Rosh
רֹאשׁ/ROHSH/
“Head, chief, or a proper name”
Summary
Rosh appears in Scripture as a son of Benjamin and possibly as a people or territory mentioned in Ezekiel's prophecy against Gog.
☩Son of Benjamin
Rosh is listed among the sons of Benjamin who went down to Egypt with Jacob. Beyond this genealogical mention, nothing further is known of this individual.
Key verses:Genesis 46:21
☩In Ezekiel's Prophecy
In Ezekiel 38-39, 'Rosh' appears in the phrase 'the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal' (or 'prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal'). Some scholars identify Rosh as a proper noun referring to a people or territory, possibly connected to later Russia, though this remains debated. Others translate it simply as 'chief' (Hebrew rosh, meaning 'head').
Key verses:Ezekiel 38:2-3Ezekiel 39:1
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Rosh," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Rosh," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Rosh," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).