Queens of the Bible
No explicit mention of queens is made in Scripture till we read of the “queen of Sheba.”
Israelites
The wives of the kings of Israel are not called queens. In Psalm 45:9, the Hebrew for “queen” is not malkah, one actually ruling like the Queen of Sheba, but shegal, which simply means the king’s wife.
In Song of Songs 6:8-9, the king’s wives are called “queens” (Hebrew: melakhoth).
Egypt
In 1 Kings 11:19, Pharaoh’s wife is called “the queen,” but the original Hebrew word (g'birah or gebirah is simply a title of honor, denoting a royal lady, used sometimes for “queen-mother” (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Chron. 15:16).
New Testament
In the New Testament, we read of the “queen of the south”, i.e., Southern Arabia, Sheba (Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31) and the “queen of the Ethiopians” (Acts 8:27), Candace.
Queens mentioned in Scripture
- Candace
- Abihail
- Azubah
- Bathshua (Bathsheba)
- Esther
- Jecoliah
- Jehoaddan
- Jezebel
- Mehetabel, wife of King Hadar (Gen. 36:39)
- Michaiah
- Naamah
- Nehushta
- Queen of Sheba (no name recorded)
- Tahpenes
- Vashti
- Jerusha, wife of King Uzziah
- Zibiah
Hebrew words translated as queen or equivalent
Hebrew: מַלְכָּה —transliteration: malkah —meaning: queen —a feminine form of melek (king)
Hebrew: מְלֶכֶת —transliteration: meleketh —meaning: queen —a feminine form of melek (king)
Hebrew: שֵׁגָל —transliteration: shegal —meaning: (queen) consort
Hebrew: גְּבִירָה —transliteration: gebirah —meaning: lady or queen / This is the feminine form of gebir ( גְּבִיר ) which means “lord.”
Hebrew: גְּבֶרֶת —transliteration: gebereth —meaning: lady, queen, mistress / originates from the word from gabar ( גָּבַר ) —meaning: strong or mighty
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