Stories Bible texts Background
Royal Women
… like ambitious Bathsheba who saw her chance and took it. Or ruthless Jezebel, the original ‘painted hussy’. Or the Queen of Sheba, a match for Solomon. Or Michal, who loved handsome young David. Or Queen Esther, who married a fool. Or Sarah, princess of her tribe. Or Salome who danced for Herod. Or Athaliah, the only woman to be queen of Judah. Or Basemath & Taphath, Solomon’s expendable daughters. Or Maacah, the forgotten princess. Or Tamar, tragic rape victim. Or Maacah ll beloved wife, then exile. Or Rizpah, mother of murdered sons. Or lovely, sad Princess Tamar, raped and abandoned.
Famous Heroines
… like upwardly mobile Abigail who saved handsome young David. Or warrior women Deborah & Jael, the giant-killers. Or persistent Hannah, mistaken for a drunk. Or ruthless Judith, who cut off her enemy’s head! Or the apostle Mary Magdalene, witness to the Resurrection. Or Jesus’ mother Mary of Nazareth, puzzled by her precocious son. Or Miriam, leader of women in the wilderness. Or resourceful Naomi who knew how to catch a husband. Or the beloved Rachel. Or Rahab the prostitute who saved an army. Or far-sighted Rebecca. Or loyal Ruth with the sense to take good advice. Or the inquisitive Samaritan Woman.
Wounded Women
… like the Adulterous woman saved by Jesus. Or Delilah – Samson’s downfall! Or Dinah, tragic victim of male violence. Or the great mother Eve. Or the Egyptian slave girl Hagar. Or the human sacrifice Jephtah’s daughter. Or the lonely, unloved Leah. Or the viciously murdered Levite’s concubine. Or the real Mary Magdalene. Or the piteous Woman with an issue of blood. Or Potiphar’s lonely, lustful wife. Or the desperate Syro-Phoenician Mother. Or Tamar insisting on justice from Judah. Or the Crippled Woman and Jesus. Or Pilate’s Roman Wife.
Unlikely Heroines
… like Anna who saw the Messiah before anyone else. Or Asenath of ancient Egypt, highborn wife of Moses. Or Dorcas/Tabitha, raised from the dead by Peter. Or Elizabeth who greeted the Messiah in Mary’s womb. Or Huldah, the prophetess who commanded a king. Or Joanna who saw the Resurrection angel. Or Martha & Mary , the two sides of Woman? Or Noah’s Wife , model of forbearance. Or Peter’s mother-in-law , who knew how and when to cook. Or Prisca/Priscilla building the Christian churches. Or another Christian woman, Dorcas/Tabitha. Or the widow who gave a mite, all she had. Or the strange, wild Witch of Endor. Or Zipporah, who circumcised her son.
And the dreaded Lilith, who was none of the above….
Extra links, Bible texts, the Bible world
Royal Women
Athaliah, queen of Judah. Did she murder her grandchildren? Bible text 10 Royal women of Israel
Basemath & Taphath, two sweet sisters, pawns in King Solomon’s game. A princess’s world.
Bathsheba, seduced by King David? Or did she seduce him? Bible text, Solomon’s court
Esther becomes Queen, saves her people. Exile in Babylon. The Bible text. Famous paintings of Esther
Jezebel the painted whore? Jezebel’s world: cosmetics, gods & goddesses the Bible text
Maacah, wife of David, the forgotten princess. Life in David’s harem Tamar, tragic rape victim
Maacah ll princess, beloved wife, exile Families in the Bible
Michal David’s first wife loving the wrong man Life in the royal harem Bible text
Naamah wife of King Solomon, woman of mystery
Queen of Sheba a match for Solomon Bible text
Rizpah guards her murdered sons
Salome the princess who danced for Herod Bad Bible women
Sarah princess of her tribe Bible text Paintings of Sarah & Hagar
Tamar A young princess raped and abandoned Bible kings: David
Vashti, queen of Persia don’t marry a fool!! Esther’s story
Famous Heroines
Abigail saved David An ambitious woman rids herself of an inconvenient husband
Deborah & Jael, warrior women Bible text The world she lived in
Judith Bible text Judith’s world
Magdelene Gospel text Magdalene’s world
Mary of Nazareth Life in Nazareth The real Mary Mary in the gospels Paintings of Mary
Miriam Bible text for Miriam’s story Escape from Egypt, the Golden Calf
Naomi Naomi’s story in the Bible Paintings of Naomi & Ruth
Rachel Bible text for Rachel’s story The world Rachel lived in Michelangelo’s Rachel
Rahab Women ancestors of Jesus Ancient Jericho
Rebecca Rebecca’s world The Bible text Famous paintings of Rebecca
Ruth Naomi’s story The Bible text Famous paintings of Ruth
Samaritan Woman The story in John’s gospel Enemies: Samaritans & Jews
Wounded Women
Adulterous woman & Jesus Her story in John’s gospel Attitudes to woman
Crippled Woman and Jesus The story in Luke’s gospel Medicine in the ancient world
Delilah – Samson’s nemesis Delilah’s world Delilah: the Bible text
Eve Bible text Eve in mythic pre-history
Hagar Hagar: the Bible text Women slaves in the Bible
Jephtah’s daughter The Bible text Women’s festivals, human sacrifice
Leah, love and loneliness Michelangelo’s Leah
Levite’s concubine Murders in the Bible
The real Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene’s story The world of the gospels
Menstruating Woman Menstruation & purity laws The gospel texts
Pilate’s Wife Pilate’s wife in Matthew’s gospel Death sentence for Jesus
Potiphar’s wife: a story of lust & loneliness the Bible text Women in ancient Egypt Potiphar’s wife: famous paintings
Syro-Phoenician Woman: a mother’s prayer answered
Tamar & Judah The Bible text Paintings of Tamar & Judah
Quiet Heroines
Anna saw the Messiah with Bible text Maps of Jerusalem in Jesus’ time
Asenath of ancient Egypt, with Bible text
Elizabeth Elizabeth in Luke’s gospel Priests in the Bible
Huldah, prophetess, with Bible text
Martha & Mary Mary & Martha in the gospels Jesus’ world Mary & Martha: paintings
Noah’s Wife Paintings of the Flood
Peter’s mother-in-law Food at the time of Jesus
Prisca/Priscilla Dorcas/Tabitha, another Christian woman
A widow’s mite Stories from the life of Jesus
Witch of Endor Magic in the Bible
Zipporah Circumcision in ancient times