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Gihon

Historical Location
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

One of the four rivers of Eden, also the name of a spring near Jerusalem

Detailed Definition
Gihon is listed in Genesis 2:13 as a river flowing through Cush, and in 1 Kings 1:33 as the spring where Solomon was anointed. It thus bridges paradisiacal and royal symbolism. Poets use Gihon to connect Edenic purity with earthly kingship or to evoke hidden sources of life and legitimacy—often as a metaphor for spiritual anointing or divine flow.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Genesis 2, Gihon is one of Eden’s four rivers, flowing around Cush; In medieval Jewish poetry, Gihon symbolizes divine wisdom’s hidden streams; Modern eco-poets use Gihon to reflect on lost rivers and ecological memory; In allegorical verse, Gihon represents life-giving but elusive spiritual sources; Contemporary spiritual poetry links Gihon to Jerusalem’s ancient water systems.
Additional Notes
Gihon is one of Eden’s four rivers (Genesis 2:13), flowing around Cush. In later tradition, it’s associated with Jerusalem’s water system (e.g., Hezekiah’s Tunnel). In poetry, it symbolizes hidden divine provision and life-giving wisdom. Students should note its name (“gusher”) and its contrast with the Tigris/Euphrates as more mysterious, less historically mapped rivers.
Other Meanings of “Gihon”
Also Known As
River Gihon Eden’s Stream Jerusalem’s Spring Hidden Waters
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