Complete List of Women in the Bible

The Bible mentions many women who played important roles in the story of Scripture. Some are well known, while others appear only briefly in the biblical text.

This page provides an organized list of women of the Bible to help readers easily find their stories and learn where they appear in Scripture.

Some women, such as Ruth and Esther, have entire books of the Bible dedicated to their stories. Others contribute to the larger biblical narrative, even if they only appear in a few verses, such as Miriam, who played a crucial role in the Exodus story, and the unnamed woman at the well, whose encounter with Jesus highlights themes of redemption and acceptance.

Below is a guide to many women in the Bible listed alphabetically.

Complete A–Z List of Women in the Bible

A

  • Abigail – 1 Samuel 25
    • Abigail was wise and humble. She stopped David from taking revenge and later became his wife.
  • Abishag – 1 Kings 1:1–4
    • Abishag cared for King David in his old age. She served him faithfully.
  • Anna (Prophetess) – Luke 2:36–38
    • Anna was an elderly widow who served God in the temple with prayer and fasting. She recognized baby Jesus as the Messiah and spoke about Him to others.
  • Apphia – Philemon 1:2
    • Apphia is believed to be part of a house church, likely a leader or host. She is mentioned alongside Philemon and Archippus as a fellow believer
  • Abihail – 2 Chronicles 11:18
    • Abihail is mentioned as part of a royal family line. She was connected to King Rehoboam.
  • Abital—2 Samuel 3:4
    • Abital was one of King David’s wives and the mother of Shephatiah.
  • Ahinoam – 1 Samuel 25:43
    • Ahinoam was one of David’s wives and the mother of his son Amnon.
  • Adah – Genesis 4:19; 36:2
    • Adah was one of the wives of Lamech and also a wife of Esau in another account.
  • Aholibamah – Genesis 36:2
    • Aholibamah was one of Esau’s wives and part of the Edomite family line.
  • Atarah – 1 Chronicles 2:26
    • Atarah was the wife of Jerahmeel and part of a genealogy record.
  • Athaliah – 2 Kings 11
    • Athaliah was a queen who ruled Judah and tried to destroy the royal family, but she was later overthrown.

B

  • Bathsheba—Wife of King David, mother of Solomon (2 Samuel 11–12)
  • Bilhah—Servant of Rachel, mother of two tribes of Israel (Genesis 29–30)

D

  • Deborah—judge and prophet in Israel (Judges 4–5)
  • Delilah—Woman who betrayed Samson (Judges 16)

E

  • Esther—Queen of Persia who saved her people (Book of Esther)
  • Elizabeth—Mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1)
  • Eve—First woman, mother of all living (Genesis 2–4)

H

  • Hannah—Mother of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1–2)
  • Hagar—servant of Sarah, mother of Ishmael (Genesis 16, 21)

J

  • Jael—Woman who killed Sisera (Judges 4)
  • Jezebel—Queen of Israel, wife of Ahab (1 Kings 16–21)

L

  • Leah—First wife of Jacob, mother of six tribes (Genesis 29–35)
  • Lydia—Businesswoman and early Christian convert (Acts 16)

M

  • Mary—Mother of Jesus (Matthew 1, Luke 1)
  • Mary Magdalene—follower of Jesus, witness of the resurrection (Matthew 27–28)
  • Martha—Sister of Mary and Lazarus (Luke 10, John 11)
  • Miriam—Sister of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 15)
  • Mary of Bethany—Sister of Martha and Lazarus, known for sitting at Jesus’ feet and anointing Him (Luke 10, John 12)

N

  • Naomi—Mother-in-law of Ruth (Book of Ruth)

P

  • Priscilla—Early Christian teacher (Acts 18)
  • Phoebe—a servant of the church in Cenchreae who supported many and delivered Paul’s letter to the Romans (Romans 16:1–2)

R

  • Rachel—wife of Jacob, mother of Joseph and Benjamin (Genesis 29–35)
  • Rahab—a woman of Jericho who helped Israelite spies (Joshua 2, 6)
  • Rebekah—wife of Isaac, mother of Jacob and Esau (Genesis 24–27)
  • Ruth—a Moabite woman and the great-grandmother of King David (Book of Ruth)

S

  • Sarah – Wife of Abraham, mother of Isaac (Genesis 11–23)
  • Salome—Follower of Jesus mentioned in the Gospels (Mark 15–16)
  • Shiphrah—a Hebrew midwife who defied Pharaoh (Exodus 1)
  • Susanna—Woman in the story of Daniel (Daniel 13, Apocrypha)
  • Sapphira—an early Christian who lied to the church (Acts 5)
  • Sheerah—Builder mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:24
  • Shunammite woman – Hosted Elisha in her home (2 Kings 4)

T

U

  • Uriah’s wife—Bathsheba, before marriage to David (2 Samuel 11)

V

  • Vashti—Queen of Persia, predecessor of Esther (Esther 1)

W

  • Woman at the well—the Samaritan woman who spoke with Jesus (John 4)
  • Woman with the alabaster jar – Anointed Jesus’ feet (Luke 7)

Z

  • Zipporah – Wife of Moses (Exodus 2–4)
  • Zilpah—Servant of Leah, mother of two tribes (Genesis 29–30)

Why the Stories of Women in the Bible Matter

The lives of these women of the Bible reveal many important lessons. Some show courage during difficult moments. Others demonstrate faith, patience, or loyalty.

Even when their stories are short, these female Bible characters help us understand the broader story of Scripture and how God worked through many different people.

Explore the Stories of Women in the Bible

We will continue to expand this page by adding new articles.

Each name will link to a detailed article explaining the story, background, and biblical passages connected to that woman.

By exploring the stories of these Bible women, readers can have a greater appreciation for the people who appear throughout the pages of Scripture.