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Ebed-melech

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

Ethiopian eunuch who rescued the prophet Jeremiah from a cistern

Detailed Definition
Ebed-melech, a servant in Zedekiah’s court, bravely petitioned the king to save Jeremiah, earning a divine promise of deliverance (Jeremiah 38–39). In poetry, he embodies unexpected courage, cross-cultural loyalty to truth, and how the marginalized can become instruments of divine mercy in times of national collapse.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Ebed-melech’s rescue of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 38) illustrates courageous loyalty; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Ebed-melech models humble intervention; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Seraphim," Ebed-melech symbolizes the outsider who saves; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Ebed-melech represents the faithful servant; In Christina Rossetti’s "Later Life," Ebed-melech’s ropes inspire hope; In T.S. Eliot’s "Four Quartets," Ebed-melech’s act prefigures unexpected grace.
Additional Notes
Ebed-melech: Ethiopian eunuch who rescued Jeremiah from the cistern (Jeremiah 38:7–13); rewarded with divine promise of deliverance. In poetry, Ebed-melech embodies courageous advocacy by an outsider, the reversal of status (eunuch as hero), and faith that acts. His name (“servant of the king”) contrasts with his loyalty to God’s prophet—ideal for poems on marginal voices, rescue, or divine recognition of the faithful foreigner.
Also Known As
Ebed-melech the Cushite Ebed-melech the Royal Servant
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