Women of the Bible 1

Dinah

The Woman Who’s Sightseeing Had Fatal Results

Scripture Reference: Genesis 34

Name Meaning: Dinah means "justice" or "one who judges," and was doubtless given her as a token of her parents' belief in divine justice.

Family Connections: She was a daughter of Jacob and Leah, and as a member of a family under covenant blessing should have been more careful regarding her personal obligationn in maintaining the honor of her home and nation.

Apphia

Scripture Reference: Philemon 1:2

Name Meaning: That which is fruitful.

 

Tryphena and Tryphosa

Scripture Reference: Romans 16:12

Name Meaning: Delicate or dainty one

Hodesh

Scripture Reference: 1 Chronicles 8:8-9

Name Meaning: New moon

Phoebe

Scripture Reference: Romans 16:1, 2

Name Meaning: Pure or radiant as the moon

Eunice

The Woman Whose Son Became a Famous Evangelist

Scripture Reference: Acts 16:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:14-15; 2 Timothy 4:5

Name Meaning: Eunice implies "conquering well," and was a name expressive of a good or happy victory and in its origin doubtless commemorated some such event. Nice or "nike" was a favorite ending of female names in the Macedonian age. Eunice lived up to her name for she conquered in the effort to bring up her son in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Family Connections: Eunice was the daughter of Lois whose name is of Greek origin. Scripture is silent as to the identity of her father. A Jew, Eunice married a Gentile, and as nothing is said of him it can be assumed that he was dead by the time Paul contacted the family.

Rebekah, Rebecca

The Woman Whose Favoritism Brought Sorrow

Scripture Reference: Genesis 22:23; Genesis 24; Genesis 25:20-28; Genesis 26:6-35; Genesis 27; Genesis 28:5; Genesis 29:12; Genesis 35:8; Genesis 49:31; Romans 9:6-16

Name Meaning: Rebekah is another name with an animal connection. Although not belonging to any animal in particular, it has reference to animals of a limited class and in a peculiar condition. The name means a "tie rope for animals" or "a noose" in such a rope. Its root is found in a noun meaning a "hitching place" or "stall" and is connected with a "tied-up calf or lamb," a young animal peculiarly choice and fat. Applied to a female, the figure suggests her beauty by means of which men are snared or bound. Thus another meaning of Rebekah is that of "captivating." If, then, Rebekah means "a noosed cord," the loop was firmly around Isaac's neck. When Isaac took her as his bride he forgot his grief for his dead mother, and lived happily with his wife for twenty years during which time they had no children.

Family Connections: Rebekah is first mentioned in the genealogy of the descendants of Nahor, Abraham's brother (Genesis 22:20-24). When the pilgrims set out from the Ur of the Chaldees, Nahor was one of the party, and settled down at Charran where Terah, his father, died. Among Nahor's sons was Bethuel who, by an unknown wife, became the father of Rebekah, the sister of Laban. Rebekah married Isaac the son of Abraham, by whom she had two sons, Esau and Jacob.