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Herod Agrippa I

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

Grandson of Herod the Great who executed James and imprisoned Peter

Detailed Definition
Agrippa I, ruler of Judea (41–44 CE), persecuted the church to gain Jewish favor but was struck dead by an angel after accepting divine honors (Acts 12). In poetry, he embodies the hubris of tyrants, the fleeting nature of political power, and divine judgment on those who oppose the church.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Herod Agrippa I’s death (Acts 12) illustrates divine judgment on pride; In T.S. Eliot’s "The Rock," Agrippa I represents the king who accepts blasphemous praise; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "A Drama of Exile," Agrippa I symbolizes the tyrant struck down; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Agrippa I’s worms warn against self-deification; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Agrippa I embodies the fleeting power of persecution; In W.H. Auden’s "For the Time Being," Agrippa I illustrates the cost of accepting worship meant for God.
Additional Notes
Herod Agrippa I: Grandson of Herod the Great; executed James and imprisoned Peter (Acts 12); struck dead by an angel for accepting divine honors. In poetry, Agrippa I embodies the fatal danger of pride, the fragility of persecuting power, and divine judgment on blasphemy. His death (eaten by worms) is a stark image—ideal for poems on hubris, the reversal of fortune, or the limits of human authority.
Also Known As
Agrippa son of Aristobulus
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