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Tekoa

Historical Location
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 Judean town south of Jerusalem, home of the prophet Amos and Joab’s wise woman

Detailed Definition
Tekoa was a pastoral village associated with shepherds and prophetic voices. Amos, though from Tekoa, spoke against social injustice in Israel. In poetry, Tekoa symbolizes humble origins of truth-tellers and the moral clarity that comes from simplicity—often used to affirm that wisdom arises from unexpected places.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Amos 1:1, Tekoa is the prophet’s hometown in Judah’s wilderness; The prophet Jeremiah (6:1) warns Tekoa’s people to flee impending doom; Modern Israeli poets reference Tekoa as a West Bank settlement and biblical site; In liturgical verse, Tekoa symbolizes prophetic voice from the margins; Contemporary poetry uses Tekoa to explore desert wisdom and social critique.
Additional Notes
Tekoa, Amos’ hometown in Judah’s wilderness (Amos 1:1), symbolizes prophetic voice from the margins. Jeremiah 6:1 warns its people to flee. Modern Israeli poets reference it as a West Bank settlement. Students should note its elevation and its use in social critique poetry.
Also Known As
Wilderness of Tekoa Prophet’s Birthplace Judean Heights Watchtower Town
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