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Chosen

World Religion
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 term describing a people or individuals believed to be selected by God for a special covenant, role, or relationship.

Detailed Definition
The concept of a "chosen people" is central to Judaism (the Israelites) and appears in other faiths in different forms. In poetry, this theme explores ideas of divine election, responsibility, burden, and identity. It can express a sense of privilege and purpose, but also of persecution and isolation. Poets grapple with the paradox of being chosen—the joy of a special relationship with the divine contrasted with the weight of a demanding covenant and the mystery of why a particular group is selected.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Hebrew poetry, Israel is the Chosen people, bearing covenantal responsibility: “Chosen not for ease, but for witness”; In African American spirituals, “chosen” signifies divine favor amid suffering: “I’m chosen, though the road is rough”; In modern verse, “chosen” is reinterpreted as ethical commitment: “We choose to be chosen—by compassion, not decree”; Some poets critique chosenness: “Chosen for what? To hoard grace or share it?”
Additional Notes
The “Chosen” concept appears in Judaism (Exodus 19:5–6), Christianity (elect in Pauline letters), and Islam (ummah as witness); it implies responsibility, not superiority; poets grapple with chosenness as both burden and calling—exploring exile, covenant, and the paradox of being singled out for service in a pluralistic world.
Also Known As
Elect Chosen People
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