What are the Names of the Queens in the Bible?

The Three Types Of Queens In the Bible

The title of queen when used in the Bible was often simply referring to the wife of a king. However, twice in the Scriptures we find queens who were female rulers of their country. We also find the term queen mother used when speaking of a king’s mother.

1. The Queens Who Were Rulers

The Queen of Sheba

Of the two queens in the Bible who are named as rulers, it is the Queen of Sheba we find written about most in the Scriptures. As the story is told in the Bible, when the ruling Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. Traveling to Jerusalem she met with Solomon, talking to him about everything she had on her mind. When Solomon had answers far all of her questions, she was overwhelmed by his wisdom, along with all of his achievements. After an exchange of gifts among the two, the Queen of Sheba and all of her attendants returned to their country. (1 Kings 10:1-13)

Candace, Queen Of The Ethiopians

We find only a quick mention of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in the Bible. A eunuch, who was one of her court officials, has a run in with Philip on a desert road that becomes a life changing event for him. (Acts 8:26-40)

(Acts 8:27) And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship ESV

2. The Wives Of The Kings

Bathsheba

Bathsheba makes our list not only as the wife of King David, but she also qualifies as a queen mother, seeing as she was the mother of King Solomon.

(2 Samuel 12:24) Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him;

Jezebel

Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, is well-known for her evil deeds as queen, including killing the Lord’s prophets. Of course in the end, it didn’t end well for this woman.

(1 Kings 16:31) He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him.

Queen Tahpenes

(1 Kings 11:19) Pharaoh was so pleased with Hadad that he gave him a sister of his own wife, Queen Tahpenes, in marriage.

Queen Esther and Queen Vashti

Esther is perhaps the most famous of the queen wives. Queen Esther, the only queen to have a book of the Bible named after her, became the replacement queen for King Xerxes after Queen Vashti refused the king’s command to appear before him.

(Esther 2:17) Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

 3. The Queen Mothers

The term queen mother is found in the Bible a number of times (Jeremiah 29:2, 2 Kings 10:13). The position that came with being the mother of the king was considered to be of great importance and brought with it much respect. You will notice in the Book of Kings, of all the kings recorded there, the mother of each king is also listed a majority of the time. The following are just a few of the queen mothers named in the Bible.

Azubah

(1 King 22:42) Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

Jehoaddan

(2 Chronicles 25:1) He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem.

Jekoliah

(2 Chronicles 26:3) Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem.

Maakah

(1 King 15:13) He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley.

Nehushta

(2 Kings 24:8) Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan; she was from Jerusalem.

Zibiah

(2 Chronicles 24:1) Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba.

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