There are lots of wise women in the Bible in positions of power who speak with authority
You’ve probably noticed, in some church circles these days, and frankly for centuries, there’s a certain attitude that would keep women as second class citizens, always in a subservient role to men. This attitude comes from a few Bible verses are often taken out of their surrounding context and then interpreted to mean something which the Bible does not actually say, especially when you look at the overall context of all the wise women in the Bible, what they do, and the positions of authority they have, in the Bible.
Learn from wise women in the Bible
Several years ago in my prison ministry at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, CT, I put together a Bible study on all the women in the Bible. It was fascinating to look at the Bible from the perspective of what women were doing and what was being done to them. I always asked the class, “How do the experiences of these women apply to you and me today?” It really put things in perspective and everyone enjoyed the class.
One of the first things I realized in preparing for and teaching this class was that the Bible is full of examples when women were in charge, had great authority, were sought out by men for advice, and were chosen for important roles. These women were not subservient to men. They owned their power and fulfilled their God-given purpose by being true to themselves and to God.
We’re going to look at a few of these women and see what we can learn from them. This not just for you if you’re a woman. Guys, there are lots of lessons we can learn from what God does with women in the Bible.
And let me just say as a disclaimer here, even though certain women in the Bible were respected and men came to them for advice, it doesn’t mean we should always do what a woman says, or a man either. Our first line of seeking guidance and obedience should always be God. Sometimes God speaks through men in the Bible. Sometimes God speaks through women. We always need to listen to God’s voice so we know who to listen to in our own lives.
And there are some women in the Bible who were not good influences on their husbands. I’m thinking mainly about Jezebel, wife to King Ahab, whose motives were evil through and through.
Sarah in the Bible
The first person I’m going to mention is someone I have talked about several times on The Bible Speaks to You Podcast, Sarah.
I’m not going into the whole story, but let me set the scene. Sarah has told Abraham to send Hagar and her son Ishmael away. Abraham doesn’t want to do this because Ishmael is also his son, which, as you remember, was Sarah’s idea. But now, Sarah is worried Ishmael will take her own son Isaac’s place.
We all need to hear what God says to Abraham, especially those husbands who think their wives must always obey them.
But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. Genesis 21:12 ESV
Now, this is not an eternal decree for Abraham to always obey his wife. It’s just in this particular circumstance with Hagar and Ishmael. But still, we need to remember those words from God, “Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you.”
Husbands, sometimes your wife is right and you need to do what they tell you. But this is not a one-size-fits-all approach. You shouldn’t always do what your wife tells you. It’s really about listening to God as to when you should do what your wife says.
Wives, just because God told Abraham to obey Sarah in this one instance doesn’t mean your husband should always do everything you think he should. Basically, you both need to listen for God’s direction and guidance.
Deborah the judge and prophetess
Another woman who needs to be remembered for her courage and authority is Deborah, a prophet and one of the Judges of Israel, before there were kings. Her story begins in Judges, Chapter 4.
Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time. She would sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites would go to her for judgment. Judges 4:4,5 NLT
The people respect her and trust her as a judge. They have no problem coming to her. Being a woman is not a concern. Her reputation speaks for itself.
But in verse 6 we begin to see the authority she commands.
One day she sent for Barak son of Abinoam, who lived in Kedesh in the land of Naphtali. She said to him, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor. And I will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. There I will give you victory over him.”
Barak told her, “I will go, but only if you go with me.”
“Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the LORD’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. Judges 4:6-9 NLT
And so they go off to battle Sisera.
Deborah knows here authority. She gives orders to Barak. He willingly and trustingly obeys.
Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the LORD will give you victory over Sisera, for the LORD is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. Judges 4:14 NLT
Barak was victorious because he listened to, trusted, and obeyed the wisdom of a woman in a position of authority.
Judges, Chapter 5, known as the Song of Deborah, commemorates this victory. But it’s important to notice that it’s sung by Deborah and Barak.
Huldah the prophetess
Now we’re going to talk about a woman in the Bible most people have never heard of. Her name is Huldah. She was a prophetess during the reign of Josiah, King of Judah for 31 years.
Josiah was a good king and purged Judah of idol worship and other pagan practices. In year 18 of his reign, at the age of 26, (do the math; he became king at age 8) he focused on repairing the Temple, which Solomon had built approximately 337 years previously.
In preparation for this undertaking, Josiah instructed Hilkiah, the high priest, to take the money out of the Temple, which had been collected from the people for the purpose of repairs, and pay the workers who were doing the work.
You can read this story in 2 Kings, Chapter 22 and 2 Chronicles, Chapter 34. Here’s how 2 Chronicles describes what happens:
While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD that had been given through Moses. 2 Chronicles 34:14 NIV
The Book of the Law refers to the book of Deuteronomy. Some Bible scholars debate whether this was the actual book of Deuteronomy, or a collection of writings that were compiled into the book of Deuteronomy. Not everyone agrees on this, but that’s not the point of our discussion.
Hilkiah told Shaphan, the king’s secretary, he found the book. Shaphan took the book to King Josiah and read it to him. Josiah tore his clothes in repentance because of all the ways the people had broken the laws of God found in the book.
Josiah then commands those present,
“Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the LORD; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”
Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter. 2 Chronicles 34:21, 22 NIV
King Josiah, the mightiest man in the kingdom, turned to a prophet, a woman named Huldah, for guidance. The king asked a woman for spiritual advice.
There’s a lot more to the story, which I encourage you to read for yourself. I’ll have links to both accounts in 2 Kings and 2 chronicles in the show notes page on the website.
The point I want you to remember is that a powerful man asked for and obeyed the wisdom of a woman.
Men, if there is a spiritually wise woman in your midst, do not hesitate to ask them for help or guidance.
An unnamed, slave girl
All the women I’ve mentioned so far are in positions of authority and privilege. But the next person we’re going to talk about is a simple servant, or slave rather, and we don’t even know her name. But when a powerful man took her advice, there was a dramatic turn of events for the better.
This is the story of a young Israelite girl, who had been taken captive by the Syrians. She was the servant girl for the wife of Naaman, who was the commander of the army of Syria, or Aram, as some translations refer to this country.
You can read this story in 2 Kings, Chapter 5.
Naaman was a great man, the commander of the army, and admired by his king, but he had a form of leprosy, or serious skin disease.
Here’s where this nameless, seemingly unimportant Bible character becomes a powerful voice of wisdom.
She tells Naaman’s wife, her mistress
“If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 2 Kings 5:3 NIV
By the way, the prophet referred to is Elisha.
Naaman listens to his wife and the maid
Apparently Naaman’s wife, whose name we also do not know, tells her husband and he tells his king.
Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.
“By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. 2 Kings 5:4, 5 NIV
I just love the way the simple advice of this Hebrew slave girl is taken to heart. Obviously Naaman’s wife thought it was a cause for hope, so she told her husband. Naaman thought it sounded pretty good. He trusted his wife and then told the king. The king caught the spirit of it and told Naaman to go find the prophet.
And why did this young Hebrew slave girl tell her mistress about the prophet in Israel?
She must have known of him and some of the things he had done. She probably shared this with her mistress. This first-hand knowledge of Elisha’s healing power gave the girl a sense of spiritual authority with which she spoke to Naaman’s wife.
Here once more, we have a man of great importance, a mighty army commander, taking the advice of a woman. What does this say about his relationship with his wife that he would trust her judgement? Quite a lot. What does it say of the wife’s regard for her servant girl?
And Naaman must have known the idea came from the servant girl. So what does that tell us about his respect for her?
And then finally, the king as well ends up following the wisdom of a so-called insignificant young slave girl.
This is an incredible reminder that we need to listen to wisdom, whatever the source is.
What gave this girl the impetus to do what she did? She simply shared what she knew to be true, that the prophet Elisha could help Naaman. That is certainly something we need to remember.
Share your truth. Share your wisdom. Share what God reveals to you.
Jesus and Mary Magdalene
Now let’s jump to the New Testament. I’m thinking first of Mary Magdalene. On the resurrection morning, Jesus commissioned her to go to the other disciples and give an important message.
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. John 20:17, 18 NIV
Although the Gospel of John does not say it, but Luke tells us the disciple didn’t believe Jesus was alive. (See Luke 24:11 below)
Here is an example of when men should have listened to a woman but didn’t.
How often does that happen today?
Mary had been appointed by Jesus himself to be the first person to preach the good news of the resurrection. But the other disciples didn’t believe her. Was it just because she was a woman? I don’t think so.
Even after ten of the disciples had seen Jesus and tried to convince Thomas, Thomas wouldn’t believe Jesus had risen from the dead until he saw him for himself. So, it wasn’t just because a woman brought the news. Thomas wouldn’t even believe ten guys either.
But that doesn’t exactly get the disciples off the hook for not believing Mary Magdalene.
Here’s a question to ponder. What has Christ told other women down through the ages that has not been valued? What is Christ revealing to women today that others are not listening to?
To assume and assert that God does not reveal truth to women and commission them to share it, yes, even men, is utter nonsense and contradicts Jesus’s choice of Mary Magdalene to tell his followers he was alive.
Wisdom of Priscilla in the Bible
Another woman who is a wonderful example of someone who is dedicated to Christ and does not take a back seat in sharing the wisdom with others is Priscilla.
We don’t know a whole lot about her but there’s a sweet little vignette in the book of Acts.
Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 18:24-28 NKJV
Here’s a great example of a husband and a wife working together to teach someone, Apollos in this case, about who Jesus really is. There can be a beautiful balance of a man and woman teaching together. They each bring something appropriate to the situation.
Apollos was an eloquent man and he already thoroughly knew the Scriptures. So here is a well-educated man, receiving instruction from a woman.
There’s no evidence that he felt superior to her. He must have accepted what Aquila and Priscilla taught him because the end result was that “he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.”
You can almost feel the gratitude in his heart for how that husband and wife team opened up the Scriptures, which he thought he already knew in and out, to how Jesus fulfilled the Messianic prophecies. That’s what they were teaching him.
So, here we have a woman, along with her husband, interpreting and teaching the Bible to a man. And Apollos was delighted to hear the truth. Imagine that.
It really boils down to whether a woman, or a man, is sharing truth and wisdom from God. If so, then we should pay attention.
Women sharing their wisdom
If you’re a woman listening to this, when you have wisdom from God to share, I encourage you to accept your God-given authority and do as He directs you. Be full of courage and speak or write the words God puts in your heart.
If you’re a guy listening to this, please don’t dismiss something just because it comes from a woman. Listen for the spirit of truth in what she says. It may be just what you need to hear.
Interestingly enough, one of the words for wisdom in Hebrew, ḥāḵmâ, is a feminine noun. It should not be a surprise that women express this wisdom.
I’ve shared just a few examples of women in the Bible speaking the truth in their hearts, the divine wisdom given to them.
Who is God appointing today to share His wisdom with the world? When it’s you, are you sharing it? When it’s someone else, are you listening?
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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.
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Bible References
Genesis 21:12 ESV
12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.
Judges 4:4,5 NLT
4 Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time.
5 She would sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites would go to her for judgment.
Judges 4:6-9 NLT
6 One day she sent for Barak son of Abinoam, who lived in Kedesh in the land of Naphtali. She said to him, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, commands you: Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor.
7 And I will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. There I will give you victory over him.”
8 Barak told her, “I will go, but only if you go with me.”
9 “Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the LORD’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.
Judges 4:14 NLT
14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the LORD will give you victory over Sisera, for the LORD is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle.
2 Chronicles 34:14 NIV
14 While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD that had been given through Moses.
2 Chronicles 34:21, 22 NIV
21 “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the LORD’s anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the LORD; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book.”
22 Hilkiah and those the king had sent with him went to speak to the prophet Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the New Quarter.
2 Kings 5:3 NIV
3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
2 Kings 5:4, 5 NIV
4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.
5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied.
John 20:17, 18 NIV
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Luke 24:11 NIV
11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.
Acts 18:24-28 NKJV
24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.
26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;
28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
