H7218a H7218a
Head (body part); chief or leader; top or summit; military company; beginning; choicest portion; census total
One of the most frequent nouns in the Hebrew Bible, rosh fundamentally denotes the physical head of a person or animal but branches into a remarkably wide semantic range. Because the head is the topmost, foremost, and most prominent part of the body, it naturally extends to mean the top of a mountain, the chief of a tribe, the beginning of a period, and even the sum total of a census. These metaphorical extensions are ancient, attested across Semitic languages from Akkadian reshu to Arabic ra's to Ethiopic re's, and every major translation tradition reflects the branching: Spanish distinguishes cabeza from cima and principio, while Korean separates meori (head) from udumeori (leader) and kkokdaegi (summit).
7. sum, total, census count — The sum or total obtained by counting heads — a census figure. The idiom naso et rosh ('lift up the head') means 'take a census.' Ps 139:17 uses rosh for the sum of God's thoughts, and Ps 119:160 speaks of the sum (rosh) of God's word being truth. Swahili jumla and Korean hapgye both render this as 'total.' 2×
AR["رَأْسُ-","رُؤُوسُهَا"]·ben["সংখ্যা-তাদের!","সারমর্ম-"]·DE["der-sum-von","ihr-sum"]·EN["the-sum-of","their-sum"]·FR["tête"]·heb["ראש","ראשיהם"]·HI["उनके-योग"]·ID["Jumlah","jumlahnya"]·IT["capo"]·jav["Sirah-","gunggung-ipun"]·KO["그-합계들-이","처음-이로다"]·PT["A-soma-da","as-somas-deles"]·RU["Начало-","число-их"]·ES["Suma-de","sus-sumas"]·SW["jumla-ya-","jumla-yake"]·TR["başı-","toplamları"]·urd["اصل","اُن-کے-جوڑ"]
▼ 6 more senses below
Senses
1. head (body part) — The literal, physical head of a human or animal — the default, unmarked sense appearing in roughly 57% of occurrences. Arabic ra's, Spanish cabeza, and German Haupt all converge on the anatomical meaning. Key passages include the baker's dream in Gen 40:20 and Jacob blessing Ephraim by placing his hand on the boy's head (Gen 48:14). 343×
AR["رَأسَ","رَأسِ","رَأْسَ","رَأْسُ","رَأْسِ","رَأْسِ-"]·ben["প্রধান","মাথা","মাথা-"]·DE["Haupt-von","das-Haupt","dem-Haupt"]·EN["head-of","head-of-"]·FR["tête-de","tête-de-"]·heb["ראש"]·HI["पहला","सिर","सिरों"]·ID["kepala"]·IT["capo-di","capo-di-"]·jav["sirah","sirahipun"]·KO["머리","머리-","머리를","첫째이다"]·PT["a-cabeça-de","cabeça-de"]·RU["глава","голову","головы-","изголовья"]·ES["cabecera-de","cabeza-de","cabeza-de-"]·SW["hesabu","kichwa","kichwa-cha","wa-mkubwa","wa-wambaji"]·TR["baş","başı","başına","başını","başının","başının-"]·urd["سر","سروں"]
Gen 40:20, Gen 40:20, Gen 47:31, Gen 48:14, Gen 48:14, Gen 48:17, Gen 48:17, Gen 48:17, Exod 12:2, Exod 29:10, Exod 29:15, Exod 29:19 (+38 more)
2. chief, leader, head of group — A chief, leader, or head of a clan, tribe, or administrative unit. The metaphor from body part to authority figure is pan-Semitic (Arabic ra'is, Swahili mkuu/kiongozi, Korean udumeori). Prominent in the genealogical registers of Chronicles (1 Chr 5:7, 5:24) where tribal leaders are enumerated by their headship. 156×
AR["رُؤَساءُ","رُؤُوس"]·ben["নেতারা","প্রধানরা","প্রধানেরা"]·DE["Haupt"]·EN["heads","heads-of"]·FR["tête"]·heb["ראש","ראשי","ראשים"]·HI["प्रधान","मुखिया"]·ID["kepala-kepala","kepala-kepala-"]·IT["capo"]·jav["pangageng","pangageng-","seserah"]·KO["머리들","머리들-의"]·PT["cabeças","cabeças-de","chefes"]·RU["главы"]·ES["cabezas","cabezas-de"]·SW["viongozi","viongozi-wa","wakuu","wakuu-wa"]·TR["başlar","başları","başları-","önderler"]·urd["سردار"]
1 Chr 5:7, 1 Chr 5:12, 1 Chr 5:24, 1 Chr 5:24, 1 Chr 7:2, 1 Chr 7:3, 1 Chr 7:7, 1 Chr 7:9, 1 Chr 7:40, 1 Chr 7:40, 1 Chr 8:6, 1 Chr 8:10 (+38 more)
3. top, summit, peak — The top, summit, or peak of a physical object — a mountain, pillar, tree, or tower. Korean kkokdaegi, Spanish cima/cumbre, and Swahili kilele all distinguish this spatial sense from the body-part meaning. Moses standing on the top of the hill with the staff of God (Exod 17:9-10) and the cloud covering Sinai's summit (Exod 19:20) are defining passages. 70×
AR["رَأسِ","رَأْسَ","رَأْسُ","رَأْسِ"]·ben["চূড়া","চূড়া-","চূড়ায়","চূড়ায়-","মাথা","শীর্ষ","শীর্ষে","শীর্ষের"]·DE["Gipfel-von","Spitze-von"]·EN["top-of"]·FR["sommet-de","top-de"]·heb["ראש","ראש-"]·HI["-चोटी-पर","चोटी","चोटी-","शिखर","सिर"]·ID["puncak","puncak-"]·IT["cima-di","top-di"]·jav["pucak","pucak-","pucuk","pucuk-","pucuking"]·KO["꼭대기","꼭대기(접)","꼭대기-의","꼭대기로","꼭대기를","꼭대기에","꼭대기에-","꼽대기의","머리","정상"]·PT["cabeça-de","cimo-de","cume-de","topo-de","topo-de-"]·RU["вершина","вершине","вершине-","вершину","вершину-","на-вершину"]·ES["a-la-cima-de","cabeza-de","cabeza-de-","cima-de","cumbre-de","cumbre-de-","la-cima-de","la-cumbre-de"]·SW["kilele","kilele-","kilele-cha","kilele-cha-","na-hivyo","saba","vichwa"]·TR["Yahve","başı","başına","başına-","tepesi","tepesinde","tepesinde-","tepesine","tepesine-"]·urd["سر","چوٹی","چوٹی-"]
Exod 17:9, Exod 17:10, Exod 19:20, Exod 19:20, Exod 24:17, Exod 34:2, Exod 36:38, Exod 38:17, Exod 38:19, Exod 38:28, Num 14:40, Num 14:44 (+38 more)
4. company, division, band — A military company, division, or raiding band, typically in the plural. Judges 7:16 describes Gideon dividing three hundred men into three rashim (companies), and Judg 9:34-43 narrates Abimelech's tactical deployment of multiple bands. Arabic firaq, Korean budae, and Spanish divisiones confirm this specialized military sense. 13×
AR["أَفْواجٍ","الـ-رَّأْسُ","الـ-فِرَق","الـ-فِرَقَتَانِ","رُؤُوسٍ","فِرَق","وَ-الـ-رَّأْسُ","وَ-الـ-فِرَق","وَ-فِرْقَة"]·ben["-দল","আর-দল","এবং-দল-","এবং-দলগুলো","দল","দলগুলো","দলে","মাথা","মাথায়"]·DE["Haupt","companies","der-companies","der-company","divisions","und-Schar-","und-der-companies","und-der-company"]·EN["and-company-","and-the-companies","and-the-company","bands","companies","divisions","the-companies","the-company"]·FR["compagnies","companies","divisions","et-company-","et-le-compagnies","et-le-company","le-compagnies","le-company","tête"]·heb["ה-ראש","ה-ראשים","ו-ה-ראש","ו-ה-ראשים","ו-ראש","רָאשִׁים","ראשים"]·HI["और-एक-टुकड़ी","और-टुकड़ियाँ","और-दल","टुकड़ियोंने","टुकड़ियोंमें","दल","दलों","दलों-ने","दलों-में"]·ID["Dan-pasukan","dan-kelompok-","dan-kelompok-kelompok","dan-pasukan","gerombolan","kelompok","pasukan","regu"]·IT["capo","compagnie","companies","divisions","e-company-","e-il-compagnia","e-il-compagnie","il-compagnia","il-compagnie"]·jav["Lan-golongan-","golongan","golongan-","lan-golongan-","lan-para-golongan","rombongan","règol"]·KO["그-머리들-은","그-부대가","그리고-그-머리들-이","그리고-그-부대가","그리고-머리-","머리들","무리를","부대가","부대들로","부대로"]·PT["E-a-divisão","a-divisão","cabeças","divisões","e-a-divisão","e-grupo-","e-os-grupos","grupos","os-grupos"]·RU["и-отряд","и-отряд-","и-отряды","отряд","отряда","отрядами"]·ES["La-división","Y-la-división","cabezas","compañías","divisiones","escuadrones","las-cabezas","las-compañías","y-compañía-","y-la-división","y-las-compañías"]·SW["kikundi-kimoja","na-kikosi","na-kikundi-kimoja-","na-vikundi","vikosi","vikundi","vinne","vitatu"]·TR["-birlik","Ve-birlik","başlık","birlik","bölük","de-başlıklar","grup","ve-bir-bölük","ve-birlik","ve-bölükler"]·urd["اور-ٹکڑی-","اور-ٹکڑیاں","اور-پہلی-ٹکڑی","ٹولیاں","ٹکڑیوں-میں","ٹکڑیوں-میں۔","ٹکڑیوں-نے","پہلی-ٹکڑی"]
Judg 7:16, Judg 7:20, Judg 9:34, Judg 9:37, Judg 9:43, Judg 9:44, Judg 9:44, 1 Sam 11:11, 1 Sam 13:17, 1 Sam 13:17, 1 Sam 13:18, 1 Sam 13:18 (+1 more)
5. beginning, first — The beginning or first of a temporal or ordinal sequence. The head of time is its start: Prov 8:23 places Wisdom at the rosh of God's works, and Num 10:10 prescribes trumpet blasts at the rosh of months. Swahili mwanzo, Arabic bidaya, and Korean cheoeumbuteo all render this as 'beginning' rather than 'head.' 11×
AR["أَوَّل","أَوَّلًا","مِنَ-","مِنَ-البَدْءِ","مِنَ-الْبِدَايَةِ","مِنْ-الْبَدْءِ","وَ-رَأْسَ","وَ-فِي-رُؤُوسِ","وَفِي-رُؤُوسِ"]·ben["-শুরু-থেকে","আদি-থেকে","এবং-প্রথম","এবং-প্রথমে","এবং-মাসের-প্রথমে","প্রথম-থেকে","প্রথমে","মাথা","শুরু-থেকে"]·DE["Anfang-von","Haupt","und-Haupt","und-bei-Haeupter-von","und-bei-beginnings-von","von-Gift","von-Haupt"]·EN["and-at-beginnings-of","and-at-heads-of","and-the-first","beginning-of","first","from-beginning","from-the-beginning","from-the-first","to-you"]·FR["commencement-de","de-tête","et-tête","et-à-beginnings-de","et-à-heads-de","tête"]·heb["ב-ה-ראש","ו-ראש","מ-ראש","ראש"]·HI["आदि-से","आरंभ-से","आरम्भ-से","और-आरंभ-में","और-नए-चांद-के","और-पहली","पहले","शुरू-में","से-आदि"]·ID["dan-pada-awal","dan-permulaan","dari-awal","dari-permulaan","permulaan","pertama"]·IT["beginning-di","capo","da-capo","e-a-beginnings-di","e-a-capi-di","e-capo"]·jav["Lan-ing-wiwitan","lan-wiwitan","lan-wonten-ing-wiwitan","saking-wiwitan","sapisan","wiwitan"]·KO["그리고-에서-첫날들-의","그리고-처음-을","그리고-캘날들-에","시작에","에-머리-에","처음-부터","처음-에서","처음부터"]·PT["E-em-começos-de","desde-o-princípio","e-nos-princípios-de","e-princípio-de","início-de","primeiro"]·RU["в-начале","во-главе","и-в-началах","и-начало","от-начала","от-начала,"]·ES["Y-en-cabezas-de","al-principio","cabeza-de","desde-el-principio","desde-principio","y-en-principios-de","y-principio-de"]·SW["kutoka-mwanzo","kwanza","mwanzo-wa","mwanzoni","na-katika-mwanzo-wa","na-mwanzo-wa","tangu-mwanzo"]·TR["basindan","bastan-","başlangıçtan","başta","başında","ve-başlarında","ve-ilk"]·urd["ابتداء-سے","اور-ابتدائی","اور-شروع-میں","اور-شروعوں-میں","شروع","شروع-سے","پہلے"]
6. chief, choicest, principal amount — The choicest, finest, or principal quality of a substance, or the principal amount of a debt. In Lev 6:5 and Num 5:7, rosh refers to the principal capital that must be restored plus a fifth. Hindi uttam (best) and Swahili bora (finest) reflect the qualitative metaphor from 'head' to 'prime.' 2×
AR["بِ-رَأْسِهِ"]·ben["তার-মূলে"]·DE["in-sein-principal"]·EN["in-its-principal"]·FR["dans-son-principal"]·heb["ב-ראש","ב-ראשו"]·HI["पूर्ण-रूप-से","मूल-में-उसके"]·ID["dalam-pokoknya","sepenuhnya"]·IT["in-suo-principal"]·jav["mawi-sirah","wonten-ing-sirah-ipun"]·KO["그-원금으로","그의-머리-에서"]·PT["em-cabeça-dele","em-sua-totalidade"]·RU["в-главе-его","по-голове-его"]·ES["en-cabeza-de-él","en-principal-suyo"]·SW["Brashu","kwa-thamani-yake"]·TR["aslıyla","tamamıyla-"]·urd["پورا-اس-میں","پورا-پورا"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
I. רֹאשׁ599 n.m. Lv 13:45 head (common Sem. word; earliest form *ra’š, Arabic رَأْسٌ, Sab. ראס PräZMG xxix (1875), 425 MordtmHim. Inschr. 31; Ethiopic ርእስ: Amh. ራስ: hence (a heightened) Assyrian rêšu (rarely râšu), Aramaic רֵישָׁא (Egyptian Aramaic ראשׁ CookeNorth-Sem. Inscr. 404), ܪܺܝܫܳܐ, mod. raïša, HuartJAs xii (1878), 491 Duvalid. xiii (1879), 464; Palm. רשׁא, Lzb366, cf. BH רִישׁוֹן,…