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Plague

World Religion
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 widespread calamity or disease, often depicted in scripture as divine punishment or a test of faith.

Detailed Definition
Plagues, such as the ten plagues of Egypt in the Book of Exodus, are dramatic manifestations of divine power used to punish oppressors, compel repentance, or demonstrate sovereignty. In poetry, plagues represent collective suffering, divine wrath, and the vulnerability of human life. They are a backdrop for exploring themes of justice, mercy, the morality of God, and human responses to catastrophe—from despair to renewed faith. The plague serves as a powerful symbol of existential crisis.
Example
Example in poetry:
In biblical poetry, Plague is divine judgment: “Frogs, darkness, death—Plague breaks Pharaoh’s pride”; In contemporary verse, Plague is pandemic: “Empty streets—Plague reveals society’s fractures”; In Sufi poetry, Plague of separation is worse: “No virus, but absence—Plague of the Beloved’s distance”; Poets link Plague to justice: “Whose bodies bear Plague? Always the poor, the unseen.”
Additional Notes
Plagues in Exodus serve as divine judgments that dismantle Pharaoh’s power; in Job or apocalyptic literature, they test or purify; poets deploy plague imagery not just as punishment but as revelation—exposing societal rot, human hubris, or the fragility of order, often calling for collective repentance or radical compassion.
Also Known As
Plague of Egypt Divine Scourge murrain Pestilence
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