Category: Women of the Bible

Tamar II

II Samuel 13
I Chronicles 3:9

The daughter of David and Maacah, she was raped by her half brother Amnon.

Tamar III

II Samuel 14:27

Daughter of Absalom; niece of Tamar (II)

Taphath

I Kings 4:11

A daughter of Solomon

Timna

Genesis 36:12; 22
I Chronicles 1:39

Concubine of Eliphaz mother of Amalek

Tirzah

Numbers 26:33

One of the five daughters of Zelophehad and co-inheritor

Tryphena

Romans 16:12

One of the women greeted by Paul in his letter to the Romans

Tryphosa

Romans 16:12

One of the women greeted by Paul in his letter to the Romans

Vashti

Esther 1; 2:1; 4:17

The queen who refused to appear before her drunken husband King Ahasuerus and his friends. For this reason she was divorced and Esther took her place

Zebudah, Zebidah

II Kings 23:36

Wife of righteous King Josiah, mother of Jehoahaz and unrighteous King Jehoiakim

Zeresh

Esther 5:10, 14; 6:13

Haman’s wife, the man who convinced King Ahaseurus to all the killing of all the Jews

Zeruah

I Kings 11:26-40

Mother of Jeroboam who became King of Israel after the ten tribes revolted against Solomon’s son King Rehoboam

Zeruiah

II Samuel 17:25
I Chronicles 2: 16

A sister of David, mother of Joab and Asahel

Zibiah

II Kings 12:1
II Chronicles 24:1

Wife of King Ahaziah, mother of Jehoash

Zillah

Genesis 4:19-23

One of Lamech’s two wives, mother of Naamah and Tubal-cain

Zilpah

Genesis 29:24; 30:9-10; 35:26; 37:2; 46:18

Leah’s maid given to Jacob by whom he fathered Gad and Asher

Zipporah

Exodus 2:21- 22; 4:24-25; 18:1-6

Moses wife, mother of his sons Gershom and Eliezer

Orpah

Ruth 1

The other daughter-in-law of Naomi

Peninnah

I Samuel 1:2, 6

The second wife of Elkanah whose initially barren first wife Hannah became the mother of the prophet Samuel

Persis

Romans 16:12

A woman mentioned by Paul as one who labored for the Lord

Phoebe

Romans 16:1-2

A woman recommended by Paul as a servant of the Lord who should be assisted

Priscilla

Acts 18:2, 18, 26
Romans 16:3
I Corinthians 16:19
II Timothy 4:19

Priscilla and her husband Aquila are strong believers and good servants in building the church

Puah

Exodus 1:15

Egyptian midwife ordered to kill Israelite babies at birth but did not do so blaming lack of compliance on the quickness with which Israelite women delivered

Rachel

Genesis 29; 30; 31; 33:1-7; 35:16-26; 46:19, 22, 25; 48:7
Ruth 4:11
I Samuel 10:2
Jeremiah 31:15
Matthew 2:18

Beloved wife of Jacob she was barren for years finally offering her maid to Jacob to bear children. Eventually a mother she died giving birth to Benjamin

Rahab

Joshua 2:1-3, 6:17-25
Matthew 1:5
Hebrews 11:31
James 2:25

The Amorite harlot who helped Joshua’s spies overcome Jericho. She married Salmon, one of the spies; was the mother of Boaz who married Ruth. An ancestress of David and hence Jesus Christ

Rebecca or Rebekah

Genesis 22:23; 24; 25: 20-28; 26:6-35; 27; 28:5; 29:12; 35:8;49:31
Romans 9:6-16

Wife of Isaac, mother of twins Jacob and Esau. She helped Jacob trick Isaac into giving Jacob the birthright blessing.

Rhoda

Acts 12:1-19

The servant of Mary mother of Mark. She was so stunned by hearing Peter’s voice at the gate the night he was miraculously released from prison that she ran to tell the praying saints rather than open the door.

Rizpah

II Samuel 3:7; 21:8-14

Wife of Saul, mother of two of his seven sons. They were killed to appease the Gibeonites who survived Saul’s slaughter in hopes this would end a three year drought

Ruth

Ruth
Matthew 1:5

The Moabite who followed her mother-in-law Naomi to a foreign land where by her goodness and loyalty she won the heart of Boaz; an ancestress of Christ

Salome I

Matthew 14:6-11
Mark 6:22-28

Daughter of Herodias, she danced for Herod and won his promise of anything she asked. At her mother’s prompting she asked for John the Baptist’s head.

Salome II

Mathew 20:20_24; 27:56
Mark 10:35-40; 15:40-41; 16:1-2

Mother of James and John, she along with husband Zebedee followed Christ. She ministered to him, was at the cross and was with the group of women who discovered the empty tomb

Sapphira

Acts 5:1-11

She along with her husband conspired to sell all and give to the church but instead kept some back and lied about it. She dropped dead at her lie.

Sara, Sarah, Sarai

Genesis 11:29-31; 12:5-17; 16:1-8; 17:15-21; 18; 20:2-18; 21:1-12; 23:1-19; 24:36-37; 25:10-12; 49:31
Isaiah 51:2
Romans 4:19; 9:9
Hebrews 11:11
I Peter 3:6

Barren beautiful wife of Abraham she gave her maid to him who bore him Ishmael. In her old age she miraculously bore Isaac the heir.

Serah

Genesisi 46:17
I Chronicles 7:30

Granddaughter of Jacob through Zilpah

Shelomith I

Leviticus 24:10-13

A Danite married to an Egyptian; her son is stoned for blaspheming God when he was not allowed to camp with the Israelites.

Shelomith II

I Chronicles 3:19

Daughter of one of the Zerubbabel

Shelomith III

II Chronicles 11:20

Daughter (or possibly son) of Maachah and King Rehoboam

Sherah

I Chronicles 7:24

An Ephraimite who inherited three villages and enlarged them

Shimeath

II Kings 12: 21
II Chronicles 24:26

An Ammorite whose son killed King Joash of Judah

Shiphrah

Exodus 1:15

A midwife who protected the children born to Israelite mothers when ordered to kill them by Pharoah

Shomer

II Kings 12:21

Moabite mother of Jehozabad who killed King Joash of Judah

Shua

Genesis 38:1-2

Daughter of Heber grandson of Asher

Susannah

Luke 8:2-3

One of the women who ministered to Christ with her substance

Syntyche

Philippians 4:2

One of the active members of the early church at Philippi

Tabitha

See Dorcas

Tahpenes

I Kings 11:19-20

Wife of King of Egypt whose sister was the wife of an Edomite King; she raised her sister’s son Genubath when her sister died

Tamar

Genesis 38:6-30
Ruth 4:12
I Chronicles 2:4
Matthew 1:3

The woman who played the part of a prostitute to have a child with Judah, an ancestress of Christ

Maachah

I Chronicles 3:2
II Samuel 3:3

One of David’s eight wives, mother of Absalom

Maachah

I Chronicles 2:48

concubine of Caleb son of Hezron

Maachah

I Chronicles 7:12-16

Daughter-in-law of Manassas, mother of Peresh and Sheresh

Maachah

I Chronicles 8:29, 9:35

Wife of Jehiel founder of Giveon, ancestress of King Saul

Mahalah

I Chronicles 7:18

Great granddaughter of Joseph through Manasseh and Hammoleketh

Mahalath

Genesis 28:9

Daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son through Hagar, Esau’s third wife

Mahalath

II Chronicles 11:18

First of King Rehoboam’s 18 wives and 60 concubines, granddaughter of David

Martha

Luke 10:38-41
John 11; 12: 1-3

Martha, Mary and Lazarus of the New Testament. She who was cumbered with much serving

Mary

Matthew 1: 2: 12:46
Luke 1; 2
John 2: 1-11, 19:25
Acts 1:14

Mother of Jesus

Mary Magdalene

Matthew 27:56, 61; 28:1
Mark 15:40, 47; 16:1-19
Luke 8:2; 24:10
John 19: 25; 20:1-18

Freed of seven devils by Jesus, she became a devoted follower and caretaker. She was at the cross, at the tomb and the first to see the risen Christ.

Mary mother of James and Joses

Matthew 27:55-61
Luke 8:2, 3
Mark 15: 40; 16:8

Mother of James the apostle and Joses. She was one of the women who followed and financially supported Christ; was at the cross and again with the women who saw the empty tomb

Mary mother of Mark

Acts 12: 12

Mother of Mark who wrote the gospel of Mark

Mary of Bethany

Luke 10:38-41
John 11; 12: 1-3, 7

The sister of Martha and Lazarus she is famed for choosing “that good part” of spiritual growth over worldly cares

Mary of Rome

Romans 16:6

One of the few given special greetings by Paul in his letter to the Romans

Matred

Genesis 36:39
I Chronicles 1: 50

Mother of Mehetabel who married a king of Edom

Mehetabel

Genesis 36:38
I Chronicles 1: 50

Wife of Hadad, king of Edom

Merab

I Samuel 14:49; 18:17-19

Oldest daughter of Saul promised to David but given to Adried

Meshullemeth

II Kings 21:19

Wife of Manasseh king of Judah, and mother of Amon who also became king of Judah

Michal

I Samuel 14:19; 18:20-28; 19:11-17; 25:44
II Samuel 3: 13-14; 6: 16-23; 21:8
I Chronicles 15:29

First wife of David, younger daughter of Saul, she loved, protected and eventually lost favor with David

Milcah I

Genesis 11:29; 22:20-23; 24:15, 24, 47

Daughter of Haran, wife of Nahor, grandmother of Rebekah and Laban

Milcah II

Numbers 26:33, 27:1-11, 36:11
Joshua 17:3

One of the five daughters of Zelophehad and co-inheritor

Miriam

Exodus 15:20-21
Numbers 12:1-15; 20:1; 26:59
Deuteronomy 24:9
Micah 6:4

Sister of Moses and Aaron, she followed Moses basket, was a prophetess to Israel, offended God by discounting Moses’ greatness and was cursed with then cured of leprosy

Miriam II

I Chronicles 4:17

Could be a man or a woman

Naamah

Genesis 4:22

Daughter of Lamach and Zillah, sister of Tubal-cain

Naamah II

I Kings 14:21, 31
II Chronicles 12:13

Solomons wife (one of many). An idolatrous Ammonite whose son Rehoboam became the last king of a united Israel

Naarah

I Chronicles 4:5-6

One of two wives of Ashur

Naomi

Ruth

The widowed mother-in-law of Ruth who became an ancestress to King David and Jesus Christ

Nehushta

II Kings 24:8

Wife of righteous King Josiah’s unrighteous son Jehoiakim

Noadiah

Nehemiah 6:14

A false prophetess who tried to stop Nehemiah from finishing the restoration of the Temple

Noah

Numbers 26:33; 27:1

One of the five daughters of Zelophehad and co-inheritor