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Ephrath

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

An ancient name for Bethlehem, associated with the burial of Rachel and David’s lineage.

Detailed Definition
Ephrath appears in Genesis and Ruth as a place of birth, death, and promise. In poetry, it symbolizes ancestral roots, messianic hope, and the sacredness of humble places, often linked to themes of lineage, loss, and redemption.
Example
Example in poetry:
Ephrath—ancient name for Bethlehem—fuels messianic poetry: “In Ephrath, Rachel wept, but Ruth gleaned hope”; A poem on lineage: “From Ephrath’s soil grew the rod of Jesse”; In a minimalist verse: “Ephrath: where manger and tomb are neighbors”; Liturgical reflection: “Blessed Ephrath, small among Judah, yet cradled the King.”
Additional Notes
Ephrath (Genesis 35:16, 19) is an ancient name for Bethlehem, where Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin. It anchors Davidic and messianic lineage (Micah 5:2). In poetry, Ephrath evokes maternal sacrifice, ancestral roots, and the sacred geography of promise—linking matriarchal grief with royal hope.
Also Known As
Ephrathah Bethlehem
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