Difference between revisions of "Rosh"

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== Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary <ref name="term_81386" /> ==
 
<p> The [[Hebrew]] speaks of a people called Rosh, &nbsp;Ezekiel 38:2-3 . "The orientals hold," says D'Herbelot, "that [[Japheth]] had a son called Rous, not mentioned by Moses, who peopled Russia, that is, Muscovy." We question not but Rosh, or Ros, signifies Russia, or the people that dwell on the Araxes, called Rosch by the inhabitants; which was the habitation of the Scythians. It deserves notice, that the LXX render the passage in Ezekiel, Γωγ , αοχοντα ‘Ρως , Μεσοχ , και Θοβελ , <em> Gog the chief of Ros, Mesoch, and Thobel; </em> and Jerom, not absolutely to reject this name, inserts both renderings: <em> Gog, terram Magog, principem capitis </em> ( <em> sive </em> Ros) <em> Mosoch, et Thubal. </em> [[Symmachus]] and [[Theodotion]] also perceived Ros to be in this place the name of a people; and this is now the prevailing judgment of interpreters. Bochart, about A.D. 1640, contended that [[Russia]] was the nation meant by the term Ros; and this opinion is supported by the testimony of various Greek writers, who describe "the Ros as a [[Scythian]] nation, bordering on the northern Taurus. Mosok, or Mesech, appears to be the same as the Moskwa. or Moscow, of the moderns; and we know, that not only is this the name of the city, but also of the river on which it stands. See [[Gog]] . </p>
Rosh <ref name="term_7712" />
       
<p> ( ראשׁ , <i> ''''' rō'sh ''''' </i> ; Ῥώς , <i> ''''' Rhṓs ''''' </i> , variant (Q margin) κεφαλῆς , <i> ''''' kephalḗs ''''' </i> ; [[Vulgate]] (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) <i> capiris </i> ): </p> 1. [[Rosh]] and Its Renderings: <p> This name occurs in the prophecies against [[Gog]] in &nbsp;Ezekiel 38:2 , &nbsp;Ezekiel 38:3 and &nbsp; Ezekiel 39:1 , where the King James Version has "Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of [[Meshech]] and Tubal." This translation is due to <i> ''''' rō'sh ''''' </i> being the common [[Hebrew]] word for "head" or "chief" (compare the Greek variant and the Vulgate), and is regarded as incorrect, that of the Revised Version (British and American), "Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal," being preferred. </p> 2. Identification with Russia: <p> The identification of Rosh is not without its difficulties. [[Gesenius]] regarded it as indicating the Russians, who are mentioned in Byzantine writers of the 10th century under the name of Ῥῶς , <i> ''''' Rhṓs ''''' </i> . He adds that they are also noticed by Ibn Fosslan (same period), under the name of <i> ''''' Rûs ''''' </i> , as a people dwelling on the river Rha (Volga). Apart from the improbability that the dominion of Gog extended to this district, it would be needful to know at what date the Rus of the [[Volga]] arrived there. </p> 3. Probably the [[Assyrian]] Rasu: <p> [[Notwithstanding]] objections on account of its eastern position, in all probability Fried. Delitzsch's identification of Rosh with the <i> ''''' mât ''''' </i> <i> ''''' Râši ''''' </i> , "land of <i> ''''' Râsh ''''' </i> " of the Assyrian inscriptions, is the best. [[Sargon]] of [[Assyria]] (circa 710 BC) conquered the countries "from the land of Rasu on the border of [[Elam]] as far as the river of Egypt," and this country is further described in his Khorsabad Inscription, 18, as "the land of <i> ''''' Râšu ''''' </i> , of the boundary of Elam, which is beside the Tigris." Assyria having disappeared from among the nations when Ezekiel wrote his prophecies, [[Babylonia]] was probably the only power with which "Gog of the land of Magog" would have had to reckon, but it may well be doubted whether the [[Babylonian]] king would have allowed him to exercise power in the district of <i> ''''' Râšu ''''' </i> , except as a very faithful vassal. It may here be noted that the Hebrew spelling of Rosh presupposes an earlier pronunciation as <i> ''''' Râsh ''''' </i> , a form agreeing closely with that used by the Assyrians. See Fried. Delitzsch, <i> [[Wo]] lag das Paradies? </i> 325. </p>
== Fausset's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_37239" /> ==
 
<p> "Chief" (&nbsp;Ezekiel 38:2-3; &nbsp;Ezekiel 39:1). Rather, as not rosh but nasi is the head of a nomadic tribe (&nbsp;Genesis 23:6), "Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal," three great Scythian tribes of which gosh is the first. [[Rosh]] is the tribe N. of the [[Taurus]] range and near Rha or [[Volga]] which gives them their name; the earliest trace of the Russ nation. A Latin chronicle A.D. 839 (Bayer, Origines Russ., 1726, p. 409) is the first modern mention of this now mighty people. [[Tiras]] stands for Rosh with [[Meshech]] and [[Tubal]] (&nbsp;Genesis 10:2). Others state that the modern Russians have assumed their name from Rhos, the Araxes, though their proper ancient name was Slavi or Wends. [[Hengstenberg]] supports KJV: "Magog was Gog's original kingdom, though he acquired also Meshech and Tubal, so as to be called their 'chief prince.'" </p>
== References ==
       
== Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible <ref name="term_53569" /> ==
<p> <strong> ROSH </strong> . <strong> 1 </strong> . A descendant of [[Benjamin]] (&nbsp; [[Genesis]] 46:21 [text doubtful]). <strong> 2 </strong> . In &nbsp; Ezekiel 38:2 f., &nbsp; Ezekiel 39:1 the word <em> Rosh </em> is thought by many interpreters to refer to a people, otherwise unknown, but coupled with <em> Meshech </em> and <em> Tubal </em> (wh. see). It is possible, however, that the word meaning ‘bead’ is used as a preposition ‘over,’ so that the phrase here applied to Gog (wh. see) simply means, ‘prince over Meshech and Tubal’; cf. AVm [Note: Authorized Version margin.] . </p> <p> J. F. McCurdy. </p>
       
== Morrish Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_68419" /> ==
<p> 1. Son of Benjamin. &nbsp;Genesis 46:21 . </p> <p> 2. The same Hebrew word occurs in &nbsp; Ezekiel 38:2 and &nbsp; Ezekiel 39:1 , which, though frequently translated 'chief,' is now treated in these passages as a proper name reading 'prince of Rosh,' as in the R.V. and other translations. It refers to Russia. </p>
       
== Smith's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_74672" /> ==
<p> '''Rosh.''' ''(Head).'' </p> <p> 1. In the genealogy of &nbsp;Genesis 46:21, Rosh is reckoned among the sons of Benjamin. </p> <p> 2. &nbsp;Ezekiel 38:2-1; &nbsp;Ezekiel 39:1. Probably, a proper name, referring to the first of the three great Scythian tribes, of which [[Magog]] was the head. </p>
       
== Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary <ref name="term_48635" /> ==
<p> One of the sons of Benjamin, (&nbsp;Genesis 46:21) Rosh means head. Probably, therefore, this son of Benjamin became the head of a family. </p>
       
== Holman Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_43490" /> ==
&nbsp;Genesis 46:21&nbsp;Numbers 26:38-39&nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:1-5
       
== Easton's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_33282" /> ==
&nbsp;Ezekiel 38:2,3&nbsp;39:1[[Bethshean]]
       
== Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature <ref name="term_58507" /> ==
<p> (Heb. Rosh, ראֹשׁ, [[Head]] , as often; Sept. ῾Ρώς ), the name of a man and perhaps of a people. (See [[Gall]]). </p> <p> '''1.''' The seventh named of ten sons of Benjamin, each of whom was head of a family in [[Israel]] (&nbsp;Genesis 46:21). B.C. cir. 1880. He is perhaps identical with the [[Rapha]] of &nbsp;1 Chronicles 8:2. (See [[Jacob]]). "Kalisch has some long and rather perplexed observations on the discrepancies in the lists in Genesis 46 and Numbers 26, and specially as regards the sons of Benjamin. But the truth is that the two lists agree very well so far as Benjamin is concerned; for the only discrepancy that remains, when the absence of [[Becher]] and [[Gera]] from the list in Numbers is explained [see those words], is that, for the two names אהי and ראש (Ehi and Rosh) in Genesis, we have the one name אחיר ם (Ahiram) in Numbers If this last were written רא ם, as it might be, the two texts would be almost identical, especially if written in the [[Samaritan]] character, in which the [[Shin]] closely resembles the ''Memo'' That [[Ahiram]] is right we are quite sure, from the family of the Ahiramites, and from the non mention elsewhere of Rosh, which, in fact, is not a proper name. The conclusion, therefore, seems certain that אחיוראש in Genesis is a mere clerical error, and that there is perfect agreement between the two lists. This view is strengthened by the further fact that in the word which follows Rosh, viz. Muppim, the initial ''M'' is an error for ''Sh.'' It should be Shuppim, as in &nbsp;Numbers 26:39; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 7:12. The final m of Ahiram and the initial sh of [[Shuppim]] have thus been transposed." </p> <p> '''2.''' The Heb. word [[Rosh]] , rendered "prince" (&nbsp;Ezekiel 38:2-3; &nbsp;Ezekiel 39:1), ought to be read as a proper name, as in the Sept. — "the chief" or "prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal." Rosh thus appears as the name of a northern nation, along with Meshech and Tubal (comp. Rhoas, in Pliny, 6, 4, which may be a city, a river, or a people, between Suavi and the district Erectoe, on Caucasus; and Rhadsh, an Iberian province in the same place, named by Russegger [Beschreib. d. Caucas. 2, 34]). [[Gesenius]] says, "Without much doubt Rosh designates the Russians, who are described by the Byzantine writers of the 10th century, under the name of the Roos, as inhabiting the northern parts of Taurus; and also by Ibn-Fosslan, an Arabic writer of the same period, under the name Rus, as dwelling upon the river Volga" (Thes. Heb. s.v.). The Oriental writers say that Rus was the eighth son of Japhet, and his descendants are, by Abulfaraj, always joined with the Bulgarians, Slavonians, and Alani. For other suppositions, see Stritter, Memor. Populorolin ad Danub., etc., Habitant. 2, 957 sq.; Michaelis, Suppl. 6, 22-24 sq.; Bochart, Phpal. 13, 13; Schulthess, Parad. p. 193; Ierbelot, Biblioth. Or. 3, 137 sq. If the view of Gesenius be correct, in this name and tribe we have the first trace of the Russ, or Russian, nation. "Von [[Hammer]] identifies this name with [[Rass]] in the [[Koran]] (25, 40; 1, 12), the peoples Aad, Thamud, and the Asshabir (or inhabitants) of Rass or Ross.' He considers that [[Mohammed]] had actually the passage of Ezekiel in view, and that ‘ Asshabir' corresponds to Nasi, the ‘ prince' of the A.V., and ἄρχοντα of the Sept. (''Surm Les Origines Russes'' [St. Petersb. 1825], p. 24-29). The first certain mention of the Russians under this name is in a Latin Chronicle under the year A.D. 839, quoted by Bayer (''Origines Russicoe'' , ''Comment. Acad. Petropol.'' [1726], p. 409). From the junction of [[Tiras]] with Meshech and Tubal in &nbsp;Genesis 10:2, Von Hammer conjectures the identity of [[Tiras]] and [[Rosh]] (p. 26). The name probably occurs again under the altered form of [[Rasses]] (q.v.) in &nbsp;Judith 2:23 — this time in the ancient Latin, and possibly also in the [[Syriac]] version, in connection with Thiras or Thars; but the passage is too corrupt to admit of any certain deduction from it. This early Biblical notice of so great an empire is doubly interesting from its being a solitary instance. No other name of any modern nation occurs in the Scriptures, and the obliteration of it by the A.V. is one of the many remarkable variations of our version from the meaning of the sacred text of the Old Test." </p>
       
==References ==
<references>
<references>
 
<ref name="term_7712"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/international-standard-bible-encyclopedia/rosh+(2) Rosh from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]</ref>
<ref name="term_81386"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/watson-s-biblical-theological-dictionary/rosh Rosh from Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_37239"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/fausset-s-bible-dictionary/rosh Rosh from Fausset's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_53569"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-bible/rosh Rosh from Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_68419"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/morrish-bible-dictionary/rosh Rosh from Morrish Bible Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_74672"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/smith-s-bible-dictionary/rosh Rosh from Smith's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_48635"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hawker-s-poor-man-s-concordance-and-dictionary/rosh Rosh from Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_43490"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/holman-bible-dictionary/rosh Rosh from Holman Bible Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_33282"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/easton-s-bible-dictionary/rosh Rosh from Easton's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_58507"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/cyclopedia-of-biblical-theological-and-ecclesiastical-literature/rosh Rosh from Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature]</ref>
       
</references>
</references>

Revision as of 08:17, 15 October 2021

Rosh [1]

( ראשׁ , rō'sh  ; Ῥώς , Rhṓs , variant (Q margin) κεφαλῆς , kephalḗs  ; Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) capiris ):

1. Rosh and Its Renderings:

This name occurs in the prophecies against Gog in  Ezekiel 38:2 ,  Ezekiel 38:3 and   Ezekiel 39:1 , where the King James Version has "Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal." This translation is due to rō'sh being the common Hebrew word for "head" or "chief" (compare the Greek variant and the Vulgate), and is regarded as incorrect, that of the Revised Version (British and American), "Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal," being preferred.

2. Identification with Russia:

The identification of Rosh is not without its difficulties. Gesenius regarded it as indicating the Russians, who are mentioned in Byzantine writers of the 10th century under the name of Ῥῶς , Rhṓs . He adds that they are also noticed by Ibn Fosslan (same period), under the name of Rûs , as a people dwelling on the river Rha (Volga). Apart from the improbability that the dominion of Gog extended to this district, it would be needful to know at what date the Rus of the Volga arrived there.

3. Probably the Assyrian Rasu:

Notwithstanding objections on account of its eastern position, in all probability Fried. Delitzsch's identification of Rosh with the mât Râši , "land of Râsh " of the Assyrian inscriptions, is the best. Sargon of Assyria (circa 710 BC) conquered the countries "from the land of Rasu on the border of Elam as far as the river of Egypt," and this country is further described in his Khorsabad Inscription, 18, as "the land of Râšu , of the boundary of Elam, which is beside the Tigris." Assyria having disappeared from among the nations when Ezekiel wrote his prophecies, Babylonia was probably the only power with which "Gog of the land of Magog" would have had to reckon, but it may well be doubted whether the Babylonian king would have allowed him to exercise power in the district of Râšu , except as a very faithful vassal. It may here be noted that the Hebrew spelling of Rosh presupposes an earlier pronunciation as Râsh , a form agreeing closely with that used by the Assyrians. See Fried. Delitzsch, Wo lag das Paradies? 325.

References