גְּבִירָה (ge.vi.rah)
ge.vi.rah
queen
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun gevirah primarily denotes a queen or a lady of high rank. In the historical books of Kings, it appears in contexts describing royal women who held significant status within the court. The term is not merely a title of courtesy but reflects a position of authority and visibility in the ancient Near Eastern monarchy.
A particularly important nuance emerges in the book of Jeremiah, where the word is used to describe the queen-mother. In this specific setting, gevirah refers to Bathsheba or other royal mothers who exercised influence alongside the reigning king. This usage highlights that royal women could hold formal power and public roles distinct from their husbands, serving as key figures in the political and religious life of Judah.
The word’s occurrence is limited, appearing only six times in the Hebrew Bible. Its concentration in Kings and Jeremiah underscores its connection to the specific institutional structures of the Davidic monarchy. Translators typically render it as "queen" or "queen-mother," depending on the context, ensuring that the reader understands the woman’s elevated standing without conflating her role with that of a reigning sovereign.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word gevirah points to a woman of high rank, often translated as queen or queen-mother. In the ancient courts of Judah, this was not just a title of courtesy but a position of real visibility and influence. Women like Bathsheba held formal roles that shaped the political and religious life of the nation alongside the king.
For your faith, this reminds us that God uses people in every station of life to fulfill His purposes. Whether in times of stability or crisis, as seen when Jeremiah urged the queen-mother to humble herself, our standing before God is defined by our heart posture rather than our earthly title. It invites us to serve with integrity wherever we find ourselves.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- from/ queen-mother2×
- the/ queen-mother1×
- the/ queen1×
- and/ to the/ queen-mother1×
- and/ the/ queen-mother1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/גְּבִירָ֔ה2×
- הַ/גְּבִירָֽה\׃2×
- וְ/לַ/גְּבִירָ֖ה1×
- וְ/הַ/גְּבִירָ֨ה1×
Key Verses
-
I Kings 15:13
He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah. Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron.
This verse shows the word used to describe the removal of Maacah from her position, highlighting that royal status could be revoked due to spiritual failure.
-
Jeremiah 13:18
Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Humble yourselves. Sit down, for your crowns have come down, even the crown of your glory.
Here the term refers to the queen-mother in a moment of national judgment, urging humility as her crown is removed.
-
II Chronicles 15:16
Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah; so Asa cut down her image, ground it into dust, and burned it at the brook Kidron.
This parallel account confirms Maacah's removal from being queen mother, emphasizing the seriousness of idolatry within the royal family.