ROSH

1. A son of Benjamin listed among those who went into Egypt in 1728 B.C.E. with Jacob’s household or who were born shortly thereafter. (Ge 46:21, 26; see BENJAMIN No. 1.) The omission of his name from later lists of Benjamite families may indicate that he died childless or that his sons merged with a different tribal family.

2. A name found in some translations of Ezekiel 38:2 and 39:1 (AS, JB, Le, LXX, Mo, Yg, Ro), viewed by some scholars as designating a northern people called Rus (Russian), who are said to have lived along the Volga River. In view of the meaning of the term and its application to Gog, however, it is appropriately translated as part of a title rather than the name of a people or a place: thus, “head chieftain” (NW); “chief prince” (KJ, Dy, Fn, JP, RS); “great prince” (AT); “prince of the head” and “head prince” (Vg); “leader and head” (Sy); “head great one” (Targums).