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Malchus

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

Servant of the high priest whose ear Peter cut off in Gethsemane

Detailed Definition
Malchus was present at Jesus’ arrest; Jesus healed his severed ear, demonstrating nonviolence even in betrayal. His name means “my king” or “counselor.” In poetry, Malchus represents the unintended victim of zeal, the healing that transcends conflict, and the ironic presence of “king” at the moment of the true King’s capture—often symbolizing grace extended to the enemy in the hour of crisis.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John 18:10, Peter cuts off Malchus’s ear—a moment dramatized in devotional poems about nonviolence; Christina Rossetti’s “Good Friday” alludes to Malchus as recipient of Christ’s last miracle before crucifixion; Medieval passion plays in verse depict Malchus’s healed ear as symbol of mercy amid betrayal; Contemporary poetry imagines Malchus’s perspective: “I came to arrest, but was restored”; In poems about unexpected grace, Malchus embodies the enemy shown compassion; Some educational poems contrast Peter’s sword with Jesus’ healing touch.
Additional Notes
Malchus is the servant of the high priest whose ear Peter cut off during Jesus’ arrest (John 18); Jesus heals him, turning violence into mercy; though minor, Malchus embodies the unexpected recipient of grace amid chaos—ideal for poems exploring sudden redemption or the humanity of peripheral biblical figures.
Also Known As
Malchus servant of the high priest Malchus whose ear was cut off
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