The Bible as a book of hope, inspiration and strength in times of difficulties, challenges and adversity has recorded several people that had difficulties in childbearing.
This affects both genders as read in the Bible but women were the most vulnerable ones. The scripture shows how outgoing they were to find a solution to their barrenness and benefit from the reward of children from God.
I will be putting us through the story of these notable barren women in the Bible, their faith in God and how God showed up for them at the appointed time and changed their status.
Their stories will serve as a source of inspiration to the present-day Christian women who may be undergoing the challenge of barrenness, but I can assure you by the time you finished reading the story of these victorious barren women, you too, shall have a testimony.
Barren Women in the Bible
The Bible also has characters that were barren and also notable because of their persistent disturbance to the husband or God for a breakthrough that seemed delayed.
Barrenness in a union can take a different shape if the husband bows to the societal and family pressures of taking another wife or having a concubine to bear their children as a solution to his bareness with the first wife.
But, according to the book of Psalms 113:9, “He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children”. Praise the LORD! This portion of the Bible contains the healing tablet for the heart of every barren woman waiting on God for her miracle.
These are some of the notable barren women in the Bible we have singled out for this piece. They are Sarah, Hannah, Rebekah, Rachael, the unnamed wife of Manoah, the Shunammite woman and Elizabeth.
Excitedly, the good news is they all gave birth to children of their own in God’s appointed time and enjoyed the gift of motherhood as they raised godly children to the glory of God.
1. Sarah
Genesis 16:2
“And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go into my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.”
Genesis 16:2 (ESV)
Genesis 21:1-7
1. The LORD Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. 2. And Sarah and bore Abraham a son in his old age the time of which God had spoken to him. 3. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. 4. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.6. And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 7. And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Genesis 21:1-7 (ESV)
Sarah was Abraham’s wife and she was one of the barren women in the Bible. Her name was changed from Sarai to Sarah because of the need to change her childless condition, God.
God gave her a child at the age of 90 years and her husband Abraham was 100 years when Isaac, the promised child was born.
They didn’t believe they could still own a child at such an old age but God thought differently. By the human calendar, it could be considered late by man, but God is always on time no matter how long it takes.
2. Hannah
1 Samuel 1:6-17
6. And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. 7. So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 8. And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?” 9. After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. 10. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly.11. And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”12. As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth.13. Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman.14. And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.”15. But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.16. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.”17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.”
1 Samuel 1:6-17 (ESV)
Hannah is also one of the barren women in the Bible. Her co-wife, Pininnah was a mother of not just a child but children when Hannah was yet to have a child of her own.
respite the unconditional love her husband Elkanah showered on her, was worried and troubled for the gift of a child from God. In all her waiting years, Hannah trusted in God and God came through for her.
She went and emptied her grief on God and God granted the desires of her heart. Sometimes, with Samuel, the sanctuary keeper. It is more healthy to seek God in our most grievous of moments in life, His ear is always attentive to our pleas.
3. Rebekah
Genesis 25:21
“And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.”
Genesis 25:21 (ESV)
Rebekah was also a barren woman according to the Bible. Her case was different from other barren women; her husband interceded on her behalf instead of leaving the entire burden to her.
God heard him and made his wife to be fruitful. Sometimes, barrenness is not all on the women, men can also be barren and men can also seek the face of God for a solution to their wives’ barrenness.
4. Rachel
Genesis 29:31-32
31. When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. 32. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, “Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.”
Genesis 29:31-32 (ESV)
Genesis 30:1, 23-24
1. When Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I shall die!” 23. She conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.” 24. And she called his name Joseph, saying, “May the LORD add to me another son!”
Genesis 30:1, 23-24 (ESV)
Rachel also had a delay in childbearing. Jacob wanted to marry her because he loved her but the practice of the country of Rachel did not allow a younger sister to be married before the first.
He was given Leah instead of Rachel and, Jacob had to work for additional seven years. On completion, God noticed that Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah.
He closed Rachel’s womb and opened Leah’s womb in other to increase her worth and value. Exodus 20:5b, “for I the LORD your God am a jealous God”. God was jealous of Leah.
God despite shutting Rachel’s womb for a while, reopened her womb and she conceived and gave birth to Joseph, who saved his household in Egypt when there was a great famine in their country.
5. The unnamed wife of Manoah
Judges 13:2-5, 24
2. There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children.3. And the angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4. Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, 5. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” 24. And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the LORD blessed him.
Judges 13:2-5, 24 (ESV)
Manoah’s wife was also a barren woman in the Bible and she gave birth to Sampson, the one that saved the Israelites from the hand of the Philistines.
It may be surprising that there were so many people at the time when Sampson was not born but God was not interested in using them for Israel’s deliverance. God is interested in every barren woman. It might be delayed but God reserves the best for His own.
6. The Shunammite Woman
2nd Kings 4:14, 16-17
14. And he said, “What then is to be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.” 16. And he said, “At this season, about this time next year, you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, O man of God; do not lie to your servant.” 17. But the woman conceived, and she bore a son about that time the following spring, as Elisha had said to her”.
2nd Kings 4:14, 16-17 (ESV)
The Shunammite woman was also barren in the Bible. Her warmth and welcoming of the man of God granted her access to the blessing of a child.
When she had almost lost the child, God honoured His name and brought the child back to life to prove that His blessings add no sorrow.
Good character and good-heartedness can also make a barren woman a mother, it is pertinent for every woman while waiting to be blessed with a child to do well for other people’s children.
This show of love, care and kindness can provoke God to provide and give you the best.
7. Elizabeth
Luke 1:5-7, 24-25
5. In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. 24. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Luke 1:5-7, 24-25 (ESV)
Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist; the forerunner of Jesus Christ was also a barren woman in the Bible before God’s visitation in her life.
She was barren and her barrenness was delayed because her child’s destiny was connected to Jesus’ and she had to wait for her cousin Mary, to conceive.
Sometimes, there might be a reason for a delay, trust God. He has the best reason for everything and his time is always the best of times.
Conclusion
Every woman expects to enjoy and have the feeling of motherhood. It is an unexplainable experience every woman of childbearing age longed for.
Although to some women children may not come as when expected as we have seen in the above Bible passages. It is expedient to always wait on God for the blessing of children.
The above-mentioned notable barren women in the Bible were only childless for a while because they waited on God and their husbands were also supportive and intervened for them like in the case of Rebekah.
Are you believing God for the fruit of the womb? Bible should bring long-lasting hope to the heart of every barren woman look at the books of Luke 18:27, But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” and in Ecclesiastes 3:11.
These two passages should mend the heart of all the barren women, with the hope that just in a little while, God will come through for you and your children shall surround your table.