The Rosh People In History And Prophecy: Part Three -- By: Clyde E. Billington, Jr.

Journal: Michigan Theological Journal
Volume: MTJ 04:1 (Spring 1993)
Article: The Rosh People In History And Prophecy: Part Three
Author: Clyde E. Billington, Jr.


The Rosh People In History And Prophecy: Part Three

by Clyde E. Billington, Jr.

Rosh and the Russians

Introduction

In the. second article of this series, historical evidence provided demonstrated that the Rosh people were well-known to a variety of other ancient peoples in the Near East. As with any ancient name, the name Rosh appeared in a variety of forms as it moved from one language to another. The same people who were called “Tiras” in Genesis 10 were called “Rosh” in Ezekiel 38–39 and the Tiras/Rosh people of the Old Testament are to be identified with the Indo-Aryan rulers of the Kingdom of Mitanni, the Rsi of northern India, the Turus/Tursha Sea People, the Etruscans of Italy, the Reshym of northwest Mesopotamia, the Rashu of eastern Mesopotamia, and the Aorsi people of the Caucasus Mountains.

In this article, three main points of argument are presented. First, historical sources confirm that a large group of Rosh people lived (in both ancient and medieval times) in the area of Russia, the Ukraine, and north of the Black Sea. Second, the people who lived on the north shore of the Black Sea were known to the ancient Greeks by a variety of names: Aorsi, Ros, Rox, Roxolanai, and Tauroi. All five of these names are derived from the names Rosh and Tiras. in addition, the name “Russia” is derived from Rosh in Ezekiel 38–39. Third, the modern day Russian people can be properly identified with the Rosh people of Ezekiel 38–39.

The Septuagint and the Rosh People

The Greek translation of the Old Testament known as the Septuagint or LXX, was made by Jews in the city of Alexandria, Egypt according to

tradition. The LXX is usually dated to the 3rd century B.C. The LXX translation of Ezekiel 38:1–2 may be translated into English as follows:

And the word of the Lord came to me saying “son of man set your face against Gog [Γωγ] and the Land [γην] of Magog [Μαγωγ], leader [αρχοντα] of Ros [Ρως], Meshech [Μεσοχ], and Tubal [θοβελ], and prophesy against him”

The LXX translates the ראשּׁ as the name of a people called the Ρως. Ρως may b...

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