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Mammon

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

A personification of wealth when money becomes an object of devotion.

Detailed Definition
Mammon is used in the New Testament as a rival master, representing riches treated as a governing spiritual power. In poetry, the name gives money a face and a voice, allowing greed to appear not as an abstract system but as a seducer, employer, idol, or false god. It can expose the moral cost of measuring life by possession, while also suggesting the subtlety of bondage: Mammon rarely arrives as open tyranny, but as comfort, security, and the promise that enough will finally be enough.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poet may personify Mammon as a glittering idol that demands lifelong devotion; A sonnet can contrast Mammon’s gold with the lasting wealth of compassion; In a modern poem, Mammon may symbolize consumer culture and financial power; A biblical allusion to serving God rather than Mammon can frame a poem about choosing spiritual values over riches
Additional Notes
Mammon comes from an Aramaic word for wealth or possessions and is personified in Jesus' warning that one cannot serve both God and Mammon. In poetry, it often symbolizes greed, materialism, or wealth treated as a rival deity. Related ideas include idolatry, stewardship, and the love of money.
Other Meanings of “Mammon”
Also Known As
Mamon Wealth Riches
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