Home › Glossary › Letter B

Bethphage

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

A village on the Mount of Olives where Jesus began his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Detailed Definition
Bethphage marks the threshold of Jesus’ Passion (Matthew 21). In poetry, it symbolizes humble beginnings of momentous events, prophetic fulfillment, and the quiet preparation for public revelation, often evoking themes of anticipation and sacred geography.
Example
Example in poetry:
Bethphage—village on the Mount of Olives—inspires Palm Sunday poetry: “From Bethphage, the colt carried the King into shouts and thorns”; A poem on humble beginnings: “Bethphage had no throne, only a borrowed donkey—and salvation rode in”; In a minimalist verse: “Bethphage: where prophecy met pavement”; Liturgical reflection: “Blessed Bethphage, staging ground of the peaceful conquest.”
Additional Notes
Bethphage (Matthew 21:1; Mark 11:1) is the Mount of Olives village where Jesus procured a donkey for his triumphal entry into Jerusalem—fulfilling Zechariah 9:9. Its name may mean “house of unripe figs,” symbolizing expectation. In poetry, Bethphage marks the threshold of passion week, humility, and the ironic kingship of peace.
Also Known As
Beth-phage
Skip to main content