Home › Glossary › Letter E

Elim

Historical Location
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 desert oasis where the Israelites camped during the Exodus, with twelve springs and seventy palm trees

Detailed Definition
Elim is mentioned in Exodus 15:27 as a place of rest and refreshment amid the wilderness journey. It symbolizes divine provision and temporary respite in times of trial. Poets use Elim to evoke moments of grace in life’s deserts—offering hope that hardship is not unrelenting and that God provides even in barren places.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Exodus 15 (the Song of the Sea), Elim’s twelve springs symbolize divine provision; Modern wilderness poetry uses Elim to contrast desert hardship with moments of grace; In liturgical verse, Elim represents oases of spiritual refreshment on life’s journey; Contemporary eco-poets reference Elim to highlight water as sacred gift; In allegorical poetry, Elim signifies temporary rest before further trials.
Additional Notes
Elim, with its twelve springs and seventy palm trees (Exodus 15:27), was Israel’s first rest stop after Marah in the wilderness. In poetry, it symbolizes divine provision, temporary respite, and communal refreshment. Liturgical and spiritual verse uses it as a metaphor for oases of grace amid life’s trials. Students should contrast it with Marah (bitterness) and note its numerical symbolism (12 tribes, 70 elders).
Also Known As
Oasis of Elim Twelve Springs Palm Grove of Rest Wilderness Refuge
Skip to main content