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רֹאשׁ

𐤓𐤀𐤔

rôʼsh

H7219 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רָאַשׁ to be poisonous, to be bitter

Definition

A bitter or poisonous plant; refers to various toxic herbs, most notably hemlock, or by extension, a generic term for 'poison' or 'venom.' In figurative contexts, it denotes bitterness, calamity, or moral corruption. In rare cases, may refer more broadly to a bitter root or substance causing harm when consumed.

Semantic Range

poisonous plant, bitter herb, poison, venom, bitterness, harmful substance, calamity (metaphorical)

Root / Etymology

From the root רָאַשׁ (r-ʼ-sh), likely connoting bitterness or poison. The precise identification of the plant is uncertain, but it is used as a generic term for a poisonous or bitter substance rather than referencing a specific species. The phonetic similarity to רֹאשׁ (rôsh, 'head') is coincidental; the words are distinct in usage and meaning.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רֹאשׁ occurs primarily in poetic or metaphorical passages in the Hebrew Bible, often paired with 'wormwood' (לַעֲנָה) to emphasize destructive bitterness or moral corruption (Deut 29:17; Jer 9:14). Its identification with particular plants such as hemlock, poppy, or aconite has been suggested, but the evidence is inconclusive; it should be understood more as a representative of any poison-bearing, bitter plant. In prophetic and wisdom literature, רֹאשׁ serves as a symbol of national and personal disaster. Later Greek and English translations variously render it as 'gall,' 'hemlock,' or 'poison,' sometimes carried into New Testament references with interpretive expansions. Care should be taken not to conflate with רֹאשׁ meaning 'head,' which derives from a different root. In ancient Israelite usage, רֹאשׁ was a recognized term for substances that brought harm or spiritual downfall, with semantic overlap with other terms for bitterness or fatality.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or רוֹשׁ; (Deuteronomy 32:32), apparently the same as רֹאשׁ; a poisonous plant, probably the poppy (from its conspicuous head); generally poison (even of serpents); gall, hemlock, poison, venom.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ראש (r-ʾ-sh) — to be poisonous, to be bitter

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1265 בְּרוֹשׁ at the head of
H7218 רֹאשׁ in the head
H7220 רֹאשׁ Rosh
H7223 רִאשׁוֹן in the first
H7226 רַאֲשֹׁת from headrests of

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7219-03 רֹ֖אשׁ rosh HNcmsa gall head 8
H7219-04 וָ/רֹֽאשׁ varosh HC/Ncmsa and the gall poison-plant 1
H7219-02 לְ/רֹאשׁ֙ lerosh HR/Ncmsa to poison to head 1
H7219-05 וְ/רֹ֥אשׁ verosh HC/Ncmsc and head and bitter-poison of 1
H7219-01 כָּ/רֹאשׁ֙ karosh HRd/Ncmsa like hemlock poisonous plant 1

Occurrences in Scripture

12 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7219-03 Deuteronomy 29:17 רֹ֖אשׁ rosh HNcmsa gall head
H7219-03 Deuteronomy 32:32 ר֔וֹשׁ rosh HNcmsa of poison head
H7219-05 Deuteronomy 32:33 וְ/רֹ֥אשׁ verosh HC/Ncmsc and head and bitter-poison of
H7219-03 Jeremiah 8:14 רֹ֔אשׁ rosh HNcmsa poison head
H7219-03 Jeremiah 9:14 רֹֽאשׁ rosh HNcmsa of poison head
H7219-03 Jeremiah 23:15 רֹ֑אשׁ rosh HNcmsa gall head
H7219-01 Hosea 10:4 כָּ/רֹאשׁ֙ karosh HRd/Ncmsa like hemlock poisonous plant
H7219-02 Amos 6:12 לְ/רֹאשׁ֙ lerosh HR/Ncmsa to poison to head
H7219-03 Psalms 69:22 רֹ֑אשׁ rosh HNcmsa gall head
H7219-03 Job 20:16 רֹאשׁ rosh HNcmsc poison head
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