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Jehu

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

King of Israel anointed to destroy Ahab’s dynasty and Baal worship

Detailed Definition
Jehu executed Joram, Jezebel, and Ahab’s heirs with brutal efficiency, fulfilling Elijah’s prophecy but later failing to abandon Jeroboam’s sins (2 Kings 9–10). In poetry, Jehu embodies zealous judgment, the ambiguity of divinely sanctioned violence, and how reform can be both righteous and incomplete.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Jehu’s anointing (2 Kings 9) illustrates divine execution of judgment; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "The Seraphim," Jehu symbolizes the avenger of blood; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Jehu’s driving illustrates zealous but flawed execution; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Jehu represents the instrument of wrath; In Christina Rossetti’s "The World," Jehu’s chariot prefigures swift justice; In T.S. Eliot’s "The Waste Land," Jehu’s massacre echoes in modern violence.
Additional Notes
Jehu: King of Israel anointed to destroy Ahab’s house (2 Kings 9–10); zealous but incomplete in reform. In poetry, Jehu symbolizes divine instrumentality, the danger of mixing violence with mission, and the critique of half-hearted obedience (Hosea 1:4). His chariot charge and “driving like Jehu” (2 Kings 9:20) offer kinetic imagery—ideal for poems on zeal, judgment, or the ambiguity of holy violence.
Also Known As
Jehu king of Israel Jehu son of Nimshi
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