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Hiel

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

Man who rebuilt Jericho in defiance of Joshua’s curse, losing his sons

Detailed Definition
Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho during Ahab’s reign, fulfilling Joshua’s prophecy that the builder would lose his firstborn and youngest son (1 Kings 16:34). In poetry, Hiel embodies the cost of defying divine decree, the inescapability of ancient curses, and the tragic price of ambition.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Hiel’s rebuilding of Jericho (1 Kings 16) illustrates the cost of defying divine curse; In William Cowper’s hymns, Hiel’s loss of sons warns against presumptuous action; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Drama of Exile," Hiel symbolizes the man who ignores prophetic warning; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Hiel’s fate illustrates the wages of disobedience; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Hiel represents the builder on cursed ground; In Christina Rossetti’s "The World," Hiel’s ambition ends in personal ruin.
Additional Notes
Hiel: Rebuilder of Jericho under Joshua’s curse; lost sons as prophesied (1 Kings 16:34). In poetry, Hiel symbolizes the fatal cost of disregarding divine warning, the persistence of curse, and the tragic fulfillment of prophecy. His name (“God lives”) adds bitter irony—ideal for poems on historical memory, the weight of place, or the inescapability of sacred oaths.
Also Known As
Hiel of Bethel Hiel the Rebuilder
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