Meaning of Resh (ר) Hebrew Letter

Resh is the twentieth Hebrew letter. It carries an r sound and is traditionally associated with the head and ideas of chief or beginning.

Pronunciation and form

Pronounced: RESH. Sound: r. An r consonant

Traditional meaning and association

Resh is traditionally associated with Head; related teaching associations include Chief / Beginning. These traditional pictures should be distinguished from the letter’s role as a consonant in actual Hebrew words.

Biblical Hebrew word examples

רוח (Ruach) — Spirit / Wind Genesis 1:2
ראש (Rosh) — Head Genesis 3:15
רע (Ra) — Evil Genesis 2:9
רחמים (Rachamim) — Mercy Genesis 43:14

Scripture connections and Messiah

רוח — RUACH · SPIRIT
Resh begins ruach, Spirit. In Luke 4:18, Jesus announces that the Spirit of the Lord is upon Him.
Luke 4:18
ראש — ROSH · HEAD
Resh begins rosh, head. Colossians identifies Jesus as the head of the body, the church.
Colossians 1:18

Psalm 119 study passage

The acrostic stanza for Resh is Psalm 119:153–160. Read the first verse of this stanza in the TOC Bible reader.