Rehoboam is a proper noun referring to a biblical king of Judah. It is pronounced with three syllables and a stress pattern that falls on the second syllable, bearing the phonetic structure typical of Hebrew-derived names in English usage. The name is mostly encountered in religious, historical, and literary contexts, and is not commonly used outside those spheres.
"Rehoboam’s reign is documented in the Hebrew Bible and has been discussed in historical commentaries."
"The sermon compared Solomon’s wisdom with the later actions of Rehoboam."
"In the genealogies, Rehoboam is listed as a son of Solomon and the first king of Judah after the split."
"The professor cited Rehoboam as an example of how dynastic politics influenced ancient Israel."
Rehoboam originates from the Hebrew name Rechabam, which itself is rooted in biblical Hebrew. The original form is רְחַבְעָם (Rəḥaḇʿām), combining elements that scholars interpret as meanings related to expansion or broadness (reḥab) plus a suffix denoting action or person. In English, the name was transliterated through Greek and Latin traditions in early Christian and biblical scholarship. The Septuagint and Vulgate versions preserve a closely related form, which influenced later English spellings. The name appears in the Chronicles and Kings as the king who succeeded his father Solomon. English usage standardizes the pronunciation in 2-3 syllables, with historical texts preserving the emphasis patterns of classical languages but adapting to modern English stress conventions. The first known English-language appearance of the name in print dates to early translations of the Bible in the 17th or 18th century, reflecting a broader trend of rendering Hebrew proper names for English readers. Over time, Rehoboam has remained a theological and literary reference rather than a common contemporary personal name, but it persists in academic, devotional, and historical discussions.
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Words that rhyme with "Rehoboam"
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Rehoboam is pronounced as ri-HEH-boh-um with three syllables. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: ri-HEH-boh-um. IPA (US/UK): /ˌrɪˈhɛ.boʊ.əm/ in broad transcription; more precisely, US: /ˌrɛɪˈhɒ.boʊ.ɒm/ could appear in older renderings, but the standard today is /ˌriˈhɪˌboʊ.æm/ depending on accent. In practice, you’ll hear the “reh-HEH-boh-um” rhythm in most religious readings. Mouth positions: start with an unstressed “ri” with a relaxed /r/ and a short /ɪ/ or /ɪə/, followed by the stressed /HEH/ where /h/ is breathy and the vowel is open; finish with /boʊ.əm/ with a rounded /oʊ/ and a neutral schwa.
Two common errors are misplacing the stress and mispronouncing the middle vowel. People often put primary stress on the first syllable, or flatten the middle vowel into a quick /e/ sound. To correct: ensure the second syllable carries the emphasis: ri-HEH-boh-um, with a clear /HEH/ and a distinct, lighter final /əm/ or /əm/ depending on dialect. Practice by saying: ri-(pause)-HEH-(pause)-boh-(pause)-əm; the pauses help reinforce the syllable boundaries and stress.
In US, UK, and AU, the name remains three syllables, but vowel qualities differ. US tends to have a clearer /riːˈheɪ.boʊ.əm/ or /rəˈhoʊˌbɔːm/ variants; UK often preserves a sharper /ˌriːˈhɒb.oːm/ pattern with less rhoticity in some regional accents; AU similarly mirrors UK with vowels closer to /ˌɹiːˈhɒːbɒm/. The main distinctions involve the vowel in the second syllable and the final syllable’s schwa vs. full /oʊ/ sound. Regardless, the stress remains on the second syllable; preserve the /h/ and /b/ consonants clearly across accents.
The difficulty comes from: (1) the non-phonotactic Hebrew origin, which yields less familiar vowel sequences in English; (2) the three-syllable structure with a strong second-syllable stress; (3) the combination of a breathy /h/ and a final /əm/ that can blur in connected speech. To master: isolate the stressed syllable, practice with careful breath control around /h/; clearly pronounce /boʊ/ and the final /əm/. Use slow-draction drills to maintain syllable boundaries and avoid running the final sound into the next word.
A unique aspect is the preserved aspiration in the middle syllable (/HEH/ with clear /h/). Also, Bible-name expectations often cause readers to preserve an older or more formal pronunciation, which can differ from modern everyday English personal names. The middle vowel is not a simple /e/ or /i/; it is a front open-mid vowel close to /ɛ/ in many pronunciations. Focus on stress positioning and a crisp /h/ to distinguish /HEH/ from adjacent vowels.
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