רַאֲשֹׁת
𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤕
raʼăshôth
H7226 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A support or cushion used for the head, most commonly referring to bedding or a headrest, especially in the context of sleeping. The term denotes an object designated for resting the head upon, and can also refer more broadly to any kind of support placed at the head for comfort or elevation, usually at night.
Semantic Range
pillow for the head, headrest, cushion for sleeping or reclining, bolster
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root רֹאשׁ (rosh), meaning 'head.' רַאֲשֹׁת is a feminine noun formation referring to something pertaining to or associated with the head, hence an object for the head, specifically a pillow or cushion.
Historical & Contextual Notes
רַאֲשֹׁת appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, primarily as a concrete noun denoting an item used for personal comfort, particularly at night (see 1 Samuel 19:13,16). Its use reflects cultural sleeping arrangements in ancient Israelite contexts, where cushions, rolled cloths, or other supports served as makeshift headrests. Later translations and commentaries sometimes conflate רַאֲשֹׁת with more generic terms for bedding or bolsters, but its semantic field is more narrowly focused on being a support for the head. The underlying root, רֹאשׁ, has a much wider semantic range ('head,' 'chief,' 'beginning'), but רַאֲשֹׁת is a specialized term. No direct theological or symbolic meaning is implied by the term in its biblical occurrences, nor does it take on broader metaphorical sense in the Hebrew Bible. Post-biblical Hebrew uses alternative words for pillow or headrest, such as כר (kar), indicating a lexical shift in later periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from רֹאשׁ; a pillow (being for the head); bolster.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ראש (r-ʾ-š) — head, top, chief, beginning
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1265 | בְּרוֹשׁ | at the head of |
| H7218 | רֹאשׁ | in the head |
| H7219 | רֹאשׁ | poisonous plant |
| H7220 | רֹאשׁ | Rosh |
| H7223 | רִאשׁוֹן | in the first |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7226-01 |
מֵרַאֲשֹׁתֵ֣י | meraashotey | HNcfpc |
from the head | from headrests of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7226-01 |
1 Samuel 26:12 | מֵרַאֲשֹׁתֵ֣י | meraashotey | HNcfpc |
from the head | from headrests of |