רִאשׁוֹן

1. former:
  a. in time, former of two Gen 25:25 (J), Gen 41:20 (E), Deut 10:1; Deut 10:2; Deut 10:3; Deut 10:4; Deut 10:10; Deut 24:4, compare Hos 2:9; Lev 4:21; Lev 9:15 (both P), Judg 20:39; 2Kgs 1:14; Hag 2:3; Hag 2:9; Ezra 3:12 +; more generally former, previous, Num 21:26 (JE), Mic 4:8; 2Kgs 17:34; 2Kgs 17:40; Zech 1:4; Zech 7:7; Zech 7:12; Zech 8:11; Neh 5:15 Eccl 17:10; Ps 79:8 +; ׳כָּעֵת הָ ר Isa 8:23 ׳דִּבְרֵי דויד הָ ר 1Chr 29:29 the doings of David, the former and the latter (הָאַחֲדֹנִים), compare 2Chr 9:29; 2Chr 12:15; 2Chr 16:11; 2Chr 20:34; 2Chr 25:26; 2Chr 26:22; 2Chr 28:26; 2Chr 35:27 early days of harvest 2Sam 21:9 רִאשֹׁנִים as substantive, former persons, ancestors, men of old, Deut 19:14; Lev 26:45 (H), Eccl 1:11 (opposed to אַחֲרֹנִים); (תָ)רִאשֹׁנוֺת as substantive the former things, i.e. past events Isa 41:22; Isa 43:9; Isa 43:18; Isa 46:9; Isa 48:3, earlier predictions Isa 42:9.
  b. location, foremost, of two 2Sam 18:27. 2 first:
  a. in time, ׳הַמַּכָּה הָ ר 1Sam 14:14 the first slaughter (preliminary to general carnage); ׳וְלֹאהָֿיָה דְּבָרִי ר 2Sam 19:44 was not my word first? ׳ר in apposition with person subject 2Sam 19:21 I am come as first, compare perhaps Isa 41:27 (insert אָמַרְתִּי Ges De < read הִגַּדְתִּים for הִנֵּה הִנָּם Che^Hpt Kit Di), and ׳הָ ר Jer 50:17 (opposed to הָאַחֲרוֺן), Isa 43:27 ׳ר absolute, first of mankind Job 15:17 absolute of ׳י, I (an the) first Isa 41:4 (+אֶתֿ אַחֲדֹנִים), + אַחְרוֺן Isa 44:6; Isa 48:12 absolute of time, מֵרִאשׁוֺן Jer 17:12 from the beginning; especially first of a def. series (sometimes opposed to אַחֲרוֺן). first day of feast Deut 16:4; Exod 12:15 (twice in verse); Exod 12:16 + 5 t. P (H), Neh 8:18, usually first month (חֹרֶשׁ) Exod 40:2; Exod 40:17; Lev 23:5 + 6 t. P, 1Chr 12:16 (van d. H. v.1Chr 12:15) + 10 t. Chronicles, Ezra, Esth 3:7; Dan 10:4, חֹדֶשׁ omitted Gen 8:13; Exod 12:2; Exod 12:18; Num 9:5 (all P) Ezek 29:17; Ezek 30:20; Ezek 45:18; Ezek 45:21, so Joel 2:23, but read כָּרִאשׁוֺנָה (3 a) ᵐ5 ᵑ6 We Now and Dr.
  b. first in degree, chief: יַד הַשָּׂרִיםרִ֗֗֗אשׁוֺנָה Ezra 9:2 the hand of the princes ... has been first in this trespass; 1Chr 18:17; Dan 10:13 (Chronicles, Esth 1:14 below).

3. a. feminine with preposition as adverb phrase: (1) of time, בָּרִאשֹׁנָה Gen 13:4 (J), = before, formerly, so Josh 8:5; Josh 8:6 (JE), 2Sam 7:10; 2Sam 20:18; Jer 7:12; Isa 52:4, ׳לָר = before, formerly, Gen 28:19 (J), Judg 18:29 so ׳כְּבָר as formerly Judg 20:32; 1Kgs 13:6; Isa 1:26; Jer 33:7; Jer 33:11, = ׳כָּ ר Deut 9:15; Dan 11:29 (opposed to כָּאַחֲרוֺנָה); בָּר = at first, first of all, Deut 13:10; Deut 17:7; (P) Josh 8:33 (D), 1Kgs 17:13; 1Kgs 20:9; Zech 12:7; Prov 20:21 (opposed to אַחֲרִיתָהּ), 1Chr 11:6 (twice in verse); 1Chr 17:9; Neh 7:5 לְמַבָּרִאשׁוֺנָה 1Chr 15:13 (= ׳לְמַהבָּֿר) for what was at first, etc. (מָךְ 1 e); (2) location, ׳בָּר i.e. at the head of an army 1Kgs 20:17, a procession Num 10:14 (P), compare Isa 60:9.
  b. רִאשֹׁנָה alone as adverb: (1) of time first Gen 38:28 (J), 1Kgs 18:25; Jer 16:18; Lev 5:8; Num 2:9; Josh 21:10 (all P), Isa 65:7 (Ew De Che Di Du Skinner, >adjective Ges Hi Kn); (2) of place Gen 33:2 (J); (3) of degree, rank, Esth 1:14.