Lexical Summary gebirah: Queen, Mistress, Lady Original Word: גְּבִירָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance queen Feminine of gbiyr; a mistress -- queen. see HEBREW gbiyr NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. of gebir Definition lady, queen NASB Translation queen (1), queen mother (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs גְּבִירָה noun feminine 1. lady, queen, 1 Kings 11:19; 2 queen-mother, 1 Kings 15:13 2Chronicles 15:16; ׳וַיְסִרֶהָ מִגּ he removed her from (the position of) queen-mother; compare 2 Kings 10:13; Jeremiah 13:18; Jeremiah 29:2. Topical Lexicon Term and Scope of Meaning גְּבִירָה designates a woman of royal authority, most often the king’s mother, but in one instance the queen consort of an Egyptian Pharaoh (1 Kings 11:19). In the Israelite and Judean courts the queen mother functioned as an established officer of state, influencing succession, policy, and public piety. Royal Office and Authority The mother of a reigning king enjoyed unique prestige in the ancient Near East. Her status was not contingent on the king’s changing matrimonial alliances, and her proximity to the throne gave her enduring political weight. Scripture reflects this reality by naming and sometimes evaluating the conduct of the גְּבִירָה alongside the king himself. Like all authorities, her role was subject to covenant accountability (Jeremiah 13:18). Biblical Survey of Occurrences 1. Egyptian Court (1 Kings 11:19). Pharaoh’s wife Tahpenes, called “the queen,” reveals that the title could apply outside Israel’s monarchy, underscoring its broader cultural currency. Historical Significance The consistent mention of the queen mother in royal formulas (for example, the regnal summaries of Kings and Chronicles) affirms her constitutional place in the monarchy. Contemporary records from Mesopotamia and Egypt corroborate the office’s diplomatic and cultic functions, explaining why Maacah’s idolatry threatened the nation’s orthodoxy and why prophets addressed her directly. Spiritual and Ministry Implications 1. Influence of Parenthood. The queen mother’s prominence reminds believers of the formative power parents wield over future leaders (compare Proverbs 31:1). Theological Reflection The queen mother embodies both privilege and peril: privilege, because her close relationship to the king afforded her a platform for covenant faithfulness; peril, because misuse of that platform imperiled the nation itself. Her account therefore reinforces the biblical principle that authority—whether paternal, maternal, or regal—must serve the glory of God and the good of His people. Forms and Transliterations הַגְּבִירָֽה׃ הגבירה׃ וְהַגְּבִירָ֨ה וְלַגְּבִירָ֖ה והגבירה ולגבירה מִגְּבִירָ֔ה מגבירה hag·gə·ḇî·rāh haggəḇîrāh haggeviRah mig·gə·ḇî·rāh miggəḇîrāh miggeviRah vehaggeviRah velaggeviRah wə·hag·gə·ḇî·rāh wə·lag·gə·ḇî·rāh wəhaggəḇîrāh wəlaggəḇîrāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 11:19 HEB: אֲח֖וֹת תַּחְפְּנֵ֥יס הַגְּבִירָֽה׃ NAS: the sister of Tahpenes the queen. KJV: the sister of Tahpenes the queen. INT: the sister of Tahpenes the queen 1 Kings 15:13 2 Kings 10:13 2 Chronicles 15:16 Jeremiah 13:18 Jeremiah 29:2 6 Occurrences |