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Dinah

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

The daughter of Jacob and Leah in Genesis, whose abduction and violation by Shechem triggered violent retribution by her brothers Simeon and Levi.

Detailed Definition
Dinah’s rape by Shechem led to her brothers’ violent revenge, illustrating honor culture and moral ambiguity. Her story highlights vulnerability and familial loyalty. In poetry, Dinah represents violated innocence, the cost of silence, and the complex interplay of justice and vengeance in patriarchal societies.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Dinah’s violation (Genesis 34) illustrates the cost of cultural entanglement; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "Aurora Leigh," Dinah symbolizes female vulnerability; In William Cowper’s hymns, Dinah’s story warns against assimilation; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Dinah’s brothers’ vengeance illustrates flawed justice; In John Keble’s "Lyra Innocentium," Dinah represents the innocent caught in conflict; In Christina Rossetti’s "The World," Dinah’s fate warns against naive trust.
Additional Notes
Dinah: Daughter of Jacob, violated by Shechem (Genesis 34); her brothers’ violent revenge sparks moral ambiguity. In poetry, Dinah embodies violated innocence, the silence of victims, and the cycle of retribution. Her name (“judged”) invites reflection on justice—human vs. divine. Avoid sensationalism; focus on her voicelessness as a call for ethical reading and empathetic imagination.
Also Known As
Dinah daughter of Jacob Dinah of Shechem
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