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רִאשׁוֹן

𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤅𐤍

riʼshôwn

H7223 adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

Adjective or substantive meaning 'first'—denoting precedence in time, order, position, or rank. Its semantic range includes 'earliest,' 'former,' 'previous,' 'chief,' and, as a noun, 'first one,' 'earliest generation,' or 'ancestor.' The term can also indicate the 'beginning' of something, such as an event, period, or sequence, or describe items or people of primary importance or status.

Semantic Range

first in time, earliest, former, previous, chief, foremost in rank or position, beginning, ancestor, original, before, of old, in the past

Root / Etymology

Root: רא״ש (ר-א-ש). Derived from the root meaning 'head,' 'top,' or 'beginning.' 'רִאשׁוֹן' is a formation indicating 'pertaining to the head/beginning' or 'the foremost.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

רִאשׁוֹן is widely used in the Hebrew Bible as both an adjective and a noun, often to indicate something or someone that comes before others in time, position, or importance. In genealogical contexts, it refers to ancestors or previous generations. In narrative or legal texts, it can distinguish a 'former' event, period, or state (e.g., previous kings, previous times). In poetic and prophetic literature, רִאשׁוֹן is contrasted with אַחֲרוֹן ('last, later'), highlighting the movement from former to latter times. The English terms 'first' or 'former' usually capture the general meaning, but can obscure nuances: 'first' may indicate sequence or status, while 'former' emphasizes prior existence. Translation as 'ancestor' or 'of old' in genealogical or historical passages helps clarify the referent. Unlike headwords like רֹאשׁ ('head') or תְּחִלָּה ('beginning'), רִאשׁוֹן specifically expresses relational precedence. Its use remained consistent over biblical periods, though in post-exilic literature, chronological and eschatological contrasts with 'last' or 'latter' (אַחֲרוֹן) became more pronounced.

Translation Consistency

primary "first" 50 occurrences

Most common and natural rendering in English (129 of 182 occurrences). Covers the adjective and substantive uses — precedence in time, order, rank, and the noun sense of ‘the first/first one’ or ‘beginning.’ Keeps translation consistent and easily inflected in context for senses like ‘former,’ ‘foremost,’ or ‘earliest.’

✓ All renderings match approved senses

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or רִאשֹׁן; from רִאשָׁה; first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun); ancestor, (that were) before(-time), beginning, eldest, first, fore(-father) (-most), former (thing), of old time, past.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

ראשׁ (Mareeshah) — head, chief, to lead

Root ראשׁ to be first, to precede, to be at the head, to begin
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

22 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7223-04 הָ/רִאשׁ֔וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa the first the foremost one the first one 63
H7223-06 הָ/רִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים harishonim HTd/Aampa the first the first ones the first ones 30
H7223-02 בָּ/רִ֣אשׁוֹנָ֔ה barishonah HRd/Aafsa first in the first (feminine) in the first 17
H7223-18 רִאשֹׁנָ֔ה rishonah HAafsa first first (feminine) first (feminine) 10
H7223-01 בָּ/רִאשֹׁ֡ן barishon HRd/Aomsa in the first in the first in the first 8
H7223-05 הָ/רִֽאשׁוֹנָה֙ harishonah HTd/Aafsa the first the first (feminine) the first (feminine) 8
H7223-17 רִאשׁוֹן֙ rishon HAamsa first first one first one 8
H7223-07 הָ/רִאשֹׁנ֖וֹת harishonot HTd/Aafpa the former things the first ones the first ones 6
H7223-21 בָ/רִאשֹׁנָה֙ varishonah HRd/Aafsa first in the first in the first 6
H7223-12 כְּ/בָ/רִֽאשֹׁנָֽה kevarishonah HR/Rd/Aafsa as at first as in the first as in the first 5

Occurrences in Scripture

182 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7223-01 Genesis 8:13 בָּֽ/רִאשׁוֹן֙ barishon HRd/Aamsa in the first in the first in the first
H7223-02 Genesis 13:4 בָּ/רִאשֹׁנָ֑ה barishonah HRd/Aofsa at the first in the first (feminine) in the first
H7223-04 Genesis 25:25 הָ/רִאשׁוֹן֙ harishon HTd/Aomsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Genesis 26:1 הָ/רִאשׁ֔וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa first the foremost one the first one
H7223-14 Genesis 28:19 לָ/רִאשֹׁנָֽה larishonah HRd/Aafsa at the first to the first (feminine) at the first
H7223-04 Genesis 32:18 הָ/רִאשׁ֖וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa the foremost the foremost one the first one
H7223-18 Genesis 33:2 רִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה rishonah HAafsa first first (feminine) first (feminine)
H7223-18 Genesis 38:28 רִאשֹׁנָֽה rishonah HAomsa first first (feminine) first (feminine)
H7223-04 Genesis 40:13 הָֽ/רִאשׁ֔וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa former the foremost one the first one
H7223-07 Genesis 41:20 הָ/רִאשֹׁנ֖וֹת harishonot HTd/Aafpa the first the first ones the first ones
H7223-04 Exodus 4:8 הָ/רִאשׁ֑וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-17 Exodus 12:2 רִאשׁ֥וֹן rishon HAomsa first first one first
H7223-04 Exodus 12:15 הָ/רִאשׁ֔וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa the-first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Exodus 12:15 הָ/רִאשֹׁ֖ן harishon-2 HTd/Aomsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Exodus 12:16 הָ/רִאשׁוֹן֙ harishon HTd/Aomsa the-first the foremost one the first one
H7223-01 Exodus 12:18 בָּ/רִאשֹׁ֡ן barishon HRd/Aomsa in the first [month] in the first in the first
H7223-11 Exodus 34:1 כָּ/רִאשֹׁנִ֑ים karishonim HRd/Aampa like the first ones like first ones like the first ones
H7223-06 Exodus 34:1 הָ/רִאשֹׁנִ֖ים harishonim HTd/Aampa the first the first ones the first ones
H7223-11 Exodus 34:4 כָּ/רִאשֹׁנִ֗ים karishonim HRd/Aampa like the first like first ones like the first ones
H7223-04 Exodus 40:2 הָ/רִאשׁ֖וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Exodus 40:17 הָ/רִאשׁ֛וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Leviticus 4:21 הָ/רִאשׁ֑וֹן harishon HTd/Aamsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-18 Leviticus 5:8 רִאשׁוֹנָ֑ה rishonah HAafsa first first (feminine) first (feminine)
H7223-09 Leviticus 9:15 כָּ/רִאשֽׁוֹן karishon HRd/Aamsa like the first like a first one like the first
H7223-04 Leviticus 23:5 הָ/רִאשׁ֗וֹן harishon HTd/Aamsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Leviticus 23:7 הָֽ/רִאשׁ֔וֹן harishon HTd/Aamsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Leviticus 23:35 הָ/רִאשׁ֖וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Leviticus 23:39 הָֽ/רִאשׁוֹן֙ harishon HTd/Aamsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Leviticus 23:40 הָ/רִאשׁ֗וֹן harishon HTd/Aamsa the-first the foremost one the first one
H7223-19 Leviticus 26:45 רִאשֹׁנִ֑ים rishonim HAampa ancestors the first ones the first ones
H7223-18 Numbers 2:9 רִאשֹׁנָ֖ה rishonah HAafsa first first (feminine) first (feminine)
H7223-06 Numbers 6:12 הָ/רִאשֹׁנִים֙ harishonim HTd/Aampa the former the first ones the first ones
H7223-04 Numbers 7:12 הָ/רִאשׁ֖וֹן harishon HTd/Aamsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Numbers 9:1 הָ/רִאשׁ֖וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa first the foremost one the first one
H7223-01 Numbers 9:5 בָּ/רִאשׁ֡וֹן barishon HRd/Aamsa in the first in the first in the first
H7223-02 Numbers 10:13 בָּ/רִאשֹׁנָ֑ה barishonah HRd/Aafsa the first time in the first (feminine) in the first
H7223-02 Numbers 10:14 בָּ/רִאשֹׁנָ֖ה barishonah HRd/Aafsa first in the first (feminine) first
H7223-04 Numbers 20:1 הָֽ/רִאשׁ֔וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Numbers 21:26 הָֽ/רִאשׁ֔וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa the-first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Numbers 28:16 הָ/רִאשׁ֗וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Numbers 28:18 הָ/רִאשׁ֖וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Numbers 33:3 הָֽ/רִאשׁ֔וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-04 Numbers 33:3 הָ/רִאשׁ֑וֹן harishon-2 HTd/Aomsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-19 Deuteronomy 4:32 רִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים rishonim HAampa former the first ones the first ones
H7223-10 Deuteronomy 9:18 כָּ/רִאשֹׁנָ֗ה karishonah HRd/Aafsa as at the first as the first as at the first
H7223-11 Deuteronomy 10:1 כָּ/רִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים karishonim HRd/Aampa like the first ones like first ones like the first ones
H7223-06 Deuteronomy 10:2 הָ/רִאשֹׁנִ֖ים harishonim HTd/Aampa the former the first ones the first ones
H7223-11 Deuteronomy 10:3 כָּ/רִאשֹׁנִ֑ים karishonim HRd/Aampa like the first ones like first ones like the first ones
H7223-04 Deuteronomy 10:4 הָ/רִאשׁ֗וֹן harishon HTd/Aomsa the first the foremost one the first one
H7223-06 Deuteronomy 10:10 הָ/רִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים harishonim HTd/Aampa the first the first ones the first ones
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