Topical Encyclopedia
In the biblical context, the term "princess" refers to the daughters of kings or high-ranking officials, often playing significant roles in the narratives of the Scriptures. The Hebrew word often translated as "princess" is "שָׂרָה" (sarah), which can also mean "noblewoman" or "lady." The role and influence of princesses in biblical times varied, but they were often pivotal in the unfolding of God's plans and the history of Israel.
Notable Biblical Princesses:1.
Sarah: Although not a princess in the traditional sense, Sarah, the wife of Abraham, is a significant figure whose name itself means "princess." Her account is foundational to the Abrahamic covenant.
Genesis 17:15-16 states, "Then God said to Abraham, 'As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name will be Sarah. And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will become the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.'"
2.
Tamar: The daughter of King David, Tamar is a tragic figure whose account is recounted in
2 Samuel 13. She was a princess by birth, and her narrative highlights the complexities and challenges faced by royal women in ancient Israel. Her account is a poignant reminder of the personal and familial struggles within the royal household.
3.
Miriam: While not a princess by title, Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, held a position of prominence among the Israelites. She is recognized as a prophetess and played a crucial role during the Exodus.
Exodus 15:20 notes, "Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing."
4.
Bathsheba: Initially the wife of Uriah, Bathsheba became a queen and the mother of Solomon, one of Israel's greatest kings. Her account, found in
2 Samuel 11-12, illustrates the dynamics of power, repentance, and redemption within the royal family.
5.
Esther: A Jewish woman who became the queen of Persia, Esther is a central figure in the Book of Esther. Her courage and wisdom were instrumental in saving her people from destruction.
Esther 4:14 records Mordecai's words to her: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Role and Influence:Princesses in the Bible often found themselves at the intersection of political, familial, and spiritual realms. Their lives were marked by both privilege and responsibility, and their actions could have far-reaching consequences. In many cases, they were used by God to fulfill His purposes, whether through direct intervention or through the lineage they helped establish.
The narratives of these women reflect the broader themes of God's sovereignty, the importance of faithfulness, and the unfolding of His redemptive plan through history. While their titles and circumstances varied, the princesses of the Bible each contributed uniquely to the tapestry of biblical history.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A female prince; a woman having sovereign power, or the rank of a prince.
2. (n.) The daughter of a sovereign; a female member of a royal family.
3. (n.) The consort of a prince; as, the princess of Wales.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINCESSprin'-ses: The Hebrew term is sarah (compare sar, prince, and "Sarah"); it means
(1) a queen (Isaiah 49:23, the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) both "queen");
(2) the consort of a king contrasted with his concubines (1 Kings 11:3, "He had seven hundred wives. princesses, and three hundred concubines");
(3) the wife of a prince (Esther 1:18 the "princesses of Persia and Media");
(4) it is metaphorically used of the city of Jerusalem (Lamentations 1:1).
Strong's Hebrew
8282. sarah --princess, noble lady... sarah. 8283 .
princess, noble lady. Transliteration: sarah Phonetic Spelling:
(saw-raw') Short Definition: princesses. Word Origin fem.
... lady,
princess, queen.
...8283. Sarah -- "princess," a wife of Abraham
... 8282, 8283. Sarah. 8284 . "princess," a wife of Abraham. Transliteration:
Sarah Phonetic Spelling: (saw-raw') Short Definition: Sarah....
Library
Princess Elizabeth.
... INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS VOLUME.Princess Elizabeth.Princess of the
Rhine, born in the year 1620. She was the eldest daughter...
The UglyPrincess
... THE UGLYPRINCESS. My parents bow, and lead them forth, For all the crowd to see"
Ah well! the people might not care To cheer a dwarf like me....
Constantine the Son of a BritishPrincess.
... Chapter III Writings. 2. Constantine the Son of a BritishPrincess. Duke Coel of
Colchester, say the old chronicles, by an insurrection became king....
Reign of Sanadroug; Murder of Abgar's Children; thePrincess...
... Ancient Syriac Documents. Moses of Chorene. History of Armenia. X. Reign of
Sanadroug; murder of Abgar's children; theprincess Helena....
The Finding of Moses
... She knew that presently the greatprincess, Pharaoh's daughter, would come down
to bathe in the river, and would notice the queer little ark floating there....
The Dream of St. Ursula
... In the year 1869, just before leaving Venice, I had been carefully looking at a
picture by Victor Carpaccio, representing the dream of a youngprincess....
The Child Moses.
... She had seen a fair Egyptianprincess coming down from the palace every morning
to bathe in the river at a place not far from her hut; and she thought that if...
The Story of Moses, the Child who was Found in the River
... She placed her baby boy in the ark, and let it float down the river where theprincess,
Pharaoh's daughter, would see it.... "Yes," said theprincess....
The Cradle that was Rocked by a River.
... "This is one of the Hebrew's children," she said, and as the baby's sister came
near she asked theprincess if she should go and get a nurse from among the...
The Age, Birth, and Life of Moses.
... Miriam. My sister to theprincess ran, and said,. Is it thy pleasure, that I haste
and find.... Among the Hebrew women?' Theprincess. Gave assent....
Thesaurus
Princess (2 Occurrences)... 2. (n.) The daughter of a sovereign; a female member of a royal family. 3. (n.)
The consort of a prince; as, the
princess of Wales. Int.
...PRINCESS.
...Pharaoh's (72 Occurrences)
... (1.) Theprincess who adopted the infant Moses (qv), Exodus 2:10.... (bath-par`oh):
Theprincess who rescued Moses (Exodus 2:5-10 Hebrews 11:24)....
Moses (9295 Occurrences)
... king by constructing for him an ark of bulrushes, which she laid among the flags
which grew on the edge of the river at the spot where theprincess was wont to...
Daughter (320 Occurrences)
... 12). Edward Bagby Pollard. PHARAOH'S DAUGHTER. (bath-par`oh): Theprincess
who rescued Moses (Exodus 2:5-10 Hebrews 11:24). This is...
Cambyses
... It is variously said that she was Cassandane, a Persianprincess, Amytis, a Median
princess, or Nititis, a daughter of Apries king of Egypt....
Sarai (13 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Myprincess, the name originally borne by Sarah (Genesis
11:31; 17:15). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SARAH; SARAI....
Salome (2 Occurrences)
... But he had not anticipated for his guests the rare luxury of seeing aprincess,
his own niece, a grand-daughter of Herod the Great and of Mariamne, a descendant...
Sarah (38 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible DictionaryPrincess, the wife and at the same time the
half-sister of Abraham (Genesis 11:29; 20:12). This name was...
Vassal (4 Occurrences)
... She has become as a widow, who was great among the nations! She who was a
princess among the provinces is become tributary! (See RSV)....
Zoheleth (1 Occurrence)
... the fountain of En-rogel, to which the women of the village resort for water (1
Kings 1:5-9). Here Adonijah (qv) feasted all the royalprincess except Solomon...
Resources
How should Christians view Disney? | GotQuestions.orgWho is the king of the North in Daniel 11? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Miriam in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgPrincess: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
