Seven women who changed history

INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE

By Lynne Bundesen

IS your name Sarah or Hannah? Do you have a sister named Abigail or Esther? A cousin called Miriam or Huldah, or a friend named Deborah? These seven names are thousands of years old. They belong to women who are very important in Biblical history. The Tanakh (the Hebrew Scriptures or Old Testament) refers to three of them—Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah—as prophets. We can learn a lot from these seven women.

Each of these women is unique and brings different gifts and talents to the people of Israel. Yet each of them shows what all people are capable of. And through her example, each one continues to contribute to the world today.

We first meet Sarai (whose name means princess) in Genesis. She is often referred to as the mother of nations. Sarai led an interesting nomadic life as the partner and wife of Abram. After they both grew a great deal in spiritual understanding, God changed her name to Sarah and her husband's name to Abraham (see Gen. 17:15, 5).

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