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Nisroch

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 deity or temple where Sennacherib was assassinated after his failed siege of Jerusalem.

Detailed Definition
Nisroch (2 Kings 19:37) appears only in this context. In poetry, it symbolizes the irony of pagan worship—kings slain before their own gods—and divine justice executed through human conspiracy in foreign sanctuaries.
Example
Example in poetry:
Nisroch—Assyrian god or temple where Sennacherib was slain—fuels ironic poetry: “In Nisroch’s shadow, the king who mocked Zion met his end”; A dramatic monologue: “I knelt to Nisroch, but my sons struck me down—idols guard no one”; In a prophetic sonnet: “Nisroch heard no prayer when the sword fell”; Modern parallel: “Our Nisrochs are false refuges where pride meets sudden ruin.”
Additional Notes
Nisroch is mentioned in 2 Kings 19:37 and Isaiah 37:38 as the deity or temple where Sennacherib, king of Assyria, was assassinated by his sons after his failed siege of Jerusalem. The name’s origin is uncertain—possibly a scribal error for “Nusku” (an Assyrian god of fire) or a temple name. Though historically ambiguous, Nisroch serves a literary function: the place of divine retribution against a blasphemer who mocked YHWH. In poetry, Nisroch symbolizes the sudden reversal of imperial arrogance, the vulnerability of tyrants in their own sanctuaries, and the irony of death in a house of false gods.
Also Known As
Nisroch (variant of Nusku)
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