Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 125:500 (Oct 1968)
Article: Ezekiel’s Rosh and Russia: A Connection?
Author: Jon Ruthven

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BSac 125:500 (Oct 68) p. 324

Ezekiel’s Rosh and Russia: A Connection?

Jon Ruthven

[Jon Ruthven, Lincoln, Nebraska.]

In the fundamentalist-dispensationalist circles, and especially since the rise of the prophetic conferences and the increase in the popularity of the Scofield Reference Bible, the identification of “Rosh” of Ezekiel 38 and 39 with the modern nation of Russia may be virtually considered as canonized.1 Usually, these men have offered as support for this identification only other dispensationalists and “Gesenius, whose Hebrew lexicon has never been superceded.”2 Sweeping statements such as the following seem to be common: “…if modern lexicographers are consulted as to what nation now represents ‘Rosh’ nearly all of them together with most expositors, says, [sic] Russia [sic].”3

Though a number of difficulties are involved in the above identification of Rosh with Russia, the purpose of this paper will be to suggest that this identification, often so glibly propounded, does, on a second look, have some substance.

One of the first difficulties this identification of Rosh encounters is that the word ראשׁ is seen with different significances. The Interpreter’s Bible states that “‘prince’ is the editor’s נשׂיא, and ‘chief’ may be in apposition or a gloss, the latter being more probable.”4 The possibility that ראשׁ was a

BSac 125:500 (Oct 68) p. 325

proper name was not even discussed. Hastings Dictionary of the Bible limits the identification of Rosh to the seventh son of Benjamin.5 J. Simons suggests that because there seems to be doubtful reference to a “Rosh” in extra-Biblical literature and the absence of a ו before משׁך, that ראשׁ should be translated chief.”6 He concedes, however, that this rendering is “grammatically difficult.”

On the other hand, C. F. Keil7 argues: (1) that the contention that “there is no people of the name of Rosh mentioned either in the Old Testament or by Josephus, is a very weak one; (2) whilst, on the other hand, the appellative rendering, though po...

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