Which Queens Are Mentioned in the Bible?
Queens mentioned in the Bible are the queen of Sheba, the queen of Ethiopia (Candace), Jezebel, Abihail, Azubah, Zibiah, Vashti, Nehushta, Michaiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoaddan, Jecoliah and Bathshua. Of these, the queen of Sheba receives the first mention, in 1 Kings 10:1-13.
The queen of Sheba is said to have traveled from the Persian Gulf to visit King Solomon in Jerusalem. Her intention was simply to learn from the king, whose wisdom she had heard tales of. Although the queen’s questions are not recorded, it is said that Solomon answered them all.
Although the kings of Israel had wives themselves, these were not considered queens in the same way as the queen of Sheba. The Hebrew word for “queen” is “malkah,” whereas the “wife of a king” is “shegal.”
Candace, the queen of Ethiopia (or Meroe in Upper Nubia), is mentioned in the New Testament. According to the ancient historians Pliny and Strabo, Candace was the name of multiple queens in the same wealthy region. It has also been suggested that Candace was an appellation comparable to the Egyptian pharaoh or Roman Caesar.
Of the Candace mentioned in the Bible, it is said that her treasurer, chamberlain or eunuch was converted to Christianity by Philip the Evangelist in Acts 8:27.
