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Elah

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

King of Israel assassinated by his chariot commander Zimri after a brief, drunken reign

Detailed Definition
Elah, son of Baasha, ruled only two years before Zimri murdered him while he was inebriated at his steward’s house (1 Kings 16). In poetry, Elah represents the fragility of power built on violence, the moral decay of leadership, and how divine judgment operates through human treachery.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Elah’s brief, drunken reign (1 Kings 16) illustrates the instability of usurpation; In William Cowper’s hymns, Elah’s assassination warns against complacency; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Drama of Exile," Elah symbolizes the fragility of earthly rule; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Elah’s fate illustrates divine retribution; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Elah represents the futility of ambition; In Christina Rossetti’s "The World," Elah’s house is swept away.
Additional Notes
Elah: King of Israel, son of Baasha, assassinated by Zimri (1 Kings 16:8–14); also name of a valley (1 Sam 17:2). In poetry, the king Elah symbolizes the instability of northern dynasties and the brevity of wicked reigns. The valley Elah is where David fought Goliath—rich for contrasting contexts: one of political fragility, the other of heroic faith. Use to explore place names carrying layered histories.
Also Known As
Elah king of Israel Elah son of Baasha
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