How to Pronounce Words of the Bible

Since the Bible was written so long ago, there is no one authoritative guide to ancient pronunciation. However, scholars do have a number of clues to how things most likely were pronounced, and from that some basic guidelines for pronunciation have been derived that you can follow.

Instructions

1. Realize that any general pronunciation guide will have exceptions, and that no specific pronunciation can be guaranteed to be pronounced exactly the way it was when the Bible was written. Learn some basic pronunciations by focusing on vowel sounds.

2. Pronounce "a" like "uh," as in "ago" and "apply." Pronounce double a ("aa") like "ay-uh."

3. Pronounce "e" at the beginning of words like "ee," as in "evil." Pronounce "e" followed by l as "el."

4. Pronounce "i" like "eye," as in "ivory." Pronounce "i" followed by "sh," as "ish," as in "shishkabob."

5. Pronounce "o" like "oh," as in "Oklahoma."

6. Pronounce "u" at the beginning of words like "you," as in "ukulele." Pronounce "u" in words like "uh," as in "up."

7. Look up specific words using the link below to hear an audio recording of a recommended pronunciation.

Tips & Warnings

• "Correct" pronunciation may depend on your religion, so feel free to ask your religious leader for advice.

• Remember, nobody really knows how things were pronounced, as no sound exists from millenia ago.

Resources

• Net Ministries: Hear Bible words pronounced