20 Strong Women in the Bible We Can All Learn From
1) Mary of Nazareth
As the mother of Jesus, Mary's all-important role in the Bible goes without saying. After all, she was the one who gave birth to the world's savior when she was just a teen, just as the angel Gabriel said she would.
Mary of Nazareth in the Bible:
"When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a virgin who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. When the angel came to her, he said, 'Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!' She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
"The angel said, 'Don’t be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you. Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.'" (Luke 1:26-33)
2) Ruth the Moabite
Ruth the Moabite was an example of unwavering faith and bravery in the Bible. After being widowed early in life, she stuck with her mother-in-law and followed God for all her days, believing he would provide for her.
Ruth the Moabite in the Bible:
"Then she bowed down, face to the ground, and replied to him, 'How is it that I’ve found favor in your eyes, that you notice me? I’m an immigrant.'
"Boaz responded to her, 'Everything that you did for your mother-in-law after your husband’s death has been reported fully to me: how you left behind your father, your mother, and the land of your birth, and came to a people you hadn’t known beforehand. May the Lord reward you for your deed. May you receive a rich reward from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you’ve come to seek refuge.'" (Ruth 2:10-13)
3) Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene is an oft-misunderstood Biblical figure, but she was certainly a faithful follower of Jesus. After being healed by Him, she traveled with Him and witnessed his crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.
Mary Magdalene in the Bible:
"Mary stood outside near the tomb, crying. As she cried, she bent down to look into the tomb. She saw two angels dressed in white, seated where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and one at the foot. The angels asked her, 'Woman, why are you crying?'
"She replied, 'They have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve put him.' As soon as she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t know it was Jesus.
"Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?'
"Thinking he was the gardener, she replied, 'Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him and I will get him.'
"Jesus said to her, 'Mary.'
She turned and said to him in Aramaic, 'Rabbouni.'" (John 20:11-16)
4) Rachel
Rachel patiently waited to marry her love Jacob after being cruelly deceived by her father, who tricked Jacob into marrying her sister, Leah. Eventually, Rachel's prayers were answered, and although she was childless at first, she became the mother to Joseph and Benjamin.
Rachel in the Bible:
"God responded to Leah. She became pregnant and gave birth to a fifth son for Jacob. Leah said, 'God gave me what I paid for, what I deserved for giving my servant to my husband.' So she named him Issachar. Leah became pregnant again and gave birth to a sixth son for Jacob, and she said, 'God has given me a wonderful gift. Now my husband will honor me since I’ve borne him six sons.' So she named him Zebulun. After this, she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.
"Then God remembered Rachel, responded to her, and let her conceive. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, 'God has taken away my shame.' She named him Joseph, saying to herself, May the Lord give me another son." (Genesis 30:17-24)
5) Hannah
Hannah desperately prayed for a son, and promised that she would dedicate his life to God. When God came through, she kept her word: She left her son Samuel to be raised in the temple (providing her son wisdom along the way). Hannah's faithfulness never faltered.
Hannah in the Bible:
"When he had been weaned and was still very young, Hannah took him, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a jar of wine, and brought him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh. They slaughtered the bull, then brought the boy to Eli.
"'Excuse me, sir!' Hannah said. 'As surely as you live, sir, I am the woman who stood here next to you, praying to the Lord. I prayed for this boy, and the Lord gave me what I asked from him. So now I give this boy back to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.' Then they worshipped there before the Lord." (1 Samuel 1:24-28)
6) Eve
While Eve isn't the most upstanding woman in the Bible, she's certainly one of the most influential. By giving into evil, she reminds the world that while God is good, Satan's temptations are not.
Eve in the Bible:
"The snake was the most intelligent of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, 'Did God really say that you shouldn’t eat from any tree in the garden?'
"The woman said to the snake, 'We may eat the fruit of the garden’s trees but not the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden. God said, Don’t eat from it, and don’t touch it, or you will die.'
"The snake said to the woman, 'You won’t die! God knows that on the day you eat from it, you will see clearly and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' The woman saw that the tree was beautiful with delicious food and that the tree would provide wisdom, so she took some of its fruit and ate it, and also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Genesis 3:1-6)
7) Deborah
As the only female judge mentioned in the Bible, Deborah is known for being a compassionate leader (of which there weren't many in Biblical times). She worked to purge the nation of those who kept Israel spiritually complacent and under slavery to the Canaanites, returning to worship of the one true God.
Deborah in the Bible:
"Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was a leader of Israel at that time. She would sit under Deborah’s palm tree between Ramah and Bethel in the Ephraim highlands, and the Israelites would come to her to settle disputes. She sent word to Barak, Abinoam’s son, from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, 'Hasn’t the Lord, Israel’s God, issued you a command? Go and assemble at Mount Tabor, taking ten thousand men from the people of Naphtali and Zebulun with you. 7 I’ll lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, to assemble with his chariots and troops against you at the Kishon River, and then I’ll help you overpower him.'
"Barak replied to her, 'If you’ll go with me, I’ll go; but if not, I won’t go.'
"Deborah answered, 'I’ll definitely go with you. However, the path you’re taking won’t bring honor to you, because the Lord will hand over Sisera to a woman.' Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh." (Judges 4:4-9)
8) Esther
Queen Esther showed great courage by telling the Persian king about a plan to assassinate him, and later, a plan to have all the Jews in Persia killed. With the power of prayer and bravery, she saved her people.
Esther in the Bible:
"Esther again spoke before the king. She bowed at his feet, wept, and begged him to treat her kindly. She wanted him to overturn the evil plot of Haman the Agagite — his secret plan directed against the Jews. The king held out the gold scepter to Esther, and she got up and stood before him.
"She said, 'If the king wishes, and if I please him — that is, if the idea seems right to the king, and if he still sees me as a good person — then have people write something to call back the order — the order that put into effect the plan of Haman, Hammedatha the Agagite’s son, that he wrote to destroy the Jews in all the royal provinces. How can I bear to watch the terrible evil about to sweep over my people? And how can I bear to watch others destroy my own family?'" (Esther 8:3-6)
9) Miriam
The prophetess Miriam was Moses' older sister, and she helped save him as a baby. Their mother left him in a basket to protect him from being killed by Pharaoh, and when Pharaoh’s daughter found him and took pity on him, Miriam offered up their mother to nurse him so they could stay together.
Miriam in the Bible:
"Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women followed her playing tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang the refrain back to them: Sing to the Lord, for an overflowing victory! Horse and rider he threw into the sea!" (Exodus 15:20-21)
10) Sarah
Abraham's wife Sarah is an example of how God keeps his promises: After telling Abraham she would bear a son, despite being barren, Sarah gave birth to Isaac at 90 years old.
Sarah in the Bible:
"The Lord was attentive to Sarah just as he had said, and the Lord carried out just what he had promised her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham when he was old, at the very time God had told him. Abraham named his son — the one Sarah bore him — Isaac. Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old just as God had commanded him. Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born.
"Sarah said, 'God has given me laughter. Everyone who hears about it will laugh with me.' She said, 'Who could have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse sons? But now I’ve given birth to a son when he was old!'" (Genesis 21:1-7)
11) Hagar
Hagar experienced many hardships in her life. Initially, she was Sarah’s servant when Sarah could not have children, and when Hagar became pregnant, Sarah grew jealous and threw her out of their home. Eventually, an angel meets Hagar in the desert and blesses her with a child named Ishmael.
Hagar in the Bible:
"The Lord’s messenger found Hagar at a spring in the desert, the spring on the road to Shur, and said, 'Hagar! Sarai’s servant! Where did you come from and where are you going?'
"She said, 'From Sarai my mistress. I’m running away.'
"The Lord’s messenger said to her, 'Go back to your mistress. Put up with her harsh treatment of you.' The Lord’s messenger also said to her, 'I will give you many children, so many they can’t be counted!' The Lord’s messenger said to her, 'You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You will name him Ishmael because the Lord has heard about your harsh treatment. He will be a wild mule of a man; he will fight everyone, and they will fight him. He will live at odds with all his relatives.'" (Genesis 16:7-12)
12) Abigail
First mentioned in 1 Samuel, Abigail was a woman in a deeply unhappy marriage who — after managing to act quickly to prevent a battle and bloodshed from occurring — ends up saving many lives through her courage.
Abigail in the Bible:
"David said to Abigail, 'Bless the Lord God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today! And bless you and your good judgment for preventing me from shedding blood and taking vengeance into my own hands today! Otherwise, as surely as the Lord God of Israel lives — the one who kept me from hurting you — if you hadn’t come quickly and met up with me, there wouldn’t be one single one who urinates on a wall left come morning.'
"Then David accepted everything she had brought for him. 'Return home in peace,' he told her. 'Be assured that I’ve heard your request and have agreed to it.'" (1 Samuel 25:32-35)
13) Elizabeth
Similar to Sarah, Elizabeth was too old to conceive a child — but God made it possible. She went on to give birth to John the Baptist, who told the world of its coming savior, Jesus Christ.
Elizabeth in the Bible:
"Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered why he was in the sanctuary for such a long time. When he came out, he was unable to speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he gestured to them and couldn’t speak. When he completed the days of his priestly service, he returned home.
"Afterward, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. She kept to herself for five months, saying, 'This is the Lord’s doing. He has shown his favor to me by removing my disgrace among other people.'" (Luke 1:21-25)
14) Priscilla
Priscilla is an example of a Godly wife in the Bible: Throughout her marriage to Aquila, the couple was known for their powerful ministry and generosity to those in need.
Priscilla in the Bible:
"Meanwhile, a certain Jew named Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria and was well-educated and effective in his use of the scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and spoke as one stirred up by the Spirit. He taught accurately the things about Jesus, even though he was aware only of the baptism John proclaimed and practiced.
"He began speaking with confidence in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they received him into their circle of friends and explained to him God’s way more accurately." (Acts 18:24-26)
15) Mary of Bethany
The sister of Martha and Lazarus, Mary always put Jesus first. While she was hosting Him at her home with Martha, He commended her for "choosing the better" by sitting at His feet instead of being swayed by housework and entertaining duties.
Mary of Bethany in the Bible:
"While Jesus and his disciples were traveling, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his message. By contrast, Martha was preoccupied with getting everything ready for their meal. So Martha came to him and said, 'Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to prepare the table all by myself? Tell her to help me.'
"The Lord answered, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won’t be taken away from her.'" (Luke 10:38-42)
16) Martha
While Mary's sister Martha was chastised by Jesus for putting her hosting duties above learning Jesus' word, she was still a devoted follower who wanted Jesus to be comfortable and waited upon.
Martha in the Bible:
"When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was a little less than two miles from Jerusalem. Many Jews had come to comfort Martha and Mary after their brother’s death. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, while Mary remained in the house. Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Even now I know that whatever you ask God, God will give you.'
"Jesus told her, 'Your brother will rise again.'
"Martha replied, 'I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.'" (John 11:17-24)
17) Jehosheba
Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, is known for bravely saving her infant nephew, the prince Jehoash, from being massacred by the Queen Mother. Prince Jehoash's survival preserved the line of David, thanks to Jehosheba.
Jehosheba in the Bible:
"When Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, learned of her son’s death, she immediately destroyed the entire royal family. But Jehosheba, King Jehoram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s sister, secretly took Ahaziah’s son Jehoash from the rest of the royal children who were about to be murdered and hid him in a bedroom along with his nurse. In this way Jehoash was hidden from Athaliah and wasn’t murdered.
"He remained hidden with his nurse in the Lord’s temple for six years while Athaliah ruled the country." (2 Kings 11:1-3)
18) Jochebed
In the book of Exodus, Jochebed has to put her baby's life into God's hands during the time when the Pharaoh issued a decree to kill all Hebrew baby boys by putting them in the Nile River. If this sounds familiar, then it's probably because this is the story of Moses, Jochebed's son, who was saved by his mother and his older sister, Miriam.
Jochebed in the Bible:
"Now a man from Levi’s household married a Levite woman. The woman became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She saw that the baby was healthy and beautiful, so she hid him for three months. When she couldn’t hide him any longer, she took a reed basket and sealed it up with black tar. She put the child in the basket and set the basket among the reeds at the riverbank." (Exodus 2:1-3)
19) Rahab
First mentioned in the book of Joshua, Rahab's story is one of an unexpected person becoming a faithful servant of God. By providing shelter to Israelite soldiers, she puts her own life at risk while demonstrating faith in God.
Rahab in the Bible:
"So the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab: 'Send out the men who came to you, the ones who came to your house, because they have come to spy on the entire land.'
"But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. Then she said, 'Of course the men came to me. But I didn’t know where they were from. The men left when it was time to close the gate at dark, but I don’t know where the men went. Hurry! Chase after them! You might catch up with them.' But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the flax stalks that she had laid out on the roof. The men from Jericho chased after them in the direction of the Jordan up to the fords. As soon as those chasing them went out, the gate was shut behind them." (Joshua 2:3-7)
20) Bathsheba
Though Bathsheba is widely known for having an affair with King David, she ultimately used her life to honor God, later giving birth to Solomon.
Bathsheba in the Bible:
"David replied, 'While the child was alive I fasted and wept because I thought, Who knows? The Lord may have mercy on me and let the child live. But he is dead now. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? No. I am going where he is, but he won’t come back to me.'
"Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to her and had sex with her. She gave birth to a son and named him Solomon. The Lord loved him and sent word by the prophet Nathan to name him Jedidiah because of the Lord’s grace." (2 Samuel 12:22-24)
These strong and inspiring women in the Bible will inspire you and give you some new insights into the history of females in Christianity.