Round about 2010, I had the idea to challenge myself to write a poem for every woman in the Bible.
The list started with 40 ladies I could think of, but it has been growing ever since, because women keep popping out from unexpected corners in the Bible! :-)
This list is still not complete - partly because I have (for now) left out the mothers of kings who are mostly "names without stories" and harder to write about (unless I get ideas!). I'm also sure there are more women hidden somewhere in the Bible (not to mention I hardly know the Apocrypha and have to read through them first to find all the women there!) - so if you know someone I've left out, do tell me! (My mother "updates" me all the time...)
The already-written ones have a link to their poem(s) - some have more than one! :-)
I'll try to keep this list regularly updated...
1. Eve [1 Helper] [2 Naked] [3 The Fall] [4 Bitter Fruit]
2. Cain's wife
3. Naamah (Gen 4:22)
4. Daughters of Men (Gen 6:1-4)
5. Adah, wife of Lamech (Gen 4:19-24)
6. Zillah, wife of Lamech (Gen 4:19-24)
7. Noah's wife
8. Noah's sons' wives
9. Sarai / Sarah [1 Is This Love?] [2 Jealousy] [3 He Who Laughs Last]
10. Hagar
11. Lot's wife
12. Lot's daughters
13. Rebekah
14. Keturah (Abraham's other wife)
15. Rachel [1 Hand-Me-Down] [2 Give me Children or I Die]
16. Leah
17. Bilhah
18. Zilpah
19. Dinah [1 Stop Me] [2 Daisy Petals]
20. Deborah, Rebecca's nurse (Gen 35:8)
21. Oholibamah (wife of Esau, Gen 36)
22. Tamar (Judah's daughter-in-law, Gen 38)
23. Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39)
24. Asenath (Joseph's wife)
25. Midwives Shiphrah and Puah (Ex 1)
26. Jochebed [1 Mother] [2 Weaning]
27. Miriam
28. Pharaoh's daughter
29. Pharaoh's daughter's servants [Deutsch]
30. Zipporah
31. Mothers of slain firstborn (Ex 12)
32. Moses' Cushite wife (Num 12:1-16)
33. Cozbi (Numbers 25) [1 Goddess] [2 Pierced] [2 Durchbohrt]
34. Zelophehad's daughters (Numbers 27)
35. Rahab
36. Achsa (Joshua 15, Judges 1)
37. Deborah
38. Jael (Judges 4)
39. Sisera's mother
40. Abimelech's mother
41. Woman who dropped millstone on Abimelech (Judges 9:50-57)
42. Jephthah's daughter (Judges 11)
43. Samson's mother (Judges 13)
44. Samson's wife (Judges 14-15)
45. Samson's prostitute (Judges 16)
46. Delilah (Judges 16)
47. Micah's mother (Judges 17:1-6)
47. Levite's concubine (Judges 19)
48. 400 virgins (Judges 21)
49. Daughters of Shiloh (Judges 21)
50. Orpah (Ruth 1)
51. Ruth
52. Naomi
53. Hannah
54. Peninnah
55. Eli's daughter-in-law (1 Sam 4:19-22)
56. Ahinoam (wife of Saul)
57. Michal
58. Merab, Michal's sister (1 Sam 18)
59. Women singing about David (1. Sam 18)
60. Zeruiah (mother of Joab)
61. Abigail (1 Sam 25)
62. Sorceress of Endor (1 Sam 28)
63. Ahinoam of Jesreel, mother of Amnon (2 Sam 2)
64. Maacah, mother of Absalom and Tamar (2 Sam 2)
65. Haggith, mother of Adonijah (2 Sam 2)
66. Mephibosheth's Nanny (2 Sam 4)
67. Ishbosheth's porter (2 Sam 4:6 LXX)
68. Bathsheba (2 Sam 11-12)
69. Thamar, daughter of David (2 Sam 13) [1 Dirty Laundry] [2 Shame]
70. Tamar, daughter of Absalom (2 Sam 14:27)
71. Wise woman of Tekoa (2 Sam 14)
72. David's concubines (2 Sam 16:20-22)
73. Woman who hid David's messengers (2 Sam 17)
74. Wise woman of Abel (2 Sam 20:16-22)
75. Rizpa (2 Sam 22)
76. Abishag (1 Kings 1-2)
77. Prostitute mothers who came to Solomon (1 Kings 3:16-28)
78. Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10)
79. Solomon's wives (1 Kings 11)
80. Solomon's Egyptian wife
80. Jerobeam's wife (1 Kings 14:1-18)
81. Naamah the Ammonite, mother of Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:31)
82. Mahalath, wife of Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11)
83. Maacah / Micaiah, wives of Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11 + 13:1-2)
84. Maacah, mother of Asa (2 Chronicles 15:16)
85. Jezebel
86. Widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17)
87. Widow whose oil Elisha multiplied (2 Kings 4)
88. Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4)
89. Naaman's wife
90. Naaman's slave girl (2 Kings 5)
91. Athaliah (tyrant queen, 2 Kings 11)
92. Jehosheba (saved her nephew, 2 Kings 11)
93. Huldah (2 Kings 22:14-20)
94. Nehushta, mother of Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:8-17)
95. Foreign wives (Ezra 9-10)
96. Shallum's daughters (Neh 3:12)
97. Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14)
98. Vashti
99. Esther
100. Zeresh (Haman's wife, Esther 5-6)
101. Job's wife
102. Job's sisters (Job 42:11)
103. Job's daughters (Job 42:14-15)
104. Bride of the King (Ps 45)
105. Lady Wisdom (Proverbs)
106. Lemuel's mother (Prov 31)
107. Proverbs 31 woman
108. Sulamith (Song of Songs)
109. Isaiah's wife (Is 7:3)
30. Zipporah
31. Mothers of slain firstborn (Ex 12)
32. Moses' Cushite wife (Num 12:1-16)
33. Cozbi (Numbers 25) [1 Goddess] [2 Pierced] [2 Durchbohrt]
34. Zelophehad's daughters (Numbers 27)
35. Rahab
36. Achsa (Joshua 15, Judges 1)
37. Deborah
38. Jael (Judges 4)
39. Sisera's mother
40. Abimelech's mother
41. Woman who dropped millstone on Abimelech (Judges 9:50-57)
42. Jephthah's daughter (Judges 11)
43. Samson's mother (Judges 13)
44. Samson's wife (Judges 14-15)
45. Samson's prostitute (Judges 16)
46. Delilah (Judges 16)
47. Micah's mother (Judges 17:1-6)
47. Levite's concubine (Judges 19)
48. 400 virgins (Judges 21)
49. Daughters of Shiloh (Judges 21)
50. Orpah (Ruth 1)
51. Ruth
52. Naomi
53. Hannah
54. Peninnah
55. Eli's daughter-in-law (1 Sam 4:19-22)
56. Ahinoam (wife of Saul)
57. Michal
58. Merab, Michal's sister (1 Sam 18)
59. Women singing about David (1. Sam 18)
60. Zeruiah (mother of Joab)
61. Abigail (1 Sam 25)
62. Sorceress of Endor (1 Sam 28)
63. Ahinoam of Jesreel, mother of Amnon (2 Sam 2)
64. Maacah, mother of Absalom and Tamar (2 Sam 2)
65. Haggith, mother of Adonijah (2 Sam 2)
66. Mephibosheth's Nanny (2 Sam 4)
67. Ishbosheth's porter (2 Sam 4:6 LXX)
68. Bathsheba (2 Sam 11-12)
69. Thamar, daughter of David (2 Sam 13) [1 Dirty Laundry] [2 Shame]
70. Tamar, daughter of Absalom (2 Sam 14:27)
71. Wise woman of Tekoa (2 Sam 14)
72. David's concubines (2 Sam 16:20-22)
73. Woman who hid David's messengers (2 Sam 17)
74. Wise woman of Abel (2 Sam 20:16-22)
75. Rizpa (2 Sam 22)
76. Abishag (1 Kings 1-2)
77. Prostitute mothers who came to Solomon (1 Kings 3:16-28)
78. Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10)
79. Solomon's wives (1 Kings 11)
80. Solomon's Egyptian wife
80. Jerobeam's wife (1 Kings 14:1-18)
81. Naamah the Ammonite, mother of Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:31)
82. Mahalath, wife of Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11)
83. Maacah / Micaiah, wives of Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 11 + 13:1-2)
84. Maacah, mother of Asa (2 Chronicles 15:16)
85. Jezebel
86. Widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17)
87. Widow whose oil Elisha multiplied (2 Kings 4)
88. Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4)
89. Naaman's wife
90. Naaman's slave girl (2 Kings 5)
91. Athaliah (tyrant queen, 2 Kings 11)
92. Jehosheba (saved her nephew, 2 Kings 11)
93. Huldah (2 Kings 22:14-20)
94. Nehushta, mother of Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:8-17)
95. Foreign wives (Ezra 9-10)
96. Shallum's daughters (Neh 3:12)
97. Noadiah (Nehemiah 6:14)
98. Vashti
99. Esther
100. Zeresh (Haman's wife, Esther 5-6)
101. Job's wife
102. Job's sisters (Job 42:11)
103. Job's daughters (Job 42:14-15)
104. Bride of the King (Ps 45)
105. Lady Wisdom (Proverbs)
106. Lemuel's mother (Prov 31)
107. Proverbs 31 woman
108. Sulamith (Song of Songs)
109. Isaiah's wife (Is 7:3)
110. Cannibal mothers (Lamentations)
111. Unfaithful Jerusalem (Ez 16)
112. Oholah and Oholibah (Ez 23)
113. Ezekiel's wife (Ez 24:16-27)
114. Lo-Ruhamah (Hosea 1-2)
115. Gomer, Hosea's wife
New Testament
20. Woman who blessed Mary (Lk 11)
21. Syrophoenician / Canaanite woman (Mt 15)
22. Syrophoenician woman's daughter
23. Crippled woman (Lk 13:10-16)
24. Baking woman / parable of the yeast (Lk 13:20-21)
25. The woman who lost a coin (Lk 15)
26. The wise and foolish virgins (Mt 25:1-13)
27. Woman who annointed Jesus
28. Servants who recognised Peter (when he denied Jesus)
29. Pilate's wife
30. Daughters of Jerusalem (Lk 23:27-28)
31. Mary mother of James and Joses (Mt 27:55-56)
32. Joanna wife of Chusa, follower of Jesus
33. Mary Magdalene
34. Sapphira (Acts 5)
35. Dorcas (Acts 9)
36. Mary, mother of John Mark (Acts 12)
37. Rhoda (Acts 12)
38. Lydia (Acts 16)
39. Possessed girl (Acts 16:16-22)
40. Damaris (Acts 17)
111. Unfaithful Jerusalem (Ez 16)
112. Oholah and Oholibah (Ez 23)
113. Ezekiel's wife (Ez 24:16-27)
114. Lo-Ruhamah (Hosea 1-2)
115. Gomer, Hosea's wife
2. Elisabeth
4. Anna
7. Jairus' wife
21. Syrophoenician / Canaanite woman (Mt 15)
22. Syrophoenician woman's daughter
23. Crippled woman (Lk 13:10-16)
24. Baking woman / parable of the yeast (Lk 13:20-21)
25. The woman who lost a coin (Lk 15)
26. The wise and foolish virgins (Mt 25:1-13)
27. Woman who annointed Jesus
28. Servants who recognised Peter (when he denied Jesus)
29. Pilate's wife
30. Daughters of Jerusalem (Lk 23:27-28)
31. Mary mother of James and Joses (Mt 27:55-56)
32. Joanna wife of Chusa, follower of Jesus
33. Mary Magdalene
34. Sapphira (Acts 5)
35. Dorcas (Acts 9)
36. Mary, mother of John Mark (Acts 12)
37. Rhoda (Acts 12)
38. Lydia (Acts 16)
39. Possessed girl (Acts 16:16-22)
40. Damaris (Acts 17)
42. Drusilla
(Felix' Jewish wife, Acts 24)
43. Bernice (wife
of King Agrippa, Acts 25)
45. Junia (Rom 16)
46. Phoebe (Rom 16)
47. Peter's wife
50. Lois
51. Eunice
51. Eunice
52. Recipient of 2.
John
54. Bride of Christ (Rev)
55. The "whore Babylon" (Rev)
55. The "whore Babylon" (Rev)
Apocrypha
1. Judith
2. Judith's
maid
3. Deborah
(raised Tobit)
4. Hannah
(Tobit's wife)
5. Sarah
(Tobit)
6. Edna,
Raguel's wife (Tobit)
7. Praying
women (2 Macc 3)
8. Women
who had circumcised their children (2 Macc 6)
9. Woman
with 7 sons (2 Macc 7)
10. Susanna (Dan 13 / additions to Daniel)
11. Widow Jerusalem (Baruch 4)
Other Biblical poetry
Out in the Desert
11. Widow Jerusalem (Baruch 4)
Other Biblical poetry
Out in the Desert
Peter: In the Courtyard
Women in Literature
This is a new category, not really part of any challenge - so I'm only listing those I've already written about or am seriously planning to write about.
1. Elinor (from Sense and Sensibility)
2. Arwen (from The Lord of the Rings)
3. Éowyn (from The Lord of the Rings)
4. Christine Daaé (from The Phantom of the Opera)
5. Tess of the d'Urbervilles (from Tess of the d'Urbervilles)
Picture is by Gustav Klimt, Die Drei Lebensalter der Frau
Women in Literature
This is a new category, not really part of any challenge - so I'm only listing those I've already written about or am seriously planning to write about.
1. Elinor (from Sense and Sensibility)
2. Arwen (from The Lord of the Rings)
3. Éowyn (from The Lord of the Rings)
4. Christine Daaé (from The Phantom of the Opera)
5. Tess of the d'Urbervilles (from Tess of the d'Urbervilles)
Picture is by Gustav Klimt, Die Drei Lebensalter der Frau
Whoops I see you did write Leah! Not sure how I missed that 😊
ReplyDeleteWow. Thank you so much for such a merciful look at all these women. For saying it's OK to stir your wings and be proud of being one of them. For saying that the heroic men WEREN'T perfect and it WASN'T always the faults of the women.
As a young woman raised in a strongly conservative Christian home with a (loving, but) dominant personality dad, my journey has been realigning my faith with the "bigness" inside. Thanks for your gifts along the road ❤️
XX Emma
Hi Emma! Thank you so much, I am glad the poems could be a blessing for you :-) This project pretty much kicked me into "deconstruction" in some areas of my faith, but it also showed me there is much more to the Bible than traditional, male-centred interpretations. I'm a bit slow on writing new poems at the moment, but hoping to get the project done soon (there's only about 30 left from this list - though that doesn't count those I haven't added here yet, Queen Mothers and storyless women in the genealogies and such).
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