc the firstfruits beginning of first of
H7225-06 Numbers 15:20 רֵאשִׁית֙ reshit HNcfsc first beginning of first of
H7225-04 Numbers 15:21 מֵ/רֵאשִׁית֙ mereshit HR/Ncfsc from the first from the first-part of from the first-part of
H7225-07 Numbers 18:12 רֵאשִׁיתָ֛/ם reshitam HNcfsc/Sp3mp firstfruits their first portion their first portion
H7225-06 Numbers 24:20 רֵאשִׁ֤ית reshit HNcfsc First beginning of beginning of
H7225-04 Deuteronomy 11:12 מֵֽ/רֵשִׁית֙ mereshit HR/Ncfsc from the beginning from the first-part of from the beginning of
H7225-06 Deuteronomy 18:4 רֵאשִׁ֨ית reshit HNcfsc firstfruits beginning of firstfruits of
H7225-10 Deuteronomy 18:4 וְ/רֵאשִׁ֛ית vereshit HC/Ncfsc and the first and beginning-of and firstfruits of
H7225-06 Deuteronomy 21:17 רֵאשִׁ֣ית reshit HNcfsc the beginning beginning of the beginning of
H7225-04 Deuteronomy 26:2 מֵ/רֵאשִׁ֣ית mereshit HR/Ncfsc from the first from the first-part of from the first-part of
H7225-06 Deuteronomy 26:10 רֵאשִׁית֙ reshit HNcfsc firstfruits beginning of firstfruits of
H7225-06 Deuteronomy 33:21 רֵאשִׁית֙ reshit HNcfsa first part beginning of beginning of
H7225-04 1 Samuel 2:29 מֵ/רֵאשִׁ֛ית mereshit HR/Ncfsc from the first from the first-part of from the first
H7225-06 1 Samuel 15:21 רֵאשִׁ֣ית reshit HNcfsc the best beginning of the chief part of
H7225-04 Isaiah 46:10 מֵֽ/רֵאשִׁית֙ mereshit HR/Ncfsa from the beginning from the first-part of from the beginning
H7225-06 Jeremiah 2:3 רֵאשִׁ֖ית reshit HNcfsc firstfruits beginning of firstfruits
H7225-01 Jeremiah 26:1 בְּ/רֵאשִׁ֗ית bereshit HR/Ncfsc In the beginning initial beginning in the beginning
H7225-01 Jeremiah 27:1 בְּ/רֵאשִׁ֗ית bereshit HR/Ncfsc In the beginning initial beginning at the beginning
H7225-01 Jeremiah 28:1 בְּ/רֵאשִׁית֙ bereshit HR/Ncfsc at the beginning initial beginning at the beginning
H7225-01 Jeremiah 49:34 בְּ/רֵאשִׁ֗ית bereshit HR/Ncfsc in the beginning of initial beginning in the beginning of
H7225-06 Jeremiah 49:35 רֵאשִׁ֖ית reshit HNcfsc chief beginning of chief
H7225-06 Ezekiel 20:40 רֵאשִׁ֛ית reshit HNcfsc first beginning of beginning of
H7225-10 Ezekiel 44:30 וְ/רֵאשִׁית֩ vereshit HC/Ncfsc And the first and beginning-of and first of
H7225-10 Ezekiel 44:30 וְ/רֵאשִׁ֤ית vereshit-2 HC/Ncfsc and the first and beginning-of and first of
H7225-06 Ezekiel 48:14 רֵאשִׁ֣ית reshit HNcfsc firstfruits beginning of firstfruits of
H7225-02 Hosea 9:10 בְּ/רֵ֣אשִׁיתָ֔/הּ bereshitah HR/Ncfsc/Sp3fs in its first season in her beginning in its beginning
H7225-06 Amos 6:1 רֵאשִׁ֣ית reshit HNcfsc foremost beginning of chief of
H7225-10 Amos 6:6 וְ/רֵאשִׁ֥ית vereshit HC/Ncfsc and the finest and beginning-of and the beginning of
H7225-06 Micah 1:13 רֵאשִׁ֨ית reshit HNcfsc the beginning beginning of the beginning of
H7225-06 Psalms 78:51 רֵאשִׁ֥ית reshit HNcfsc first beginning of beginning of
H7225-06 Psalms 105:36 רֵ֝אשִׁ֗ית reshit HNcfsa first beginning of beginning of
H7225-06 Psalms 111:10 רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית reshit HNcfsc beginning beginning of beginning of
H7225-06 Proverbs 1:7 רֵאשִׁ֣ית reshit HNcfsc beginning beginning of beginning-of
H7225-09 Proverbs 3:9 וּ֝/מֵ/רֵאשִׁ֗ית umereshit HC/R/Ncfsc and from the firstfruits and from the beginning of and from the firstfruits of
H7225-06 Proverbs 4:7 רֵאשִׁ֣ית reshit HNcfsc beginning beginning of beginning of
H7225-06 Proverbs 8:22 רֵאשִׁ֣ית reshit HNcfsc beginning beginning of beginning of
H7225-06 Proverbs 17:14 רֵאשִׁ֣ית reshit HNcfsc beginning beginning of beginning of
H7225-08 Job 8:7 רֵאשִׁיתְ/ךָ֣ reshitekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your beginning your beginning your beginning
H7225-06 Job 40:19 רֵאשִׁ֣ית reshit HNcfsc first beginning of chief of
H7225-05 Job 42:12 מֵ/רֵאשִׁת֑/וֹ mereshito HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms than-his-beginning from his first part from his beginning
H7225-05 Ecclesiastes 7:8 מֵֽ/רֵאשִׁית֑/וֹ mereshito HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms from his first part than its beginning
H7225-10 Daniel 11:41 וְ/רֵאשִׁ֖ית vereshit HC/Ncfsc and the chief and beginning-of and the chief
H7225-06 Nehemiah 10:38 רֵאשִׁ֣ית reshit HNcfsc firstfruits beginning of first portion of
H7225-03 Nehemiah 12:44 לָ/רֵאשִׁ֣ית lareshit HRd/Ncfsa for the firstfruits to the first part for the firstfruits
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