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Abimelech

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Name shared by several biblical rulers, notably a Philistine king and a murderous son of Gideon

Detailed Definition
In Genesis, Abimelech was a Philistine king who interacted with Abraham and Isaac; in Judges, he was Gideon’s son who seized power through fratricide. Both figures embody flawed authority and divine judgment. Poets invoke Abimelech to explore themes of illegitimate power, deception, and the consequences of ambition unchecked by justice.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Samson Agonistes," Abimelech’s violent end (Judges 9) is echoed in Samson’s own tragic strength; In William Blake’s "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell," tyrants like Abimelech represent corrupt authority; In Alfred Tennyson’s "Idylls of the King," Abimelech’s fratricide parallels Arthurian betrayals; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "Casa Guidi Windows," despots like Abimelech symbolize political oppression; In George Herbert’s "The Church Militant," Abimelech’s downfall warns against pride and usurpation; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Abimelech serves as a cautionary type of self-exaltation.
Additional Notes
Abimelech: Appears in multiple contexts—king of Gerar (Genesis 20), son of Gideon (Judges 9), and Philistine ruler (1 Samuel 21). The Judges version is especially poetic: a cautionary tale of ambition, fratricide, and poetic justice (the “thornbush king”). Poets may use Abimelech to explore tyranny, the corruption of power, or ironic downfall. The name itself (“my father is king”) invites wordplay on legitimacy and inheritance.
Also Known As
Abimelech king of Shechem Abimelech son of Gideon
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