“ I’m just thrilled to see that there is such a strong, reliable, smart, insightful source that is freely available on women in the Bible. Because there is so much out there that is just junk—especially when it comes to the Bible…”

— Dr. Julie Faith Parker

• There are at least 5 women prophets in the Hebrew Bible/Christian Old Testament: Miriam, Deborah, Hulda, Noadiah, and the unnamed prophetess in Isaiah. The Talmud also counts Sarah, Hannah, Abigail, and Esther.

• Of the 1,426 names mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, 111 are women.

• 1 = The number of people in the Bible to name God. The slave woman Hagar names God “El Roi” in Gen 16:13.

• Two “wise women” appear in 2 Samuel: the Wise Woman of Tekoa and the Wise Woman of Abel Beth-Maacah. That both women are designated as “wise” has led to speculation that the role of “wise woman” was a recognized leadership position.

• Two books in the Protestant Bible are named after women—Ruth and Esther. The Catholic Bible has 3 books because it includes Judith.

• The two oldest passages in the Bible are both victory songs attributed to women: Miriam (Exodus 15:20-21) and Deborah (Judges 5).

• In the New Testament, women are called deacons, missionaries, leaders of house churches, and even apostles.

• Three women are depicted as accompanying Jesus and funding his ministry in Luke 8, along with “many others” (Luke 8:3). 

• The name Mary appears 54 times in the New Testament. The number of Marys is disputed, with 6 or 7 being the most common count. There are so many Marys that it's hard to know which is which!

• ⅓ of the property in the Roman Empire was owned by women in the 1st and 2nd centuries (the New Testament period).

• Women’s occupations in the New Testament era included the following: brickmakers, mosaic workers, perfumers, jewelers, gladiators, midwives, actors, musicians, merchants, and teachers. Lydia was a “dealer in purple cloth” (Acts 16:14-15).

Fast Facts About Biblical Women and Their Roles

Understanding the historical context of women in antiquity changes how we read scripture. Below are key historical and textual facts about female leadership, occupations, and visibility in biblical times.

Female Leadership and Prophets in the Hebrew Bible

While women make up about 111 of the 1,426 named individuals in the Hebrew Bible, they frequently occupied vital leadership roles:

• Women Prophets: There are at least five recognized female prophets in the Old Testament: Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, Noadiah, and the unnamed prophetess in Isaiah. Rabbinic tradition in the Talmud expands this list to include Sarah, Hannah, Abigail, and Esther.

• Books Named After Women: Women anchor entire scriptural narratives. The Protestant canon features two books named after women (Ruth and Esther), while the Catholic canon includes a third (Judith).

• The Authority to Name God: In Genesis 16:13, the Egyptian slave woman Hagar becomes the only person in the entire Bible to give God a name, calling Him El Roi ("The God who sees me").

• Political and Wise Women: Scriptural accounts in 2 Samuel highlight the "Wise Woman of Tekoa" and the "Wise Woman of Abel Beth-Maacah," suggesting that "wise woman" was an officially recognized political or advisory role in ancient Israel.

• The Oldest Biblical Passages: Textual scholars note that the two oldest fragments of text in the entire Bible are victory songs attributed to women: The Song of Miriam (Exodus 15) and The Song of Deborah (Judges 5).

Women Leaders and Daily Life in the New Testament

In the New Testament era, women were central to the expansion of the early Christian church and held significant socioeconomic influence in the Greco-Roman world.

• Church Leadership Roles: Christian scripture explicitly names women as deacons, missionaries, leaders of house churches, and even apostles.

• Benefactors of Jesus: Luke 8 identifies three wealthy women—Joanna, Susanna, and Mary Magdalene—who traveled with Jesus and personally financed his public ministry out of their own resources.

• The Marys of the New Testament: The name Mary appears 54 times in the New Testament. Because the name was so common, theologians still debate the exact number of individuals, usually counting 6 or 7 distinct women named Mary.

• Socioeconomic Status: Historical data shows that women owned roughly one-third of all property in the Roman Empire during the 1st and 2nd centuries.

• Occupations of Ancient Women: Women in the biblical era worked as merchants, teachers, midwives, artisans, jewelers, and perfumers. A prominent scriptural example is Lydia in the Book of Acts, who is identified as a successful dealer of luxury purple cloth.