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Herod

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

Title for several rulers; notably Herod the Great who ordered the Bethlehem massacre

Detailed Definition
Herod the Great, an Idumean king, killed infants in Bethlehem to eliminate the newborn “King of the Jews.” His paranoia and cruelty mark him as an anti-messiah figure. In poetry, Herod embodies tyrannical fear of divine displacement, the violent resistance to incarnate grace, and the tragic irony of power that destroys the very future it seeks to control.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Herod’s massacre (Matthew 2) illustrates tyrannical fear of divine kingship; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Drama of Exile," Herod symbolizes political paranoia; In William Cowper’s hymns, Herod’s death by worms (Acts 12) warns against blasphemy; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Herod’s banquet contrasts with Christ’s table; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Herod embodies the persecutor of innocence; In W.H. Auden’s "For the Time Being," Herod illustrates the ruler who sees the star but chooses violence.
Additional Notes
Herod: Refers to Herod the Great (Matthew 2), who ordered the Bethlehem massacre. In poetry, Herod symbolizes tyrannical paranoia, the clash between worldly and divine kingship, and the cost of power. His building projects (temple, fortresses) contrast with his moral decay—ideal for poems on empire, fear-driven violence, or the vulnerability of the innocent in political machinations.
Also Known As
Herod the Great Herod I
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