Home › Glossary › Letter B

Benaiah

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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

Valiant warrior and commander in David’s and Solomon’s armies, famed for heroic feats

Detailed Definition
Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, killed a lion in a pit and two Moabite champions, later becoming captain of Solomon’s army and executing Adonijah’s rivals. In poetry, Benaiah embodies courage, loyalty to rightful authority, and the ideal of the righteous warrior who serves justice rather than personal ambition.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Benaiah’s exploits (2 Samuel 23) illustrate heroic faith; In Alfred Tennyson’s "King David," Benaiah’s loyalty to David and Solomon dramatizes transition; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Seraphim," Benaiah’s courage prefigures angelic strength; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Benaiah’s feats model disciplined valor; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Benaiah represents the faithful warrior; In Christina Rossetti’s "Later Life," Benaiah’s service inspires steadfastness.
Additional Notes
Benaiah: David’s mighty warrior and later commander under Solomon (2 Samuel 23; 1 Kings 1–2); known for heroic feats (lion in pit, Egyptian giant). In poetry, Benaiah represents valor, loyalty, and the transition of power. His execution of Adonijah and Joab (1 Kings 2) shows his role as enforcer of Solomon’s reign. Useful in poems on martial virtue, royal service, or the ethics of violence in statecraft.
Also Known As
Benaiah son of Jehoiada Benaiah commander of the Cherethites
Skip to main content