Bible Study on Women of the Bible

The Bible is packed with powerful stories of praying women who trusted God and followed His plan for their lives, even when it wasn't easy. 

In this post, we explore these women's lives and learn from their examples, making it easy for you to have a meaningful “women of the Bible” study. Each section includes an overview of the woman's story, key lessons, and discussion questions to help you apply the lesson. 

Grab your Bible and join us as we journey through the lives of some amazing women!

Which Women of the Bible Should I Study?

Most people are familiar with the story of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and Eve, the first woman created. But other iconic Biblical women are often overlooked and under appreciated. Check out these six other stories for a Bible study on women of the Bible:

Sarah

Sarah was the wife of Abraham, the mother of Isaac, and an excellent example of faith, obedience, and trust in God's plan. In a nutshell, Sarah and Abraham were childless for many years, but God had promised them that they would have a son. Finally, their son Isaac was born when Sarah was 90 and Abraham was 100.

Sarah overcame her doubt and believed in God’s promise. She is also a great example of obedience, following God’s instructions even when she had no idea how things would play out. Finally, Sarah teaches us about trusting that God knows what He is doing even when we don’t understand His plan.

Key lessons: Faith, obedience, trust

Bible references: Genesis 11:27, 17:1-22, 18:1-15, 21:1-7

Discussion Questions

1. In what ways has Sarah’s story challenged or encouraged your faith?
2. How can you be more obedient to God, even when His instructions don’t make sense?
3. In what areas of your life do you need to trust God more?

Hannah

Hannah was the wife of Elkanah. Unfortunately, she could not have children, which deeply saddened her. Still, she prayed fervently for a son – promising that, if God gave her one, she would dedicate him to serve in the temple.

After many tearful prayers, God answered her cries, and Hannah gave birth to Samuel. She followed through with her promise and dedicated Samuel to serve in the temple. 

Today, Hannah teaches us the importance of persevering through difficult times, trusting God's plan, and believing He's working behind the scenes.

Key lessons: Prayer, hope, perseverance

Bible references: 1 Samuel 1:1-28

Discussion Questions

1. What are some things you’ve been praying for?
2. How has your relationship with God given you hope during challenging times?
3. What do you need to persevere through right now?

Ruth

Ruth was a Moabite woman who married into an Israelite family. After her husband and father-in-law died, Ruth chose to stay with her mother-in-law Naomi instead of returning to her own people. This act of loyalty and love led to Ruth becoming the great-grandmother of King David, one of the most significant figures in the Bible.

Ruth’s story shows us the importance of loyalty and love. It also teaches us about sacrifice, where giving up our own ideas and desires to do what’s right can lead to blessings in the long run.

Key lessons: Loyalty, love, sacrifice

Bible references: Ruth 1-4

Discussion Questions

1. Who are some people in your life whom you are loyal to?
2. In what ways can you show love to others, even if you think they don't deserve it?
3. What are some things you need to sacrifice to serve God better?

Esther

Esther was a Jewish woman who became the queen of Persia, a crucial position at the time. When her people were threatened with genocide, Esther gathered the courage and used her position of power to save them.

The story of Esther shows that God can use anyone – regardless of their background or circumstances – to achieve His purposes. It also teaches us the importance of courage and strength in facing adversity. Finally, the story of Esther reminds us that Godly wisdom is more valuable than anything else, which led her to become one of the most iconic women in the Bible.

Key lessons: Courage, strength, wisdom

Bible references: Esther 1-10

Discussion Questions

1. In what ways has God used you despite your weaknesses?
2. When have you been faced with a difficult situation that required courage?
3. What are some wise decisions you’ve made in your life? How did they turn out?

The Woman at the Well

Jesus was in Samaria when He asked a woman by the well to give Him a drink. She was surprised that He’d talk to her, as Jews and Samaritans were deeply divided. But He said that if she helped Him, He would give her "living water” to quench her thirst permanently. 

She asked for some, and He told her to go call her husband. She said she didn’t have one, but Jesus revealed that He knew she had five husbands, and the man she was living with wasn’t one of them. She was amazed that He knew this about her and realized that Jesus was the Messiah. She went into town to tell everyone about the encounter, and many people came to believe in Jesus. 

The story teaches us that anybody can believe and accept salvation, regardless of what they’ve done in life.

Key lessons: Salvation, obedience, evangelism

Bible references: John 4:1-42

Discussion Questions

1. Have you ever experienced salvation through Christ? If so, how has your life changed?
2. What are some ways you can obey Christ’s commands?
3. Who are some people you can share the gospel with? How can you do that?

The Widow’s Offering

The widow's offering is a story from the Bible about a poor widow who gave all she had to the temple treasury. She gave more than the rich did, as she only had two small copper coins left and no other source of income after her husband's death. Still, she offered them to God. Jesus saw this, and He commended her for her faithfulness.

This story teaches us how to give gratefully and generously, even when we don’t have much. It also reminds us to give with a heart of obedience and thankfulness – not because we feel like we have to or want something in return.

Key lessons: Giving, obedience, thankfulness

Bible references: Mark 12:41-44

Discussion Questions

1. What things in your life are you holding on to or keeping for yourself?
2. Apart from money, what are some things you can give to God to show your gratefulness?
3. Why is it important to be thankful for what we have, even if it’s not much?

How to Study the Women of the Bible

Just as there are many ways to study a particular subject in school, there are many ways you can study the women of the Bible and apply key lessons in your life. Here are a few suggestions:

• Read the stories of the women in the Bible: As you read, take note of crucial lessons and challenge yourself with questions. The deeper you unpack the story, the more you’ll learn from God.
• Study specific themes related to the women of the Bible: For example, you could study what the Bible says about love, obedience, sacrifice, etc., instead of focusing on just one woman per study.
• Use a concordance or study Bible to look up verses on specific Biblical women: These guides will often have discussion questions and key points, too. As you read the material, consider what Scripture teaches us about God and His character and how you can apply the lessons to your personal life.

Here are a few pro tips for you to conduct Bible studies on women of the Bible:

1. Pray before you start the study and ask God to guide your thoughts and words.
2. Choose a quiet place with no distractions where everyone can sit in a circle and see each other’s faces.
3. Start by asking each person to introduce themselves and share their favorite Bible story.
4. Segue the conversation and introduce the material on hand. Read the story of the woman from the Bible, pausing after each page or paragraph to allow people time to think about what they’ve read.
5. Ask questions in between sections of the story, encouraging people to share their thoughts and feelings. You want them to engage with the story so they can put themselves in the shoes of the Bible character.
6. After telling the story, spend some time thinking about how the story applies to each member’s life. If the discussion leads or opens into a new topic, the Holy Spirit may be working in your midst to discuss other issues your members may be concerned about.
7. Close in prayer, asking God to help you apply the lessons you’ve learned.

Ultimately, your goal is to ensure that each member hears the story, becomes sensitive to God's voice, understands what practical lessons He wants them to learn, and applies the teaching to their daily lives.

Women Role Models from the Bible

The stories of the women in the Bible are inspiring and teach us valuable lessons about God, His character, and how we should live our lives. As Scripture tells us, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16), which means that every person mentioned in the Bible is a potential role model for spiritual growth.

We hope these tips will help you study the women of the Bible and encourage you to apply key lessons in your own life. Happy studying!