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Why the End of the World is Not in Your Future
Explaining what rosh does not mean is the first step in determining what it does mean. The methodology we are following assumes that the Bible is the place to understand a biblical word’s meaning, especially since it’s such a common word.
The Biblical Meaning of Rosh Rosh is a common Hebrew word that is used hundreds of times in the Old Testament. It is most often translated as “chief,” “head,” “beginning,” or “source.” For example, Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year. It is described as a “high holy day,” because it is the chief or head holy day of the year. It literally means “head of the year” or “beginning of the year.” Jews also celebrate Rosh Hodesh, the beginning of the new month in the Jewish calendar and celebrated during the morning worship time in a Jewish synagogue (see 1 Sam. 20:5). There are priests in Israel, and there are “chief priests.” The word for “chief” is rosh (2 Kings 25:18; 1 Chron. 27:5; 2 Chron. 19:11; 24:6; 26:20; 31:10; Ezra 7:5; Jer. 52:24). Michael is called “one of the chief princes” (Dan. 10:13). Rosh is used in Ezekiel 39 times and is, for example, translated as “heads” (1:22), “head,” (5:1), “tops” (6:13), “chief” (27:22), and “beginning” (40:1). Any concordance will show that the Hebrew word rosh is never used as a proper name that refers to a nation.34 Proponents of the rosh=Russia view often look for support among non-dispensational scholars to bolster their case. For example, Mark Hitchcock appeals to John Taylor’s commentary on Ezekiel to support the claim that rosh should be translated as a proper name. He writes, “John Taylor agrees … that this is the best way to translate the Hebrew.”35 A closer look at Taylor’s comments suggests something different. He writes that the interpreter should approach “these two chapters” with “caution” since the “language is the language of apocalyptic,” “largely symbolical and at times deliberately shadowy and even cryptic.” 36 In particular, Taylor criticizes “such fancies” that have been “perpetuated in the Scofield Reference Bible” that Ezekiel is describing modern-day Russia.37 James D. Price offers a scholarly presentation of why he believes rosh must be viewed as a place name. He argues that there are similar