8 Famous Bible Mothers

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Being a mother was something that every Jewish girl dreamed of. The very first promise in the Bible of a future Redeemer said that He would be born through a woman. The thought of being the mother of the Messiah was something that inspired women in the Bible. The Promised One was known to be a baby boy. If a lady had a son she could hope that he would be the Messiah. If she had a girl, she dreamed that her grandson might be the coming Redeemer. Motherhood was a wonderful thing to look forward to during Bible times.

Here are eight famous Bible mothers. There are certainly many other women in the Bible that could be mentioned. These are some we know a good deal about, though we may not know very much about their skills as a mother.

Eve

Found in the Bible: Genesis 1-4

Called the mother of all living, Eve is an important Bible mother. We don’t know much about her roll as a mother, but we do know the names of some of her children. Her three most well-known children are Cain, Abel and Seth. Adam and Eve would have been responsible for teaching their children about God and His plans for the world. After they left the garden there is no indication that God communed with them on a personal level. Eve had a great responsibility as a mother, and as someone who personally knew God, to pass along her knowledge of God to her children.

The Bible says that children are a heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). They are a blessing or a gift from God.

Sarah

Found in the Bible: Genesis 12-23

God’s promise of a redeemer was specifically said to come through Sarah. Though she doubted when God said she would be a mother in her old age, she did indeed bare a son. When she was 90 years old she had Isaac. It should be remembered that all the wonderful promises and expectations that were put on Abraham also extended to Sarah. She was beside him the whole time. She had her doubts at times, but she allowed God to work in her life and use her.

Rebekah

Found in the Bible: Genesis 26-27

Rebekah had twin boys named Esau and Jacob. Her husband was Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah. Rebekah’s two boys could not have been more different. Esau was a hunter and great outdoorsman. Jacob preferred to stay at home and be close to his mother. Their personalities endeared the boys to their parents in different ways. Rebekah showed great favor to Jacob while Isaac preferred Esau. Rebekah taught Jacob to cook in a way that pleased everyone in the family. Unfortunately she tried using her love for Jacob to manipulate God and His purposes for the family.

Rachel

Found In The Bible: Genesis 29-35

Jacob’s two wives were sisters, Leah and Rachel. Rachel was the younger of the two and seemed to have to compete with Leah in many ways. Though her sister Leah had 3 times as many children as she did, Rachel gave to Jacob his two favorite children, Joseph and Benjamin. We don’t know much about Rachel as a mother, but she took great pride in being able to bear children for her husband.

Jochebed

Found in the Bible: Exodus 1-2

One of the bravest mothers in the Bible was the mother of Moses. Her name was Jochebed. Though ordered by the Pharaoh to murder her baby boy at birth, she hid him away as long as she could. When he was a little older she made a small boat for him and placed him in the river. God directed the small ark and baby Moses to the Pharaoh’s daughter. The ruler’s daughter took up baby Moses as her own child, but hired Jochebed to nurse the baby. Jochebed apparently taught Moses many things in the time she was with him. Moses knew clearly who he was in relation to the Egyptians and Hebrews. Jochebed apparently taught Moses about God.

Naomi

Found in the Bible: Ruth 1-4

Naomi is best known as the mother-in-law to Ruth. She had two sons. The family moved away from Bethlehem to Moab. Naomi’s two boys married Moabite women. Her husband and sons died leaving Naomi with her two daughters-in-law. Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem. Her daughter-in-law Ruth followed her. Naomi had taught Ruth enough about God and His people that Ruth wanted to make Naomi’s God her personal God.

Hannah

Found in the Bible: 1 Samuel 1-2

Hannah is the mother of Samuel the prophet. He became a godly man. While much of his piety can be traced back to his growing up in the Temple with Eli the priest, we can also see that Samuel’s mother Hannah had a great influence on him. Hannah prayed for his birth. Before Samuel was born Hannah had promised God that she would dedicate him to God. She loved God and her son. She visited him yearly at the Temple and undoubtedly prayed for him regularly.

Mary

Found in the Bible: Matthew 1, Luke 1-2 along with many other chapters

Mary was given the great privilege of being the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. Imagine raising the son of God as your child! God chose her for a reason. She displayed a godly character and trust in God. She was told clearly who her son was. She understood the great responsibility God placed on her. She was faithful to God’s plan.

Motherhood Today

It is still a wonderful privilege to be a mother today. The Bible says that children are a heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). They are a blessing or a gift from God. Whether mother or father, we should all strive to be like these ladies and teach our children about God and His Word.

Interested in more related articles

Tale a look at these from our archives:

• 20 Important Bible Verses for Parents

• 21 Mother’s Day Bible Verses

• 15 Inspirational Quotes About Raising Children

Resources:

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

www.youtube.com  “One Heartbeat At A Time” by Steven Curtis Chapman

Tagged as: bible, family, Mary, Motherhood, Mothers, parenting