Topical Bible: Women: As Rulers

◄ Women: As Rulers ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical narrative, the role of women as rulers is both significant and instructive, illustrating the sovereignty of God in appointing leaders according to His purposes. While the patriarchal context of ancient Israel often placed men in positions of authority, Scripture provides notable examples of women who rose to leadership, demonstrating their capacity to govern and influence the course of history.

Deborah: A Judge and Prophetess

One of the most prominent examples of a woman in a ruling position is Deborah, who served as a judge and prophetess in Israel. Her account is found in the Book of Judges, chapters 4 and 5. Deborah is described as a leader who held court under the Palm of Deborah, where the Israelites came to her for judgment (Judges 4:4-5). She was instrumental in delivering Israel from the oppression of Jabin, king of Canaan, by rallying Barak to lead an army against Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army. Deborah's leadership is marked by her faith in God and her ability to inspire others to act courageously. Her song of victory in Judges 5 is one of the oldest pieces of Hebrew poetry, celebrating the triumph God granted through her leadership.

Queen Esther: A Deliverer of Her People

Another significant female ruler in the Bible is Queen Esther, whose account is recounted in the Book of Esther. As a Jewish woman who became queen of Persia, Esther played a crucial role in saving her people from a plot to annihilate them. Her courage and wisdom are evident as she navigates the complexities of the Persian court to reveal the evil intentions of Haman, the king's advisor. Esther's strategic approach and her willingness to risk her life for her people highlight her as a divinely appointed leader. Her account underscores the providence of God in placing her in a position of influence "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).

Athaliah: A Queen with a Different Legacy

In contrast to Deborah and Esther, Athaliah's rule is marked by idolatry and violence. Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, became queen of Judah after the death of her son, King Ahaziah. Her reign is recorded in 2 Kings 11 and 2 Chronicles 22-23. Athaliah seized power by destroying the royal family, but her rule was characterized by the promotion of Baal worship, leading Judah further into apostasy. Her downfall came when Jehoiada the priest orchestrated a coup to restore the Davidic line through Joash, the rightful heir. Athaliah's account serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of turning away from God.

Theological Reflections

The accounts of women as rulers in the Bible reveal the complexity and diversity of female leadership within the biblical framework. These narratives demonstrate that God can and does use women to fulfill His purposes, often in unexpected and powerful ways. While the cultural context of the Bible often limited women's roles, these accounts highlight moments when women stepped into leadership, guided by divine calling and equipped with wisdom and courage.

In examining these accounts, it is evident that the Bible acknowledges the potential for women to lead effectively, whether through direct governance, as in the case of Deborah, or through influence and advocacy, as seen in Esther. These examples serve as a testament to the multifaceted roles women can play in God's redemptive history, challenging cultural norms and affirming the value of women in leadership.

Nave's Topical Index

Isaiah 3:12
As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Women who Saved a Nation
... Rulers came, they fought, The rulers of Canaan fought At Taanach by the waters of
Megiddo. ... "Blessed above women shall Jael be, That wife of Heber, the Kenite ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/women who saved a nation.htm

Many Others, Both Men and Women, who Suffered in Various Ways.
... Chapter XII."Many Others, both Men and Women, who suffered in Various Ways. ... the blood
of their own people, or that the government of their rulers, which was ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter xii many others both men.htm

A Strong Man who Lost his Strength
... Let me touch the pillars on which the building rests, that I may lean against them."
Now the building was full of men and women, and all the rulers of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/a strong man who lost.htm

Deborah's Song
... son of Anath, In the days of Jael, The highways were unoccupied, And the travellers
walked through byways; The rulers ceased in Israel, They ceased". Women. ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/iv deborahs song.htm

Some of the Guards Report to the Jewish Rulers.
... Some of the Guards Report to the Jewish Rulers. ^A Matthew 28:11-15. ^a 11 Now while
they were going [while Joanna and the group of women with her were on ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cxxxvi some of the guards.htm

How Solomon Grew Rich, and Fell Desperately in Love with Women and ...
... by God, and had exceeded in wisdom and riches those that had been rulers of the ... He
grew mad in his love of women, and laid no restraint on himself in his lusts ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 how solomon grew.htm

Women who Witnessed the Fall of Rome
... much less to maintain, an emperor of their own race; their rulers were of ... These women
read theological works; it is not unreasonable to suppose that their less ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/vii women who witnessed the.htm

The First Blast to Awake Women Degenerate.
... what difference shal we put, saith he, whether that women beare authoritie, or the ...
welthes, that were well gouerned, because the magistrates, and rulers of the ...
/.../knox/the first blast of the trumpet/the first blast to awake.htm

Women of the Frankish Church
... illustration of the moral condition of the rulers of the Church in that time. We
have seen that, save for the story of Hildegarde, the women of Charlemagne's ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/viii women of the frankish.htm

J. The Death and Burial. Ch. 23:44-56
... he risked the scorn of the people and the hatred of the rulers and begged ... The women
who had followed Jesus out of Galilee, noted the place of his burial and ...
/.../erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/j the death and burial.htm