The Bible provides wisdom on all aspects of life, including warnings about the dangers of wickedness. Throughout Scripture, evil women serve as examples of the consequences of deceit, manipulation, and sin. These passages highlight the characteristics of such women, warning believers to be discerning and steadfast in righteousness. Below are key Bible verses that expose the traits and actions of ungodly women.
Also Read: Bible Verses About Stubborn Woman
Jezebel: The Wicked Queen
Jezebel is one of the most infamous evil women in the Bible. She was a queen who led Israel into idolatry and persecuted the prophets of God. Her story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of power used for evil. She was manipulative, cruel, and led many away from the truth. The Bible condemns her actions and shows how her wickedness ultimately led to her downfall.
1 Kings 21:25
“No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord’s sight as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel.”
Revelation 2:20
“But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols.”
2 Kings 9:22
“When Joram saw Jehu, he demanded, ‘Do you come in peace, Jehu?’ Jehu replied, ‘How can there be peace as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother, Jezebel, are all around us?’”
1 Kings 19:2
“So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: ‘May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.’”
2 Kings 9:30
“When Jezebel, the queen mother, heard that Jehu had come to Jezreel, she painted her eyelids and fixed her hair and sat at a window.”
Delilah: The Betrayer
Delilah is known for her deception and betrayal of Samson. She pretended to love him while secretly conspiring with his enemies. Her actions show the dangers of deceitful relationships and the power of manipulation. Samson’s downfall came because he placed his trust in someone who sought to destroy him. Her story warns us to be cautious of those who use their influence for selfish and destructive purposes.
Judges 16:4-5
“Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the valley of Sorek. The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, ‘Entice Samson to tell you what makes him so strong and how he can be overpowered and tied up securely. Then each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.’”
Judges 16:6
“So Delilah said to Samson, ‘Please tell me what makes you so strong and what it would take to tie you up securely.’”
Judges 16:16
“She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it.”
Judges 16:19
“Delilah lulled Samson to sleep with his head in her lap, and then she called in a man to shave off the seven locks of his hair. In this way, she began to bring him down, and his strength left him.”
Judges 16:21
“So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison.”
Potiphar’s Wife: The Liar
Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph, and when he rejected her advances, she falsely accused him of wrongdoing. Her story illustrates the consequences of deceit and the importance of integrity. Joseph’s refusal to give in to temptation demonstrates the power of righteousness, even when facing false accusations.
Genesis 39:7
“And Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. ‘Come and sleep with me,’ she demanded.”
Genesis 39:8-9
“But Joseph refused. ‘Look,’ he told her, ‘my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.’”
Genesis 39:12
“She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, ‘Come on, sleep with me!’ Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.”
Genesis 39:14
“She called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. ‘Look!’ she said. ‘My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed.’”
Genesis 39:20
“So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained.”
Also Read: Bible Verses About Wise Woman
Herodias: The Schemer
Herodias was a woman driven by ambition and revenge. She held a grudge against John the Baptist because he spoke out against her unlawful marriage. Using her daughter as a pawn, she orchestrated the execution of John the Baptist. Her story is a warning against the dangers of holding onto bitterness and using manipulation for personal gain.
Mark 6:18-19
“John had been telling Herod, ‘It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.’ So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval, she was powerless.”
Mark 6:22-23
“When the daughter of Herodias came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests, the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for anything you like, and I will give it to you.’ He even vowed, ‘I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!’”
Mark 6:24-25
“She went out and asked her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ Her mother told her, ‘Ask for the head of John the Baptist!’ So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, ‘I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!’”
Mark 6:26-27
“Then the king deeply regretted what he had said, but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him.”
Mark 6:28
“The soldier beheaded John in the prison, brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother.”
Athaliah: The Murderous Queen
Athaliah was a ruthless queen who seized power through violence. She murdered her own grandchildren to secure the throne. Her reign was marked by wickedness, and she led Judah into idolatry. Her story serves as a reminder of the destructive nature of greed and power when left unchecked.
2 Kings 11:1
“When Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, learned that her son was dead, she began to destroy the rest of the royal family.”
2 Kings 11:3
“Joash remained hidden in the Temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land.”
2 Chronicles 22:10
“When Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, learned that her son was dead, she began to destroy the rest of Judah’s royal family.”
2 Kings 11:13-14
“When Athaliah heard the noise made by the palace guards and the people, she hurried to the Lord’s Temple to see what was happening. When she saw the newly crowned king standing in his place of authority by the pillar, she tore her clothes in despair and shouted, ‘Treason! Treason!’”
2 Kings 11:16
“So they seized her and led her out to the gate where horses enter the palace grounds, and she was killed there.”
Gomer: The Unfaithful Wife
Gomer was the unfaithful wife of the prophet Hosea. Her story is a powerful illustration of God’s love and grace despite human unfaithfulness. Though she pursued sinful ways, God commanded Hosea to redeem her, demonstrating His desire to restore the wayward.
Hosea 1:2
“When the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, ‘Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.’”
Hosea 1:3
“So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she became pregnant and gave Hosea a son.”
Hosea 2:5
“Their mother is a shameless prostitute and became pregnant in a shameful way. She said, ‘I’ll run after other lovers and sell myself to them for food and water, for clothing of wool and linen, and for olive oil and drinks.’”
Hosea 3:1
“Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.’”
Hosea 3:2
“So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine.”
The Adulterous Woman: A Warning
The Bible frequently warns about the dangers of adultery. The adulterous woman is described as one who leads others into sin, bringing destruction upon herself and those who follow her. These verses caution against lust, temptation, and the consequences of infidelity.
Proverbs 5:3-4
“For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword.”
Proverbs 6:24-25
“It will keep you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of a promiscuous woman. Don’t lust for her beauty. Don’t let her coy glances seduce you.”
Proverbs 7:10-11
“The woman approached him, seductively dressed and sly of heart. She was the brash, rebellious type, never content to stay at home.”
Proverbs 7:21-22
“So she seduced him with her pretty speech and enticed him with her flattery. He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter.”
Proverbs 9:13-18
“The woman named Folly is brash. She is ignorant and doesn’t know it… But little do they know that the dead are there. Her guests are in the depths of the grave.”