I intentionally chose this article title to spark a reaction and stimulate discussion, for it is pretty well accepted by Christian men and women alike that the authors of the 66 books of the Bible were most likely all male (with the possible exception of the Book of Hebrews, which some believe may have been written by Priscilla). What is rarely discussed, however, is that these men recorded the songs, prayers, and passionate speeches of women in their writings. The original authors and composers of these words were female, not male, and men later recorded their words at God’s command. Some well meaning Christians actually believe that God would never use women’s words to teach men; this seems like utter foolishness to me as God Himself saw to it that these women’s words were immortalized through His Holy Word, the Bible.
Female Author of the Bible #1: Miriam
We have Miriam, Moses’s sister, singing a song of praise after the parting of the Red Sea. “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea.” (See Exodus 15:20-21.) She was called a prophetess and well respected by both men and women alike.
Female Author of the Bible #2: Deborah
We have Deborah’s song in Judges 5 which most scholars agree was written by this female judge herself. (See Judges 5:7) Her song of praise reads like a history lesson, filled with proper names and places. “Then the men who were left came down to the nobles; the people of the Lord came to me with the mighty. Some came from Ephraim, whose roots were in Amalek; Benjamin was with the people who followed you. From Makir captains came down, from Zebulun those who bear a commander’s staff.” (See Judges 5:13-14) She was also called a prophetess (see Judges 4:4) and was well respected.
Female Author of the Bible #3:
The Book of Ruth is written primarily about the relationship between two women, Ruth a Moabite, and Naomi her Jewish mother-in-law. Ruth’s passionate declaration of loyalty to her mother-in-law has stirred the hearts of both women and men alike down through the centuries: “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.” (See Ruth 1:16-17)
Female Author of the Bible #4:
We have Hannah’s prayer of thanksgiving, after the birth and dedication of her son Samuel, recorded in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Her words, like Deborah’s, are surprisingly aggressive and military in nature, not at all what you might expect from a member of the “weaker sex.”: “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed. The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.” (See 1 Samuel 2:3-4)
Female Author of the Bible #5:
Elizabeth’s passionate speech in Luke 1:42-45 will never be forgotten. She is filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaims for joy when she hears her cousin Mary’s voice. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”
Female Author of the Bible #6:
And last, but certainly not least, we have the Virgin Mary, herself, as she composed one of the most beautiful songs of all time. “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name.” (See Luke 1:46-55 for the complete lyrics.)
Blessings!
Sources
Women’s Devotional Bible. New International Version
Compton’s Interactive Bible NIV
