Mothers in the Bible You Need to Know About

As Mother’s Day approaches in the U.S., we honor and celebrate the mamas in our world who have loved, raised, believed in, and shaped us into the people we are today. Mothers, grandmas, aunties, or spiritual mamas are often unsung heroes, and their consistent presence, strength, and devotion is truly life-giving and life-changing! 

Below is a list of mothers in the Bible that you may not know about, and a closer look at how their faithfulness impacted generations. We pray you are inspired by these women, and curious to read more about their stories in scripture!

Sarah: It’s Never Too Late

Read more in Genesis 11-23

Sarah was the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac. She was initially named Sarai, but God changed her name to Sarah which means “princess”. God promised Abraham that he would become the father of a great nation, but Sarah remained barren until she was 90 years old! God fulfilled his promise to Abraham and Sarah, and her story encourages us that it's never too late for God to make good on His promises and fulfill the deep longings of our hearts. 

6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

-Genesis 21:6-7 NIV

Tamar: She Wouldn’t Stay a Victim

Read more in Genesis 38

Tamar’s father-in-law was Judah, the fourth born son of Jacob. Twice widowed, Tamar was childless and alone. Even though Judah had other sons, and should have provided her another son to marry, he didn’t. Tamar took matters into her own hands, and under the guise of a prostitute, slept with Judah to ensure she had an heir. Tamar became pregnant, and when Judah discovered he was the father, he humbly acknowledged his mistreatment of Tamar. In fact, Genesis 38:26 is one of the first recorded examples of a public confession of personal sin in scripture. Soon after, Tamar gave birth to twin boys named Perez and Zerah.

Tamar was mistreated, but she didn’t let that define her. Her story reminds us that God sees us, He is a God of justice, and that we don’t have to let the wrongs done to us have the final say in our lives. Even in the face of injustice, we can receive the promises of God.

26 Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.” And he did not sleep with her again.

-Genesis 38:26 NIV

Jochebed and Pharaoh’s Daughter: A Child Rescued

Read more in Exodus 1-2

Moses is undeniably one of the greatest leaders in scripture. Through His obedience to God, Moses liberated God’s people from slavery in Egypt, gave them God’s law, and prepared them to inherit their promised land. Moses’ story would never have become a reality if it weren’t for his two mothers. Yep, you read that right… Moses was raised by two different women! Moses was born a Hebrew in Egypt at a time when Pharaoh had issued a decree to murder all male Jewish newborns. His biological mother, Jochebed, defied the evil law, and raised him until she could no longer hide him. She couldn’t bear to see him suffer, and made a basket for him to float down the Nile river. Through a divine turn of events, Pharaoh’s daughter saw and took pity on baby Moses and agreed to raise him as her son after Jochebed had finished nursing and weaning him. 

Because Moses’ biological and adoptive mothers were both women of nurturing compassion, he not only survived but was raised to become a man of great significance in God’s story. 

8 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”

-Exodus 2:8-10 NIV

Deborah: Courage in Battle

Read more in Judges 4-5 

Deborah was a prophet and military strategist who was one of the major judges of Israel before the time of kings. When Barak, the commander of the Israelite army, hesitated to lead a military campaign against their oppressors, Deborah accompanied him in battle and led God’s people to victory over the Canaanites. She is remembered for her bold and courageous leadership, wisdom and unwavering trust in God. 

Villagers in Israel would not fight;

    they held back until I, Deborah, arose,

    until I arose, a mother in Israel.

-Judges 5:7 NIV

Ruth: Loyalty When It Matters Most

Read more in the book of Ruth

Ruth was a Moabite daughter-in-law to a Jewish woman named Naomi. After her husband died, Ruth refused to leave Naomi’s side and traveled with her back to Bethlehem in Israel. Though she was a poor, foreign widow, God protected and provided for Ruth and Naomi. By humbly and faithfully following her mother-in-law’s advice, Ruth eventually married the well-respected Boaz, and became the great-grandmother of King David and part of the lineage of Jesus. Ruth’s story reveals to us a God who comforts us in our losses, and brings redemption and restoration when all hope seems lost. 

16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”

-Ruth 1:16-17 NIV

Hannah: The Lord Heard Me

Read more in the book of 1 Samuel 1-2

Hannah was the mother of the great prophet Samuel. She faced infertility, and cried out to God in her pain. She vowed that if she had a child, she would devote Him to the Lord. God heard her prayers, and she gave birth to Samuel. The name Samuel in Hebrew sounds like “heard by God”. When Samuel was weaned, she dedicated him to the House of the Lord, where he was raised and at a young age began to hear and discern God’s voice. Hannah teaches us to cry out to God earnestly and fervently because He always hears us. 

25 When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27 I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

-1 Samuel 1:25-28 NIV

Bathsheba: Life Beyond Shame

Read more in 2 Samuel 11-12 and 1 Kings 1-2

Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah, the Hittite. King David committed adultery with her, and later to cover up his sin, sent Uriah to death in battle. The Lord exposed David’s sin through the prophet Nathan, and David publicly repented before the Lord. 

After Uriah’s death, Bathsheba became one of King David’s wives. Her first child died at birth, and later she became the mother of King Solomon. She played a key role in ensuring that her son became heir to the throne. 

Bathsheba’s story is filled with tragedy, and highlights how easily powerful men can abuse and misuse their positions of authority. We also see her resilience, and her ability to find hope beyond her trauma. Her story reminds us that God is a God of justice and mercy, and will bring new life where there once was grief. 

17 She said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore to me your servant by the Lord your God: ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’

-1 Kings 1:17 NIV

The Shunammite Woman: It’s Not Over

Read more in 2 Kings 4:8-37 and 2 Kings 8:1-6 NIV

We don’t know this woman’s name, but she played a pivotal role in Elisha’s ministry. The Shunammite woman was well-off and opened her home to the prophet Elisha, providing generously for him and his ministry. She was barren, and the prophet Elisha prophesied that she would have a son. The prophecy came true, but the young boy unexpectedly died. Despite her grief, she traveled with her dead son to Elijah and pleaded with him to help. Through prayer, the Lord resurrected the boy! Later, Elisha advised her to leave her home to escape a coming famine, and later she returned with her family to reclaim her land. The Shunammite woman inspires our faith still today, teaching us that even when facing the impossible, God can resurrect and restore!

30 But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.

-2 Kings 4:30 NIV

Mary: I Am the Lord’s Servant

Read more in the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

Mary was the mother of Jesus, a young virgin when the angel of the Lord appeared to her with the good news that Jesus would be conceived within her by the Holy Spirit. Though she was overwhelmed by this divine assignment, and uncertain of what her future would hold, she responded with a humble and joyful willingness. She not only gave birth to Jesus, but raised him and his siblings with her husband Joseph. It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to raise the Son of God, but she did so faithfully! She reminds us that God isn’t looking for us to have all the answers, instead, He desires our humble obedience. 

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

-Luke 1:38 NIV   

The Syrophoenician Woman: Persistence Pays Off

Read more in Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30 

This foreign woman pleaded with Jesus to heal her daughter of demon possession. Initially, Jesus showed reluctance, claiming that His ministry was first to God’s people. This mama didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer, and her persistent faith and humility led to Jesus healing her daughter and honoring the Syrophoenician publicly. Her story teaches us that Jesus’ healing power is for everyone, and that our persistent faith pleases God.

28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.

-Matthew 15:28 NIV

Lois and Eunice: A Godly Legacy

Read more in 2 Timothy 1:5 and 3:14-17

Lois and Eunice were the grandmother and mother of the young pastor Timothy. Timothy was like a dear son to the Apostle Paul, and 1st and 2nd Timothy are letters written from Paul to Timothy. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, these women are mentioned as instrumental in Timothy’s upbring. Their sincere faith, not only shaped Timothy into the young man that he was, but continued to provide a godly example for him as a pastor and early church leader. Lois and Eunice’s example shows us that mothers and grandmothers who faithfully serve Jesus and love their families leave a legacy of faith for the generations!

5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

-2 Timothy 1:5 NIV

 

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