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Bethany

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

A village near Jerusalem, home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, and site of Jesus’ anointing.

Detailed Definition
Bethany symbolizes intimacy, hospitality, and resurrection (John 11–12). In poetry, it evokes sacred domesticity, the quiet spaces where divine encounters unfold, and the tension between mourning and joy, often serving as a counterpoint to Jerusalem’s grandeur.
Example
Example in poetry:
Bethany—village of Lazarus—inspires resurrection poetry: “In Bethany, death unbound its knot at Jesus’ call”; A modern poem: “My Bethany is the place where hope returns after four days of silence”; In a devotional sonnet: “Martha served, Mary wept, Lazarus slept—Bethany held the gospel in miniature”; Liturgical verse: “Blessed Bethany, where love overturned the grave.”
Additional Notes
Bethany, near Jerusalem (John 11; Matthew 26), is the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha—figures of hospitality, grief, and devotion. It is the site of Jesus’ resurrection of Lazarus and his anointing before crucifixion. In poetry, Bethany symbolizes intimate discipleship, the sanctity of home, and the proximity of death and resurrection.
Also Known As
Bethany beyond the Jordan Bethabara
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