1 Kings 15:13ESV
He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah.
Gebirah here. The position was formal enough that Asa had to officially depose her.
Hebrew word · FaithLabz word study
גְּבִירָה
gebirah
queen, mistress, lady
Often translated: queen mothermistressladywoman of power
What gebirah means
Gebirah is the Hebrew word for a queen mother, mistress, lady of power. It is the feminine of geber (mighty man) and shares a root with gibbor (warrior). The word carries a feminine version of strength, authority, presence. In ancient Israel and Judah, the gebirah was often the king's mother, not his wife. She held court influence, served as a counselor, and was named in the official records of her son's reign. The position carried real political weight. Scripture uses the word for figures like Bathsheba once Solomon takes the throne, for Maacah whose throne Asa removed, for the queen mother addressed by Jeremiah in the warning oracle. It is a word for women whose voice mattered, whose counsel could shape kingdoms, whose seat was not decorative. Gebirah also reminds us that the Hebrew Bible has more women in places of influence than English readers often notice. The vocabulary itself made room for it.
Why this word matters
Most of us read the Old Testament and notice the kings. Gebirah taught me to notice the queen mothers. I spent years assuming biblical women were sidelined by the culture. The word gebirah is one of many corrections to that. Hebrew had a dedicated noun for a woman of formal political weight. The kings' mothers were named. Their reigns were recorded. Their counsel was sought. That does not erase the patriarchy of the era, but it complicates the easy story. The God who chose to deal with humanity through the line of Abraham also chose to write women into the official record using a word that meant power.
Etymology
Gebirah comes from the root g-b-r, meaning to be mighty, strong, prevail. Same root as geber (man, hero), gibbor (mighty warrior), geburah (might, power). The feminine ending -ah makes it specifically feminine. Used about a dozen times in the Hebrew Bible.
Key Verses
Where gebirah appears in Scripture, and why each verse showcases it.
Jeremiah 13:18ESV
Say to the king and the queen mother: 'Take a lowly seat, for your beautiful crown has come down from your head.'
Gebirah in a prophetic oracle. The queen mother is addressed with the same weight as the king.
2 Kings 10:13ESV
We are coming down to visit the royal princes and the sons of the queen mother.
Gebirah named in the royal records. Her sons matter because of her position.
Genesis 16:4ESV
And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.
Different context: gebirah used of Sarai. The word marks Sarai's authority in the household.
Related Words
Words in the same semantic family.
1 Teaching on gebirah
Every video where Adam teaches on this word, in publication order.
