Head

hed (רֹאשׁ, rō'sh, Aramaic, רֵאשׁ, rē'sh, and in special sense גּלגּלת, gulgōleth, literally, “skull,” “cut-off head” (1 Chronicles 10:10), whence Golgotha (Matthew 27:33; Mark 15:22; John 19:17); מראשׁה, mera'ăshāh, literally, “head-rest,” “pillow,” “bolster” (1 Kings 19:6); קדקד, ḳodhḳōdh, literally, crown of the head (Deuteronomy 28:35; 33:16, 33:20; 2 Samuel 14:25; Isaiah 3:17; Jeremiah 48:45); בּרזל, barzel, “the head of an axe” (Deuteronomy 19:5, the Revised Version margin “iron”; 2 Kings 6:5); להבה, lehābhāh, להבת, lahebheth, “the head of a spear” (1 Samuel 17:7); κεφαλή, kephalḗ): The first-mentioned Hebrew word and its Aramaic form are found frequently in their literal as well as metaphorical sense. We may distinguish the following meanings:

By a slight extension of meaning, “head” occasionally stands for the person itself. This is the case in all passages where evil is said to return or to be requited upon the head of a person (see below).

The word is also used in connection with the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15), the head of the sacrificial ram, bullock and goat (Exodus 29:10, 29:15, 29:19; Leviticus 4:4, 4:24), the head of leviathan (Job 41:7).

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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia

Keywords: Head, leader, prince, chief, chieftain, captain, resh, rosh, skull, golgotha

Bible reference(s): 1 Chronicles 10:10, 1 Chronicles 11:42, 1 Corinthians 11:3, 1 Kings 19:6, 1 Kings 8:32, 1 Samuel 17:7, 1 Samuel 25:39, 1 Samuel 4:12, 2 Chronicles 13:12, 2 Chronicles 3:15, 2 Chronicles 6:23, 2 Kings 2:3, 2 Kings 6:5, 2 Samuel 1:16, 2 Samuel 13:19, 2 Samuel 14:25, 2 Samuel 15:30, 2 Samuel 3:29, Acts 18:6, Acts 21:23, Amos 1:2, Amos 2:7, Amos 8:10, Amos 9:3, Colossians 1:18, Colossians 2:10, Deuteronomy 1:15, Deuteronomy 14:1, Deuteronomy 19:5, Deuteronomy 28:35, Deuteronomy 33:16, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Ephesians 1:22, Ephesians 4:15, Ephesians 5:23, Esther 5:2, Esther 6:12, Esther 7:8, Exodus 12:2, Exodus 19:20, Exodus 29:10, Exodus 36:38, Exodus 38:28, Exodus 6:14, Ezekiel 11:21, Ezekiel 16:25, Ezekiel 21:21, Ezekiel 22:31, Ezekiel 9:10, Genesis 11:4, Genesis 2:10, Genesis 28:12, Genesis 3:15, Genesis 48:14, Genesis 49:26, Hebrews 1:9, Isaiah 19:15, Isaiah 3:17, Isaiah 41:4, Isaiah 51:20, Isaiah 58:5, Isaiah 7:8, Isaiah 9:14, Jeremiah 14:3, Jeremiah 18:16, Jeremiah 48:45, Job 41:7, John 19:17, Joshua 7:6, Judges 9:7, Lamentations 2:10, Leviticus 1:4, Leviticus 19:27, Leviticus 4:4, Mark 15:22, Matthew 19:15, Matthew 27:33, Matthew 5:44, Nehemiah 9:17, Numbers 14:4, Numbers 21:20, Numbers 6:18, Proverbs 25:22, Proverbs 8:23, Psalms 22:7, Psalms 23:5, Psalms 44:14, Psalms 64:8, Psalms 68:21, Psalms 7:16, Psalms 92:10, Romans 12:20, Zechariah 4:7

Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.

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