Businesswomen of the Bible

Can you believe I’ve been a real-life entrepreneur for six months now?? Because I sure can’t!!

I told someone that the other day, and then had to sit back and let myself process that. Somehow, I have survived half a year of being my own boss, marketer, financial department, human resources, janitor, and designer. And I know not every small business makes it to this point. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this crazy adventure!

Even before I made the official decision to get my own LLC, I was researching about it as much as possible. Online articles, advice from friends, self-improvement books, even fictional characters in books or movies. But there was one research source that took me pathetically long to use: the Bible.

Yes, it’s true, the Bible has advice on owning a business! Quite a lot, actually, especially in Proverbs. And there are many Biblical people who owned businesses, so just reading about their stories gave me advice and tips.

Then I hit the jackpot. I found something in the Bible that was an unexpected but badly needed source of advice, especially for someone like me: there are a number of female entrepreneurs in the Bible. And they all have their own lessons to share with me!

Rachel – Shepherd, Family Business

We know Rachel as the wife of Jacob, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. But we first meet her as a shepherdess of her father’s sheep in Genesis 29:9. Don’t go thinking she was some cute little shepherdess herding cute little sheep. Remember that David was a shepherd too, and he killed lions and bears with a sling and staff! Shepherds had to be strong, tough, and brave to protect their flocks. Odds are high that Rachel was all these things as well. I bet she killed her fair share of wolves and lions! May I be as strong and determined as Rachel.

Shiphrah and Puah – Midwives

I’m guessing you don’t recognize their names, but I bet you would recognize their setting: these women were the midwives of the Hebrews in Egypt right around the time Moses was born. Before Pharoah ruled that all baby boys were to be thrown into the Nile, he had commanded Shiphrah and Puah to kill the boys themselves while they were delivering them. Thank God, they did no such thing; these women kept the boys alive, and when Egyptian officials interrogated them about it, they shrugged their shoulders and lied. “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive” (Exodus 1:19). Because of their bravery, God protected them and later gave them spouses and families of their own. May I be as steady in my morals and beliefs as Shiphrah and Puah.

Deborah – Judge

If you want a story about a strong female reader, look up the judge Deborah in Judges 4 and 5. Not only one of the first judges of Israel, Deborah was also the ONLY female judge. The Israelites came to her for advice and to have their disputes decided. Later on, she went to battle the Canaanites with God’s chosen army commander, Barak, who flat-out refused to fight unless she came with. Perhaps Deborah was fiery and charismatic, perhaps she was a calm and study rock of sense. We don’t know for sure. What we DO know is that she was a courageous follower of the Lord who trusted what He told her, as scary or strange as it sounded. May I be a leader as trustworthy as Deborah.

Proverbs 31 Woman – Businesswoman, Land Owner

This woman is an INCREDIBLE example of an entrepreneur, female or male! “The Wife of Noble Character” was never a real woman, more a personified list of traits, and women today have to be careful not to try to live up to her “perfection.” But I still think she is a great example of Godly traits! There are a number of verses describing her abilities with spinning and selling fabric, and in Proverbs 31:16 she “considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.” Not her husband’s money, HER money. This woman creates, sells, and trades her own products, manages her own money, and invests that money wisely. She is described as hard-working, very generous to the poor, wise, dignified, strong, and God-fearing. May I be as hard-working and wise in my business dealings as the Proverbs 31 Woman.

Lydia – Purple Cloth Merchant

Lydia is probably the most well-known example of a Biblical businesswoman. We hear of her in Acts 16:11-15, when Paul and Timothy travel to the Roman colony Philippi.  She is described as a “dealer of purple cloth” (Acts 16:14), which means that she either sold or made purple cloth (or both) for the wealthiest people in the area. That makes her RICH. But that money did not ruin her; she worshipped God even before Paul and Timothy arrived, and she and her household became some of the first Christians baptized in Philippi. Right away she put her wealth to use and invited Paul and Timothy to stay in her house while they were in the area. A generous woman who knew that money was not the end-all, but simply a tool to help others and to expand God’s kingdom. May I use my money generously for God’s glory like Lydia.

Bonus: Ruth – Unemployed

Yes, I have an unemployed person on this list. I have been unemployed multiple times through my life and let me tell you: it stinks BIG time, EVERY time. Ruth was in that same boat, following her beloved mother-in-law Naomi from Ruth’s homeland of Moab to Naomi’s homeland of Israel. Once there, she asked to start working: “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor” (Ruth 2:2). Basically, “let me go find odd jobs to keep us afloat.” Later on, her life improves dramatically when she becomes wife to Boaz, but I want to focus on what she did when her life was low and scary, because Ruth was a big inspiration for me during similar times for myself. She worked hard at low jobs; she was unfailingly loving and faithful to her family (Naomi); she was humble; and she trusted God, a God she had not known very long but trusted enough to leave her homeland for. May I be as steadfast and faithful in the hard times as Ruth.

Are there other women of the Bible, either entrepreneurs or not, who inspire you? Let me know in the comments below!

All the best!

Brittany Becker