Queens of the Bible

Hebrew: מַלְכָּה —transliteration: malkah —meaning: queen —a feminine form of melek (king)

Hebrew: מְלֶכֶת —transliteration: meleketh —meaning: queen —a feminine form of melek (king)

Hebrew: שֵׁגָל —transliteration: shegal —meaning: (queen) consort

Hebrew: גְּבִירָה —transliteration: gebirah —meaning: lady or queen / This is the feminine form of gebir ( גְּבִיר ) which means “lord.”

Hebrew: גְּבֶרֶת —transliteration: gebereth —meaning: lady, queen, mistress / originates from the word from gabar ( גָּבַר ) —meaning: strong or mighty


No explicit mention of queens is made in Scripture till we read of the “queen of Sheba.” The wives of the kings of Israel are not called queens. In Psalm 45:9, the Hebrew for “queen” is not malkah, one actually ruling like the Queen of Sheba, but shegal, which simply means the king's wife.

In 1 Kings 11:19, Pharaoh's wife is called “the queen,” but the Hebrew word so rendered (g'birah or gebirah is simply a title of honor, denoting a royal lady, used sometimes for “queen-mother” (1 Kings 15:13; 2 Chron. 15:16).

In Song of Songs 6:8-9, the king's wives are called “queens” (Hebrew: melakhoth).

In the New Testament, we read of the “queen of the south”, i.e., Southern Arabia, Sheba (Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31) and the “queen of the Ethiopians” (Acts 8:27), Candace.

Queens mentioned in Scripture

  1. Candace
  2. Abihail
  3. Azubah
  4. Bathshua (Bathsheba)
  5. Esther
  6. Jecoliah
  7. Jehoaddan
  8. Jezebel
  9. Mehetabel, wife of King Hadar (Gen. 36:39)
  10. Michaiah
  11. Naamah
  12. Nehushta
  13. Queen of Sheba (no name recorded)
  14. Tahpenes
  15. Vashti
  16. Jerusha, wife of King Uzziah
  17. Zibiah

More information