WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - BATHSHUAH

Bathshuah
The name Bathshuah occurs twice in the Bible, and both times as a secondary designation. The first Bathshuah is the same as the 'daughter of Shuah' and wife of Judah as mentioned in Genesis 38:2 and 12. The other Bathshuah (1 Chronicles 3:5) is in fact Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah and later king David.

The name Bathshua consists of two elements. The first element is the Hebrew word (bat 254b), meaning daughter. It comes from the word (ben 254), meaning son in all kinds of ways and applications (son, cousin, member of group). See for an exhaustive treatment of this word the name Ben. Other names that are formed with the word ben or bat: Benjamin, Ben-oni, and Bathsheba.

The second element of the name Bathshua is , which is identical to the name Shuah. The meaning of the name Shuah is unclear (see that name for etymology and meaning), but it may be A Cry, Riches/Opulence or Nobility, either from the verb (shawa 2348), cry out (for help), or the verb (yasha 929), be saved (the same verb that gives rise to name such as Joshua, Hosea and Isaiah).

NOBS Study Bible Name List translates this name as Daughter Of Prosperity. Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names clings to Bathsheba and renders Daughter Of An Oath.

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - BATHSEBA

Bathsheba
Bathsheba: Bat 'daughter of', sheba 'abundance, plenty'. The Book of Chronicles, written long after she died, changed her name to Bathshua, since 'sheba' might link her with the sibitti, the Seven Spirit Demons of Babylonian mythology, or with the constellation of the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades (see right). Both these were important in the fertility cults, and the writer of Chronicles was trying to distance Bathsheba from any connection with them.

Solomon, Hebrew 'shelomoh', means 'his replacement', perhaps referring to Bathsheba�s first baby who died soon after birth.
Uriah means 'Yahweh is my light'.
David means 'beloved'. 

What the story is about

Bathsheba was the beloved wife of King David and the most powerful woman during the period of the monarchy. After his death she occupied the most prestigious position a woman could hold, Queen Mother. She took part in court intrigues and influenced political events that gave the succession to her son Solomon. 

The story of Bathsheba has special significance for Christians. In the gospel of Matthew, four women are included in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:2-17). Bathsheba is the fourth of these women.

The story of Bathsheba contains two different episodes in Jewish history:

1 Bathsheba and King David (2 Samuel 11:1-26, 12:15-25)
Bathsheba was seen by King David as she bathed, and subsequently became pregnant to him. Her husband Uriah was murdered by David, and she then married the King. Her baby died. She had a second son, who was called Solomon.

2 The struggle for the throne (1 Kings 1:1-37, 2:10-25)
David lost his sexual potency and political clout in old age, and a regency was arranged. In a palace coup, Bathsheba and her adviser Nathan secured the throne for Solomon, even though there was an older, more popular brother who was expected to succeed David. Solomon took the throne, honored his mother, and was advised by her.

Bathsheba and King David 
(2 Samuel 11:1-26, 12:15-25)

 Bathsheba was 

• the beautiful grand-daughter of Ahitophel, shrewd military and political counselor of David
• the daughter of Eliam, a member of the elite warrior group called The Thirty
• the wife of Uriah, who was also one of The Thirty and a high-ranking professional soldier. 

Bathsheba was beautiful, young, well-connected.  One evening when her husband was away she  bathed on the curtained flat roof of her house. King David was above, on the castle walls. He saw her, and was mesmerized. He sent for her. She went. They made love. Then she went home. Later she discovered she was pregnant.. See SEDUCTION - OF WHOM? BY WHOM?

Her father and husband were stationed at Jerusalem, directly under the control of the king. They were David's personal bodyguards, his champions, renowned for their bravery. She was thus a member of an elite warrior family, something like the wife of a high-ranking samurai. Since her grandfather, father and husband were close allies of David's, it is safe to assume that she and David had already met before the famous scene where David sees her bathing.

It happened late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king' house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported 'This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite'. So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he lay with her.'
Read 2 Samuel 11:2-4.

The Seduction

Bathsheba was most probably on the house's flat roof, a tented area often used by the women of the family for a variety of tasks. To get an idea of what this sort of house looked like, see the reconstructions of biblical houses at Bible Architecture: Houses.  In this case Bathsheba was washing herself after her menstrual period.  The text makes a point of this post-menstrual purification, to show she was not carrying Uriah's child, but was at the stage in her menstrual cycle when she was likely to conceive. 

An Ancient Jewish Palace The palace was crowded and noisy - though 'palace' is perhaps the wrong word. 'Palace complex' might be better, since it was multi-purpose. It housed a residence for the king and his family  reception rooms for affairs of state,  storage areas for taxed goods working areas for the large staff kitchens, laundries, etc.

King David was on the roof terrace of the palace above, looking down - windows of palaces were often screened by latticework (the mother of Sisera in Judges 5:28 watched the road through a lattice, and a statue found in the northern city of Ugarit shows a woman at a latticed window).

When David saw  Bathsheba bathing he may have been screened from sight by a lattice, so that she did not know he was there. Or she may have been quite aware she was being watched. 

In any case, David saw her young body and desired her. At the time, Bathsheba's husband Uriah was away, fighting with the army - something David knew.

Bathsheba was summoned to the palace. She went. Did she go willingly? Feminist literature likes to think she was a victim taken to the palace against her will, but the text gives a clue that she went willingly. The sentence reads '...David sent messengers to get her, and she went', suggesting that, though young, she was ambitious and strong-willed enough to seize her chance - even though it must have meant ignoring the pleas of the other women of Uriah's household.

While she was at the palace she and David had sexual intercourse. Afterwards, she returned to her home, and we hear no more until a few months later, when she realized she was pregnant.  She sent a message to David to tell him, and David responded by sending for Uriah. When the soldier-husband arrived in Jerusalem and reported to David, the king told him to down to his home and wife. He hoped that Uriah would make love to his wife, and that the child might be passed off as Uriah's.

'But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.'
Read 2 Samuel 11:6-13.
Uriah seems to have known what was going on, and why he was summoned. There were plenty of people to tell him - outraged family members who had seen Bathsheba go to the palace, soldier-friends who had watched her pass through the guard-house at the entrance of the palace. 

Reconstruction of the gates of the ancient city of Gezer

The reconstruction of the gates at Gezer at Bible Archaeology: War  shows the sort of gates Bathsheba had to pass through. Note the compartments at the side of each gate. These provided shelter for guards on duty, and she and David's messenger could not have passed through without the soldiers seeing them. The events of that night would have been known to many people.

But Uriah did not confront David with what he knew. Instead, he took the line of passive resistance. He told David he would not break the rules of soldiers on active service - ancient people believed that sexual intercourse robbed a man of some of his physical strength, so during active service soldiers were required to abstain from sexual intercourse. Uriah would not visit his wife and have intercourse with her, since he was still technically on active service.

David Murders Bathsheba's Husband Uriah

Despite every inducement, Uriah stuck to this line of behavior, and David found himself backed into a corner. Enraged, he secretly ordered that Uriah be killed in battle. When, soon after Uriah had returned to the army, he was sent into battle to storm the walls of a city. Under secret instructions from their commander, the soldiers around him pulled back and left Uriah alone, so that he was cut down by the enemy.
'When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him.'

Ancient Greek armor. David's troops, particularly the officers like Uriah, may have worn something like this

Did Bathsheba know that David had arranged to have her husband killed? Did she mourn for the death of a good man? Or was her mourning just pretence? It is impossible to tell. The story of Bathsheba's seduction as we have it in the Bible was edited by court story-tellers during the reign of her son Solomon, and doubtless influenced by Bathsheba and her son. 

This is why it is so hard to tell what really happened. We only know two things: what Bathsheba wanted us to know, and what she was forced to acknowledge because it was already public knowledge.

With Uriah now dead, David married Bathsheba and she went to live in the harem of the palace - a relatively small harem, since Israel at the time was only an emerging power. The baby she was expecting died soon after birth, but she had a second son whom she named Solomon, 'his replacement' - a replacement for the baby who died, or for her murdered husband? The choice of name is ambiguous.
 Read 2 Samuel 11:14-27, 12:15-25.

                                                                                                                             

A room from the harem complex in Topkapi Palace, Istanbul. The harem that Bathsheba lived in would have been richly decorated but smaller than this one

The Struggle for the Throne
(1 Kings 1:1-37, 2:10-25)

Years passed, and Bathsheba and King David grew older. We hear nothing about Bathsheba's life during these long years, and know only that she lived in the royal harem and produced a number of children to David.

Eventually, concerns arose about the king's continuing virility - in ancient Middle Eastern societies the sexual potency of the king was closely linked with the state of the nation. If the king was no longer able to have sexual relations, it was a bad omen for the well-being of the country.
'So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found  Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The girl was very beautiful.'
Read 1 Kings 1:1-37.

 

'David's Promise', Frederick Goodall

When, despite her beauty, the king could not have sexual relations with Abishag, it was considered time for a co-regency. This meant that someone would rule alongside David, to help him. Most people took it for granted that this co-regent would be the next  king. David's oldest surviving son was Adonijah, a young man impatient for power. Not waiting for David to die, he proclaimed himself king and was accepted as such by many people. The text implies this was done without David's knowledge. It was a palace coup.

Bathsheba and Solomon did not support him, because if Adonijah became king they would almost certainly be killed. Solomon must also have been seen as a contender for the throne, and in this particular grab for power, the loser would die. But Bathsheba was not going to give in without a struggle.

'So Bathsheba went to the king in his room. She bowed and did obeisance to the king, and the king said "What do you wish?" She said to him "My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying: Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne. But now suddenly Adonijah has become king, though you, my lord the king, do not know it"'
Read 1 Kings 1:15-40.

Working with her chief adviser Nathan, Bathsheba warned David what was happening behind his back. In a brilliant speech, she made him suspicious of Adonijah by describing the young man's support among the army. She told him that almost alone among his children, Solomon remained loyal. She appealed to his protective nature by telling him she feared for her own life. And she astutely reminded David that he, not Adonijah, was king.

David roused himself from senility and swore to her that her son Solomon would rule as king. He ordered this to be announced to all the people.
With the authority of a royal command and the backing of David's well-disciplined mercenary troops, Bathsheba outmanoeuvred Adonijah in his attempted coup d'etat and secured the throne for her own son.

After David's death Solomon became king and Bathsheba accepted the title of Queen Mother - the most powerful position a woman could hold and the first woman in the history of Israel to hold this title. 

Solomon's hold on the throne was not initially strong enough for him to kill his half-brother outright, though this would have to be done if Solomon was to have a firm grasp on power. So after he ascended the throne, Solomon allowed his half-brother Adonijah to live - for the time being. But the situation had to be resolved, and no-one knew this better than Bathsheba. The text at this stage contains an episode that is, at the very least, hard to believe.

Adonijah approached Bathsheba with an odd request: to help him get Abishag as his wife.

On the surface, this seems a harmless thing to ask. But  Abishag was considered one of David's wives, and marriage to a widow of the previous king was a way of making a claim on the throne. It is hard to believe Adonijah would have made such a request, to Bathsheba of all people. She knew only too well that Adonijah was very dangerous and could never marry Abishag.

The whole episode seems to be an invented pretext to execute Adonijah. Solomon may have been reluctant to do this (or have wished to appear so) and it may have taken a public accusation of treason, made by Bathsheba, to give him a reason for killing his half-brother.

'...the throne/judgement room in Solomon's palace was probably similar, in size if not in decoration, to the throne room at Knossos'. King Solomon's Palace

'So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. He rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne, and had a throne brought for the king's mother, and she sat on his right.'
Read 1 Kings 2:10-25.

Prodded into action by his mother, Solomon snuffed out the threat posed by his half-brother by ordering his death. There was no trial, just a swift execution. 

This is the last we hear of Bathsheba. Her son was secure on the throne and her own position was safe. She could rest on her laurels.

Summary                                                                                                           

Bathsheba was capable, subtle, and gifted. She produced a son, Solomon, whose wisdom and intellectual brilliance would be known throughout history. Her son presided over a court famous for its literature, culture, wealth, architectural achievements, and consolidation of Israel as a nation-state. Bathsheba should receive a good share of the credit for the fact that Solomon reigned at all.

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - ATHALIAH

Athaliah

Athaliah was the only female monarch of the Kingdom of Judah, the only female monarch for all of Israel, also the Fact Finder question below). Being female was the only thing that made her different; her cutthroat behavior, and her own demise, was the same as many of the kings of Israel and Judah who came before and after her. She assumed power through the murder of all but one of the royal princes, before she was herself assassinated on the order of the High Priest. Athaliah
Athaliah was the daughter of King Ahab of Israel and his Baal-worshipping wife Jezebel, and the granddaughter of King Omri of Israel. She married King Jehoram of Judah. Upon the death of both her husband (who died from a God-inflicted disease because of his idolatry, i.e. 2 Chronicles 21:12-20) and her son Ahaziah who became king after Jehoram (The Lord also had Ahaziah killed because of his unfaithfullness, i.e. 2 Chronicles 22:7-9), she had almost all of her royal grandsons murdered, and assumed the throne of Judah herself. Only one of the princes survived the slaughter, the infant Joash, who was rescued and given refuge in the Temple by Jehosheba, his aunt, who was married to the high priest Jehoiada. In so doing, she preserved that Messianic line from King David to Jesus Christ in Judah.
Athaliah held the throne of Judah for six years until Jehoiada the priest declared it was time to restore the monarchy to the lawful heir (the purpose of the monarchy was more than just political, a reality made obvious by the fact that the new king would be only 6 years old); the army supported him, rather than the evil queen:

"Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king's sons who were about to be slain, and she put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. Thus she hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain; and he remained with her six years, hid in the House of The Lord [see also "My Father's House"], while Athaliah reigned over the land." "But in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of the Carites and of the guards, and had them come to him in the house of The Lord; and he made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of The Lord, and he showed them the king's son. And he commanded them, "This is the thing that you shall do: one third of you, those who come off duty on the Sabbath and guard the king's house, another third being at the gate Sur and a third at the gate behind the guards, shall guard the palace; and the two divisions of you, which come on duty in force on the Sabbath and guard the House of The Lord, shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; and whoever approaches the ranks is to be slain. Be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in."
"The captains did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and each brought his men who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. And the priest delivered to the captains the spears and shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of The Lord; and the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house."
"Then he brought out the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they proclaimed him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, "Long live the king!"
"When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she went into the house of The Lord to the people; and when she looked, there was the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom, and the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. And Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, "Treason! Treason!"
"Then Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains who were set over the army, "Bring her out between the ranks; and slay with the sword any one who follows her." For the priest said, "Let her not be slain in the house of The Lord." So they laid hands on her; and she went through the horses' entrance to the king's house, and there she was slain." (2 Kings 11:1-16 RSV)

 ALSO

Athaliah was Queen of Judah from 842-836 BC. She was the daughter of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of the northern kingdom of Israel. She also was the wife of King Jehoram of Judah, and the mother of King Ahaziah.

Following Ahaziah's death at the hands of Jehu, Athaliah seized power and killed all members of the royal family who were possible rivals for the throne, except for Joash, the infant son of Ahaziah, who had been rescued by his Aunt Jehosheba.

When Joash was seven years old, Jehoiada the priest conspired to have the young boy crowned in the Temple as king. When Queen Athaliah heard the commotion, she rushed to the Temple to see what was going on, and found the new king surrounded by army officers and people from all over the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets.

Athaliah ripped her clothes in distress and yelled "Treason! Treason!" Jehoida the priest told the army officers to take her out of the Temple and to kill her. She was killed at the Palace stables. Then, Jehoiada and others destroyed a pagan temple of Baal and destroyed pagan idols. Athaliah's story is found in 2 Chronicles 22:10-12, and in chapter 23.

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - ASENATH

 Asenath

Although the Bible does not have much to say about Asenath (Osnat, LXX: Aseneth), the wife of Joseph, she became the main character of a widely disseminated Jewish novel from Hellenistic or Roman times, now called Joseph and Aseneth (JosAs). One Targum and some Midrashim tell different stories in which she is either the daughter of the wife of Potiphar (Jub 40:10; Bereshit Rabba 85.2; comp. Origenes, Commentary on Genesis MPG 12.136 ) or the offspring of Dinah’s rape, who was brought to Egypt, where she married Joseph and was reintegrated into the family of Jacob (Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Gen 41:45, 46:20, Soferim 21 (43b), Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer 36, 38, Aptowitzer).
In the Bible, Pharaoh honors Joseph by giving him Asenath, “the daughter of Potiphera, priest from the city of On” (LXX: Heliopolis), as his wife (Gen 41:45). She is the mother of Manasseh and Ephraim (Gen 41:50, 46:20). Most Jewish authors in Hellenistic and Roman times seem to have no problem with her Egyptian origin or religion (Philo, De Josepho 121, De Somniis 1.78, Josephus, Antiquitates 2.91–92). But Joseph and Aseneth tells of her conversion, her marriage to Joseph, and how she is saved from being raped like Dinah (Gen 34) and Joseph (Gen 39) before her. On the surface this is a love-story that belongs to the genre of the ancient erotic novel (Pervo, Wills, Hezser): A heroine and a hero fall in love at first sight, marry after some inner struggles, are unfortunately separated, have to travel through all the Mediterranean world, and finally find each other through the help of a God (other literary examples are Xenophon of Ephesus, Ephesiaca, and Chariton, Callirhoe). While the romantic struggles of the heroine and hero occupy only a few paragraphs in ancient novels, they constitute the principal part in Joseph and Aseneth (Standhartinger, 1995).
At the beginning, Asenath is—like the heroine of the ancient romance—the most beautiful Egyptian priestess, desired by all kings, but living ascetically in a tower beside her father’s house (JosAs 1-2). She refuses to marry Joseph, whom her father describes as “powerful in wisdom and bearer of God’s spirit” (JosAs 4:7/9). But when she sees Joseph for the first time she realizes her mistake, because she sees the “son of God, whom nothing hidden escapes” (JosAs 6). This description of Joseph could be an interpretation of his Egyptian name, Zaphenathpaneah (Gen 41,45, Josephus, Antiquitates 2.91, Bereshit Rabba 90.4). Joseph, too, is not happy when he first sees her, but then blesses her and asks God for her renewal (JosAs 8). After his departure, she repents for seven days with fasting and self-abasement (JosAs 9–11). On the eight day, she prays to God with a psalm that picks up many biblical motifs (JosAs 12 comp. Ps 135, 104, 27, 142 and others). Then a man (anthropos) appears from heaven in the shape of the angel of Dan 10:5–10 and tells her that she is heard and renewed by God, who has already given her as a fiancée to Joseph. Her name is no longer Asenath but “city of refuge.” At this point (JosAs 15,7–8), the text describes the heavenly figure Metanoia (change of mind, repentance), who is modelled upon the personified wisdom (Prov 8, Sirach 24, Wisdom of Solomon 6-10, 1 Enoch 42, Philo, De Somniis 2.292; TestGad 5:7-8). Her transformation is shown by new shining clothes (comp. 2 Enoch 22). Then Asenath shares a honeycomb with the heavenly being (JosAs 16) before he leaves, like Elijah, on a chariot of fire (JosAs 17). This scene and others probably have one or more symbolic meanings, which have not been fully deciphered. In the next chapters, Asenath meets Joseph again, reunites with him and marries him (JosAs 18–21). Although some interpreters think that the story comes to a happy end here, there are seven chapters more which are an integral part of the story. The son of Pharaoh—first mentioned in JosAs 1—plans to capture and rape her, as the wife of Potiphar planned to capture Joseph in Gen 39 and its renarrations (Test Jos, Josephus, Antiquitates 2.39–59). However, unlike her sister-in-law Dinah (Gen 34), Asenath is not raped, but stops the revenge through the ethical maxim “Do not repay evil for evil to anyone” (JosAs 28, 1 Thess 5,15, Rom 12,17). With this, Joseph and Aseneth participates in the discussion of Gen 34, one of the most discussed biblical texts in Hellenistic- Jewish literature (Standhartinger, 1994).
Joseph and Asenath was written in Greek and is preserved in over ninety manuscripts in seven languages (Greek, Syriac, Armenian, Slavonic and others). At present two different modern reconstructions of the text are available (Philonenko, Burchard). In transmission Joseph and Aseneth shares the fate of other ancient novels. Retelling and oral transmission affects the text so that there was probably never one sole text, but rather several that reflect an ongoing discussion on the subject, especially on the image of women (Standhartinger, Kraemer). The social context and purpose of the book are under discussion. Some scholars have situated it as a roman à clef both in the historical situation of Egyptian Judaism, the founding of the temple at Heliopolis (Bohak) or the pogrom in Alexandria in 38 C. E. (Sänger). While most scholars agree that it is a Jewish work written before 115–117 C. E. (Trajan’s prohibition of circumcision, Kraemer has a later date), some believe it was written for a gentile audience to show the attraction of Judaism (Nickelsburg), while others think of a Jewish audience, who need to be reminded of the blessings of Judaism and the blessing of gentile converts to Judaism (Chesnutt). Conversion is central in Joseph and Aseneth, but nothing is mentioned about Torah and Sabbath. While there is a separate table for Joseph in Potiphera’s house (JosAs 7), he eats together with Pharaoh and all the Egyptians on the day of his wedding (JosAs 21). The writing reflects biblical exegesis and forms part of the discussions of biblical texts and other writings from the Second Temple period or shortly thereafter. The appearance of the heavenly being reveals to Asenath that Metanoia is heavenly wisdom and indicates that she is the main agent in Asenath’s life. This shows that Joseph and Aseneth like Wisdom of Solomon and Philo of Alexandria, belongs to the speculative branch of Jewish wisdom-theology. The story relates not only a conversion to Israel’s God but also a change of mind that opens Asenath to her true heavenly reality. As a daughter of God she is bound to God’s other sons and daughters. Together with them she is no longer vulnerable in this world but studies the heavenly scriptures with Levi (JosAs 22) and helps to change the world for the better, because the wise and righteous ones rule the country (JosAs 28–29).

WOMEN ON THE BIBLE - ANNA

 Anna

luke 2:36-38
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.
Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Anna was only with her husband for seven years when he died. Losing her husband after so few years of marriage must have been devastating, but her faith remained strong. After suffering through that tremendous loss, she devoted her life only to God. That's humbling to me, because in my life my faith has been shaken many times by much less traumatic circumstances. But she did not let the loss of her husband change her faith or her love for the Lord.

What touched me most about Anna is that Scripture says she never left the temple. It also says she worshiped night and day, and as if that wasn't enough, she did that while fasting.

I don't know about you, but by the time I get out of church on Sunday, I am starving! I love my time at church, but come 12:00 I am ready to go home, put on my pajama pants, and eat lunch. I only go to church one morning a week, but Anna lived at the temple every single day!

It is hard to imagine living a life so devoted to God. So many times in my own life, I am sorry to say, I have to try to squeeze in my quiet time with God. I scurry around trying to get all of my "chores" done, then, if I still have time, I will spend time with God. I am working on changing that in my life, but I will humbly tell you that it does not come naturally to me. I have been ashamed many times when I get out my devotionals to read and I realize that I haven't read them in the last two days. It makes me sad to think of the time that I have wasted in my life on meaningless things. Time spent with God is never meaningless or wasted. Time with God should always be my first priority.

God was Anna's first priority. She didn't just "know" He was first in her life, she "showed" it by her actions. Once again, I am humbled as I think about her walk with God.

Romans 12:11
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Scripture also tells us that Anna recognized who Christ was when she first laid eyes on Him. She knew who He was. Even though He was a tiny infant, she knew He was the Savior she had been waiting for. She had finally seen the Promised Child.

The Bible says that she "spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem." We don't know the exact words that she said, but the Bible does tell us that she was a prophetess, so the words she spoke would have been true about Jesus and His life. I wonder what her exact words were, and did the people she spoke to believe her?........

I'm sure then just like now, some people would have thought she was just a crazy old lady, but some would have recognized the truths she spoke and held on to her every word.

The devotional posed a question for us to think about regarding prophesy and our own lives.
"If an Anna were to have spoken (prophesied)about you when you were six weeks old, what would she have said?"

That question has given me a lot to think about.
As far as I've come in my walk with God, I've got so much farther to go.

I want to pray for my own life to mirror Anna's. I don't mean living at the church and skipping lunch for the rest of my life, but I do mean a life that puts God first.
A life devoted to Him.
A life that honors Him above all.
A heart completely surrendered to God.

Jeremiah 7:23
Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.

ALSO IN SOME OTHER EXPLANATION 

Anna

by Wayne Blank

Anna is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Hannah, both of which mean grace. Anna was a very faithful lady who prayed daily at the Temple, and was there when, as Joseph and Mary presented the infant Jesus to The Lord according to Israelite law, Simeon identified Jesus as the promised Messiah. Anna was a prophetess, a somewhat rare role for the women of Bible History - among the very few others identified by name were Miriam and Deborah. Jesus Presented At The Temple
"And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to The Lord, as it is written in the law of The Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to The Lord," and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of The Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."
"Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen The Lord's Christ."
"And inspired by the Spirit he came into the Temple [see Temples and Physical and Spiritual Temples]; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Thy people Israel."
"And His father and His mother marveled at what was said about Him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against, and a sword will pierce through your own soul also, that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."
"And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the Temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of Him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."
"And when they had performed everything according to the law of The Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him." (Luke 2:22-40 RSV)

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - AHINOAM

Ahinoam the Jezreelitess

Ahinoam, from the Hebrew name pronounced awk-ee-no-awm, was a woman of Jezreel who became a wife of King David (not to be confused with another woman named Ahinoam who was a wife of King Saul i.e. "the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz" 1 Samuel 14:50 KJV). Ahinoam of Jezreel was the mother of David's first son, Amnon (see the Fact Finder question below). "His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess"
Ahinoam became a wife of David at the same time as Abigail, the widow of Nabal (who, if he hadn't died from a heart attack would have been killed by David anyway). Michal, the daughter of Saul, was also, almost, a wife of David prior to that.

"^25:39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead [see notes for 1 Samuel 25], he said, Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed with Abigail, to take her to him to wife. ^25:40 And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.
^25:41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord. ^25:42 And Abigail hasted, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife. ^25:43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of them his wives. ^25:44 But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim." (1 Samuel 25:39-44 KJV)

The marriage of Ahinoam and David occurred during The Civil War between the house of David and the house of Saul.

"^27:1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand. ^27:2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath [see Gath of the Philistines]. ^27:3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.^27:4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him." (1 Samuel 27:1-4 KJV)

Ahinoam did not always live safely while David was off at war. She was once taken captive by enemy forces that attacked David's base camp while he was away.

" And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire;  And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.  So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.  Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of Stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God." (1 Samuel 30:1-6 KJV)

Ahinoam and all the others were safely taken back later. It wasn't just David's military power that was growing; the political power of Israel was also shifting. When Saul was killed in battle against the Philstines, Israel would soon become The United Kingdom of Israel.

"^2:1 And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up.
And David said, Whither shall I go up?
And he said, Unto Hebron .
  So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.  And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
  And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.  And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have showed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.  And now the LORD show kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.  Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them." (2 Samuel 2:1-7 KJV)

It was also in Hebron that David's family began to grow - along with the number of wives.

" And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;  And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;  And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron." (2 Samuel 3:2-5 KJV)

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - ACHSAH

 Achsah

The Rabbis describe Achsah as being a beauty, finding an allusion to this in her name: “Whoever sees her is angry [koes] with his wife,” who is not as ravishing as she is (BT Temurah 16a). Achsah’s beauty explains the willingness of the men to go forth to war against the Anakites (giants) of Kiriath-sepher, since Caleb had promised his daughter Achsah to the man who would conquer the city. The midrash (Gen. Rabbah 60:3) criticizes Caleb’s pledge, for if a slave had taken the city Caleb would have been forced to give him his daughter. Nonetheless, God “arranged a proper match for her,” because Caleb’s brother, Othniel the Kenizzite, captured the city.
But Achsah herself was not pleased with the match that had been made for her and the Talmud (BT loc. cit.) reports that she complains about this to her father. She is concerned that Othniel is only a Torah scholar and that he will not be capable of providing for her livelihood. The Rabbis understand her complaint “For you have given me away as Negeb-land; so give me springs of water” (Joshua 17:19)—as referring to her husband Othniel, who possesses only water (i.e., Torah), but is desolate and dry of property and livelihood. In this narrative the Rabbis compare Achsah to an ass, who immediately cries out if there is no food in his crib. The picture of Achsah that emerges from this midrash is that of a practical woman who is concerned for her family’s sustenance.

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - ABISHAG THE SHUNAMMITE

 Abishag The Shunammite

According to the Bible, Abishag (Hebrew אבישג) was a young woman of Shunem, distinguished for her beauty. She was chosen to be a helper and servant to David in his old age. Among Abishag's duties was to lie next to David and keep him warm; however, David did not have sexual relations with her (1 Kings 1:4). After David's death Adonijah persuaded Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, to entreat the king to permit him to marry Abishag. Solomon suspected in this request an aspiration to the throne, and therefore caused Adonijah to be put to death (1 Kings 2:17-25). It is possible that Abishag became one of Solomon's wives, as part of his heritage. Some scholars point to the possibility that Abishag is the female protagonist in the Song of Songs.

See also

The term comes from a root skn, "attend to," "take care," and its noun forms can be applied to high officials in Hebrew (Is. 22:15) Abishag's role was of a lower status. She served as bed companion to David in the hope that her fresh beauty would induce some warmth in the old man (I Kings 1:1–4, 15), and as his housekeeper. The notice (1:4) that "the king knew her not" serves less to impute decrepitude to David than to inform the audience that there would be no other claimants to David's throne than Solomon and Adonijah. When Solomon became king, *Adonijah, whose life Solomon had spared although he knew him to be a dangerous rival, asked *Bath-Sheba, Solomon's mother, to intercede on his behalf for permission to marry Abishag. Solomon correctly interpreted this request for the former king's concubine as a bid for the throne (See II Sam 12:8; 16:20–23), and had Adonijah killed (I Kings 2:13–25). Some see in Abishag, who is described as "very fair" (I Kings 1:4), the Shulammite of the Song of Songs (Shulammite being regarded as the same as Shunammite).

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - ABIGAIL

Abigail

The story of Abigail in 1 Samuel 25 is a story of one of the most faithful and honorable women mentioned in God’s Word – definitely a woman of integrity!

Abigail’s Foolish Husband Nabal

After the death of the prophet Samuel (vs. 1), David and his men moved into the wilderness of Paran just a few miles from the city of Carmel (1 Samuel 25:1-2). While in this region, David became acquainted with a man named Nabal whose name means “Fool” (marginal reading – 1 Samuel 25:25). The word signifies one who is “foolish, base, or villainous.” It is also interesting to note that “he was of the house of Caleb.” The name, “Caleb” signifies “a dog” or a man of a “churlish” (stingy or mean) disposition (1 Samuel 25:3). It is unfortunate that Abigail was married to such a man. David (through his servants) asked Nabal to provide some necessary sustenance (vs. 8) for him and his men but Nabal refused (1 Samuel 25:10-11). We can plainly see the bloated ego of this man in 1 Samuel 25:11 where the personal pronoun “I” or “my” is used seven times!

Abigail’s Character Illustrated

Fortunately, one of David’s servants told Nabal’s wife concerning the insults that had been hurled at his fellow servants by Nabal (1 Samuel 25:14) even though David’s men had protected Nabal’s men and sheep from outside forces (1 Samuel 25:15-16). As soon as Abigail heard of her husband’s insulting behavior toward David, she began to make preparations to make up for his foolish actions. Without telling her husband of her plan (1 Samuel 25:19), she and her servants prepared a large amount of food and drink and traveled to where David and his men were camped (1 Samuel 25:18-20). Abigail prevented certain disaster regarding herself and her family by humbling herself before David (1 Samuel 25:23-31). Abigail did an extraordinary thing when she took the blame for the sin of her husband (1 Samuel 25:28). She humbled herself and interceded for her people before David. Desiring to intercede on behalf of one’s family requires a character of humility, sacrifice and personal cost. The result of Abigail’s actions was that David’s heart was softened and he was kept from bloodshed that day. He accepted her offering and granted her request (1 Samuel 25:35). Abigail was godly in that:
1) She was a wise woman – She recognized the need to humble herself and intercede for her people before David and was willing to do so (1 Samuel 25:28).
2) She was a courageous woman – Abigail risked her life, firstly by not telling her husband of her plans. In those times women were their husband’s property. Nabal was a wealthy man (vs. 2) – she could have lost everything – even her life, for taking matters into her own hands. Secondly, going to meet David was very risky – can you imagine riding into that mountain ravine on a donkey (1 Samuel 25:20) and coming towards you are 400 men with swords and an angry leader at their head? (1 Samuel 25:13). But Abigail was a courageous woman and her motive was to plead for the lives of others – she didn’t think of herself – she was prepared to die.
Note: We may not be called to risk our lives, but we too can be bold and courageous. We can speak out against injustice and intercede for the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17 – ESV).
3) She was a prophetic woman – Abigail spoke prophetic words to David. David realized this and as a result much bloodshed was averted that day (1 Samuel 25:33).
4) She Was a faithful woman – She believed in God and spoke forth His message to David (1 Samuel 25:26). Abigail was rewarded for her faithfulness – she became wife to David, the future King (1 Samuel 25:42).
Conclusion
Abigail was certainly a woman of integrity and destiny along with many other women we read about in the Bible who God used in extraordinary ways – Esther, Deborah, Hannah, Mary, to name just a few. These women did remarkable things in their day and generation. God wants us to do remarkable things for Him in our day and generation! (Matthew 28:19-20).
The question we need to ask ourselves is, “are we willing to display the integrity and courage in our lives that Abigail displayed in hers in carrying out the Lord’s will?” (Matthew 7:21).
This site is a mission work. It is read and used in nearly every country in the world. To continue its effectiveness your help is needed. Please consider giving $5 a month for the ongoing support of this work.

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - AHINOAM

Ahinoam

Scripture Reference: 1 Samuel 14:50

Name Meaning: Brother of pleasantries

Two women are known by this name in the Old Testament. The first Ahinoam was the daughter of Ahimaaz. She was the wife of Saul, Israel's first king, to whom she bore a noble son, Jonathan, who inherited his mother's commendable traits. It was her daughter, Merab, who was first promised to David in marriage, but it was Michal her next daughter who became the young champion's first wife. Saul had two more sons by Ahinoam, namely, Isha and Melchishua.

Her name is most suggestive. As we have seen, it means "brother of pleasantries," in the sense of "pleasing or dear brother." A parallel name is that of Abinoam, father of Barak, one of the heroes of the Book of Judges, whose name means, "brother's delight." Wilkinson suggests as a feasible origin for such a name, "Extreme partiality of affection exhibited by a very young infant for a brother-a domestic phenomenon by no means unusual."

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - HERODIAS

Herodias

The Woman Responsible for the Murder of a Preacher

Scripture Reference: Matthew 14:3-12; Mark 6:14-24; Luke 3:19, 20

Name Meaning: As a member of the Herodian dynasty, perhaps the most despicable dynasty history has known, the name Herodias is but the female form of Herod, the royal name for the political rulers during the time of Christ and the apostles. It was under the vile and cruel orders of the Herods that Jesus and His followers were often persecuted and punished. Herod means "heroic"-not very applicable to the Herodian family, the majority of whom, particularly Herodias, were more hellish than heroic.

Family Connections: Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, son of Herod the Great and Mariamne, daughter of Hyrcanus. Her first husband was Philip I, son of Herod the Great and Mariamne, so she married her own uncle, by whom she had a daughter, Salome, whom she used to destroy John the Baptist. When Herod Antipas visited Rome, he was entertained by Philip and Herodias. Herod abducted his royal brother's wife. His own wife, an Arabian princess, was an obstacle to an illicit marriage, so he divorced her, and Herodias became queen in her stead, and with her daughter was installed in the palace. "The corroding immorality of Herod's race shows itself in his marriage with Herodias his brother's wife and the wanton offense thereby given to Jewish sensibilities."

Among the female characters in God's portrait gallery, surely Herodias stands out as one of the most vile and vicious. Amid the putrefying influence of the palace, however, there was one man who knew no fear, John the Baptist. Herod "feared" him and regarded him as "a just man" and whom "he heard gladly." Herod found music in the preacher's message until John sternly rebuked the king by saying of Herodias, "It is not lawful for thee to have her." But such a warning bell was to toll John's doom. For his faithful rebuke of Herod's sin, John was cast into prison, and the evil, scheming mind of Herodias began to work. She was stung by the arrow from the preacher's quiver and hated him for exposing her shame. "For Herodias' sake" he was imprisoned and thus the greatest of the prophets was sacrificed for this vicious and scheming woman. But the hatred of such an unsavory creature was more to be desired than her affection (Matthew 10:23; Luke 6:26). Herodias, with her conscience in turmoil because of her accuser, planned to silence John. She did not want Herod to listen too closely and constantly to John's forceful preaching. She feared her illegal husband-for her first husband was still alive-might repent, and her position as queen, imperiled.

Herodias knew Herod only too well. He easily succumbed to sensual excitement, and as his birthday drew near her foul design was hatched. On the day when drink freely flowed, Herodias used her own daughter to inflame Herod's passions. She was willing to sacrifice her child's modesty in order to bend Herod to her will. Herod was overcome by Salome's form seen through the flowing flimsy garment she wore, and influenced by the act of the dancing girl, he took a rash and foolish oath to give her whatever she asked, even to half of his kingdom. Approaching her mother, Salome said, "What shall I ask?" Without hesitation Herodias, the female hyena, replied, "Ask for the head of John the Baptist." Returning to Herod, Salome presented her demand, and Herod was extremely sorry at such a request. Yet, because of his oath's sake, he sacrificed the preacher whom he regarded as just and holy, and all because of his guilty love for a vile woman. No wonder he was smitten with fear when he heard of the fame of Jesus, thinking it was John the Baptist risen from the dead to torment his conscience further. One wonders how Salome felt when the gory dish of the preacher's head was handed to her?

Herodias' Old Testament counterpart was Jezebel. What Herodias was to Herod, Jezebel was to Ahab. Both Ahab and Herod were wicked, and in both cases the woman was more wicked. Both Jezebel and Herodias fostered hate that became deadly against a prophet of God. Jezebel hated Elijah and sought to kill him-Herodias hated John the Baptist, the New Testament Elijah, and succeeded in his murder. What was the end of Herodias? Since she was the source of Herod's sin, she also became the source of his shame. According to Josephus, Herodias' ambition was the ruin of Herod. Jealous of the power of Agrippa her brother, she prodded Herod to demand of Caligula, the emperor, the title of king. Agrippa saw to it that this demand was refused, and Herod was banished and ended his days in shame and exile. The pride of Herodias forced her to be faithful to her husband in the disgrace and misfortune she herself had caused.

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - CHLOE

Chloe

Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 1:10, 11

Name Meaning: Green herb

We are not told anything about the background of this Corinthian matron and head of a Christian household. Evidently she was well-known to the Corinthians by her personal name which means "green herb," and in the Greek represents the first green shoot of plants. Chloe is therefore emblematic of fruitful grace and beauty. It was while he was benefiting from the hospitality of her home that Paul received information of strife among leaders in the Early Church and which he sought to deal with in this first chapter of First Corinthians. The Church at Corinth gave Paul a good deal of concern and heartache because of its low spirituality

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - ZIPPORAH

Zipporah

The Woman Who Wrongly Opposed Her Husband

Scripture Reference: Exodus 2:21, 22; Exodus 4:24, 25; Exodus 18:1-6

Name Meaning: A Midian name, Zipporah means "a little bird," "a sparrow." Wilkinson observes that "the feminine termination ah added to the common word Zippor, which is also the father of Balak, king of Moab." Such a name like "dove" or "lamb" would originally be a term of endearment, and thus the word passer - "a sparrow" - is used by the Roman poets. Passer is also being found as a Roman family name. The root of this word is an Arabic verb, signifying "to chirp."

Family Connections: Zipporah was one of the seven daughters of Jethro who is also called Reuel and Raguel (Exodus 2:18; 4:24, 25; 18:1-6; Numbers 10:29 ). It was to the home of this shepherd-priest in Midian that Moses came when at forty years of age he fled from Egypt, and meeting the seven girls drawing water Moses assisted them. Arriving home earlier than usual they told how the Egyptian had helped them. Brought up as a son of Pharaoh, Moses must have looked every inch a cultured Egyptian. Invited home, Moses was content to live with Jethro's family, and married Zipporah, eldest of the seven daughters. Two sons were born of the union, Gershom and Eliezer. Some writers affirm, without adequate support, that the dark-skinned Ethiopian, "the Cushite woman" whom Miriam and Aaron were jealous over, is merely a description of Zipporah, and that therefore Moses was only married once. But the statement "He had married an Ethiopian woman" implies a recent occurrence, and that Zipporah, whom Moses had married 40 years previously, was dead. It is most unlikely that Miriam and Aaron would have waited all those years to murmur against Moses if Zipporah and the Ethiopian had been one and the same woman.

Zipporah, as a woman of Midian, did not share the spiritual values of her notable husband who found himself acting against the sacred tradition of Israel. This may be one reason why he named his second son Eliezer, meaning "The Lord of my father was my help." To keep the peace, Moses compromised with his unbelieving wife and withheld circumcision, the sign of God's covenant, from Eliezer. The Lord intervened, and as a sign of divine displeasure, Moses is stricken with a mortal disease. Both Zipporah and Moses became conscience-stricken over the profanation of God's covenant, and Zipporah yields. Moses is too prostrate to take a knife and circumcize the child, so his wife severed the boy's foreskin and, throwing it down before Moses said, "Surely a bloody husband art thou to me."

When Moses was restored to health relations in the home were not congenial, for he went on alone to Egypt, and Zipporah and the two sons went back to her home in Midian. Of this unhappy incident Alexander Whyte says, "There are three most obscure and most mysterious verses in Moses' history that mean, if they mean anything at all to us, just such an explosion of ill-temper as must have left its mark till death on the heart of Moses and Zipporah. The best of wives; his help meet given him of God; the most self-effacing of women; the wife who holds her husband in her heart as the wisest and best of men - under sufficient trial and provocation and exasperation, even she will turn and will strike with just one word; just once in her whole married lifetime."

When Moses became the mighty leader and law-giver of Israel, there was the episode when Jethro, his father-in-law came out to the wilderness to see Moses and brought with him Zipporah and the two sons. The union was devoid of any restraint for Moses graciously received them and neither disowned nor ignored his wife and sons. But after this visit during which Jethro gave his over-burdened son-in-law some very practical advice, nothing more is said of Zipporah. She disappears without comment from the history of the Jewish people in which her husband figured so prominently. "Neither as the wife of her husband nor as the mother of her children did she leave behind her a legacy of spiritual riches." How different it would have been if only she had fully shared her husband's unusual meekness and godliness and, like him, left behind footprints in the sands of time!

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - MARY MOTHER OF JOHN MARK

Mary, Mother of John Mark

Among the Marys mentioned in the New Testament, Mary, the mother of Mark who wrote the second gospel, is spoken of but once (Acts 12:12 - read Acts 12:1-19), yet this brief description of her is suggestive of her life and labors. She was probably the aunt or sister of Barnabas, the one-time companion of Paul (Colossians 4:10 ), and such a relationship accounts for Barnabas' choice of Mark as his companion-a selection over which Paul and Barnabas parted. Further, being related to Mary would account for the leadership among the saints gathering in her spacious home. Evidently the family belonged to Cyprus, hence the choice of such by Barnabas as the first station in his journeyings (Acts 4:36; 13:4 ). Sir William Ramsay holds that the narrative of Mary in the Acts was by Mark, which would account for the details of his mother's large house becoming a well-known center of Christian life and worship. There is a legend to the effect that this same house was the scene of a still more sacred gathering when, in its upper room, Jesus observed the Lord's Supper on the night of His betrayal.

It was to Mary's home that Peter found his way after his miraculous escape, for he knew that a company of believers had gathered there to pray for his release. Peter had a peculiar affection for the godly home. He called Mark, "his son" (1 Peter 5:13 ) - a spiritual son, having led him to yield his life to the Saviour. The way in which the saints met in Mary's home bespeaks her tried steadfastness and the bond of intimacy that existed between them. That Rhoda was one of the maids indicates that the household was considerably large, implying that Mary was a widow with means to maintain such a commodious home. As Barnabas her relative gave up his land for Christ, Mary gave up her Jerusalem home to be used as an infant church.

Mary was a woman of sterling qualities and was loyal to her Christian ideals. At that time Christians were a persecuted sect, yet she faced the consequences of yielding up her home as a center of spiritual power and influence, and was self-sacrificing in time, effort and money to serve the Lord. It has been suggested that young Rhoda who went to open the door for Peter was hesitant thinking perhaps it was the soldiers of Herod who had come to arrest some of the homeless Christian friends whose benefactress and patron Mary had become.

As for Mark the evangelist, her son, he was deeply attached to his mother which was probably one reason why he returned to Jerusalem from Perga (Acts 13:13). He wanted to be nearer the one who had meant so much in his life. Doubtless he derived something of Mary's straightforward and decided character so prominent in the gospel he wrote portraying Jesus as the lowly servant of God.

WOMEN OF THE BIBLE - BERNICE

Bernice

The Woman Guilty of Incestuous Conduct

Scripture Reference: Acts 25:13, 23; 26:30

Name Meaning: Bernice (Greek-Bernicke), or Berenice, is a Macedonian corruption of Pherenice, and means, "victorious," or "carrying off victory." Wilkinson informs us that the name occurs in previous history, being given "to the wife of Ptolemy, one of Alexander's generals, who became King of Egypt, and founder of an illustrious dynasty." Another compound with nike, implying "victory," is found in Eunice (Greek-Eunicke) the name of Timothy's mother. "... The word is expressive of a good or happy victory, and in its origin doubtless commemorated some such event. It is noticeable that nike was a favorite termination of females in the Macedonian age, as for example, Thessalonice, the daughter of Philip, King of Macedon, and Stratonice, the name of the wife of Antigonus, one of Alexander's generals and successors."

Family Connections: Bernice was the eldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I who ruled, a.d. 38-45, and is described as the one "who vexed the church" (Acts 12:1). Josephus says that she was first married to Marcus. After a while she married her Uncle Herod, king of Chalcis. When he died, she was suspected of evil relations with her own brother Agrippa, with whom she always appeared as his consort. In company with Agrippa, Bernice visited Festus when he became procurator of Judea. Leaving Agrippa, she married Polemon, or Ptolemy, king of Cilicia who for her sake embraced Judaism by the rite of circumcision. She soon left Ptolemy, however, for a future period of intimacy with her brother. Subsequently she became the mistress of Vespasian, then of Titus, son of Vespasian, but when Titus became emperor, he cast her aside.

"If heredity stands for anything, its lessons are forcibly taught in the history of the Herodian family." For instance, Bernice and her sister Drusilla (Acts 24:24 ), were two of the most corrupt and shameless women of their time in Roman history. As Bernice, a wicked woman who lived an incestuous life, listened to Paul's impassioned appeal as he repeated what God had done for his soul, one wonders what impression it made upon her evil heart. As her brother listened, he said to Paul, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." What a different record would have been written if Agrippa and Bernice had repented of their sordid sin, and yielded their lives to Him whose blood can make the foulest clean!