רֵאשִׁית
rêʼshîyth · ray-sheeth'
the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a firstfruit)
Lexicon
Derivation: from the same as H7218 (רֹאשׁ);
the first, in place, time, order or rank (specifically, a firstfruit)
Definition from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Wording is Strong's own, including his etymological notes, which are not separate meanings.
KJV renderings: beginning, chief(-est), first(-fruits, part, time), principal thing.
Letters
- רResh200
Picture: a human head
- Concrete
- head · face · person
- Extended
- first · top · beginning · chief · the highest
- אAlef1
Picture: ox head
- Concrete
- ox · bull · cattle
- Extended
- strength · leader · first · the one in front
- שShin300
Picture: two front teeth (or a composite bow)
- Concrete
- teeth · sharp · press · bow
- Extended
- to consume · to destroy · to press or grind · to change · again
- יYod10
Picture: arm and closed hand
- Concrete
- hand · arm · work
- Extended
- a deed · to make · to work · to throw or worship
- תTav400
Picture: a crossed mark
- Concrete
- mark · sign · cross · signature
- Extended
- a covenant · to seal · to sign · the end · monument
Possible cultural reading (auto-composed)
the head, the highest › strength, the leader › to consume, to destroy › the hand that works › the mark, the covenant sign
The head, the highest of strength, the leader that works to consume, to destroy of the hand that works of the mark, the covenant sign.
Interpretive, not lexical. The dictionary sense of רֵאשִׁית above is the attested meaning; this pictographic reading is a tradition about how the sign-shapes may have been heard. Both can be held at once, they are answering different questions.
Usage
51 occurrences · 51 OT · 0 NT · 31 distinct forms
KJV renderings of this word, by how often each one is used.
- in the beginning5 · 11%
- the firstfruits5 · 11%
- the chief4 · 9%
- the first3 · 7%
- of the first3 · 7%
- and the beginning2 · 4%
- of the firstfruits2 · 4%
- and the first2 · 4%
- is the beginning2 · 4%
- and the firstfruits2 · 4%
- was the first1 · 2%
- upon it, from the beginning1 · 2%
- the firstfruit1 · 2%
- for he is the beginning1 · 2%
- the first part1 · 2%
- with the chiefest1 · 2%
- for the firstfruits1 · 2%
- though thy beginning1 · 2%
- he is the chief1 · 2%
- more than his beginning1 · 2%
- and with the firstfruits1 · 2%
- is the principal thing1 · 2%
- me in the beginning1 · 2%
- the beginning1 · 2%
- than the beginning1 · 2%
Where it is used, by book.
Inflected forms found in the text.
Counts are computed from the tagged Hebrew and Greek text aligned to the King James Version, not from an estimate.