The account of Noah’s Ark and the global flood is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible, capturing the imagination of believers and non-believers alike. While much attention is given to Noah, little is said of his wife. In this post, we will explore fascinating facts about Noah’s wife in the Bible, including her identity, crucial role as a partner, lessons from her life, and what she symbolizes.
From the onset, it’s important to mention that the Bible does not give us the name or specific details about Noah’s wife. This has resulted in loud speculations about her. Some people have even resorted to extra-biblical sources, Jewish tradition, and other ancient texts to fill in the blanks. We’ll mention some of this, look closely at the Biblical text, and uncover interesting details about Mrs. Noah.
But first, let’s put all this into context by understanding the man she was married to –Noah.
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The patriarch Noah is one of the most significant Old Testament characters. Nestled in the book of Genesis, chapters 4 to 9, is the story of Noah. Noah’s father was called Lamech. While the name of Lamech means powerful or strong, the name of Noah means rest or consolation, perhaps pointing to salvation (which the ark he would make was a symbol of). God blessed Noah and his wife with three children.
When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.” Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus, all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died. After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
The Biblical text also calls Noah a righteous man who walked closely with God.
These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.
Genesis 6:9
His assignment
Noah is most known for the ark encounter. When wickedness multiplied to despicable levels, Yahweh set out to destroy the corrupt world through a global flood. God tasked the righteous man Noah to build a wooden ark in which some animals would be preserved to help in the world’s repopulation. All kinds of animals, from clean animals to unclean animals, creeping things to large animals.
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The only human beings saved were Noah and his wife, the three sons of Noah (i.e., Shem, Ham, and Japheth), and their wives, making 8 human beings in total. After God’s warning, the rest of the world was annihilated by the flood waters at the end of the 120-year time period (more accurately, grace period). When Noah’s ark finally settled on the mountains of Ararat and the flood waters dried up, humans and animals were set free and repopulated the world.
Despite the fresh start, human beings would soon grow wicked again, necessitating the coming of Jesus Christ and his salvation. Noah and his wife played a significant role in the redemption story of man.
To this man was this precious woman married. That said, let’s shine the spotlight back on the wife of Noah. Before we get to any specific detail, let’s dispense with one question some people grapple with: was Noah polygamous?
How many wives did Noah have?
Relying on extra-biblical sources, some people have suggested that Noah was polygamous. Well, polygamy was pretty normal in Noah’s cultural context, and many of his compatriots had many wives.
As juicy as it sounds, there’s no evidence Noah had many wives. First, the proponents don’t give the names of the supposed wives of Noah.
Even more important, the canon has a contrary view. The Bible talks about Noah’s wife (singular), not wives. Every time she is mentioned, she is referred to in singular times. Moreover, all the genealogies of Noah’s family only feature one wife.
Consider the following Bible verses:
But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
Genesis 6:18
Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood.
Genesis 7:7
From these verses, we can authoritatively conclude that Noah had a single wife. He was among the few monogamous men in ancient times. This woman helped Noah in the monumental task of preserving the nations of the earth.
Does the Bible mention her name? Let’s find out next.
Noah’s wife in the Bible: what was her name?
As mentioned, God’s word -the Bible- gives very little details about Mrs. Noah. It is silent about her identity, only referring to her in relation to her husband, Noah. It does not tell us what her name was, her nationality, her family of origin, including family members, or when she got married to Noah.
This was the norm rather than the exception. Ancient Israel, as with Islamic traditions, was largely patriarchal, and women were rarely mentioned in genealogies. Not only is Noah’s wife not mentioned, but Noah’s mother and the wives of his sons are also equally unmentioned. Many women lived their lives as unsung heroes despite their significant contributions.
Suggested names from extra-biblical sources
Whether that was the right thing or not is a story for another day, but the silence of the Bible has led to speculation about the identity of Noah’s wife, particularly her name. Relying on extra-biblical sources and other ancient texts like the Dead Sea Scrolls, people have suggested a few possible names.
The most common name given to her is Naamah. According to the Genesis Rabbah, a Jewish commentary of the book of Genesis, the daughter of Lamech and the sister of Tubal-Cain (Genesis 4:22).
Zillah also bore Tubal-Cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
Genesis 4:22
Cain had a bad legacy. Later, the book of Jasher still calls her Naamah but records that she was the daughter of Enoch, not a descendant of Cain, in what appears to be an attempt to avoid Cain’s bad legacy.
The second name given to Noah’s wife was Emzara. The name Emzara was given by the Genesis Apocryphon. The Book of Jubilees, which is a non-canonical Jewish book that retells the book of Genesis, also refers to her as Emzara, adding that she was the daughter of Rake’el.
Another name
The third name given to Noah’s wife in the Bible was Barthenos. Assigned by Bishop Epiphanius of Salamis, it is thought to have confused the name of Noah’s wife for his mother. The Book of Jubilees mentions that Noah’s mother was called Batenosh. The similarity has led many people to conclude that it was a mixup.
So, should we refer to Noah’s wife by any of these three assigned names? No, not necessarily. As fascinating as it may be, we cannot vouch for the authenticity of any of these names as they are not mentioned in the Bible. These names are but suggestions from extra-biblical sources and various cultures.
There is wisdom in the saying: “Speak where the Bible speaks; be silent where the Bible is silent.”
God chose not to tell us the name of the wife of Noah. Furthermore, the absence of the name does not alter the Biblical narrative in any way. Therefore, let’s be content to refer to her as the Bible does: Noah’s wife.
Roles Noah’s wife played and important lessons we can learn from her
1. Building of the ark
The Bible does not explicitly state the role(s) that Mrs. Noah played, but she definitely participated in the work. In ancient Israel, work was a family endeavor. Families worked together. The day Noah received the instruction from Yahweh, he must have shared it with his entire family, especially his wife. They then owned the vision and helped accomplish it. She and the whole family labored away for 120 years and made the ark per God’s instruction. The faith Noah had and obedience ultimately led to the saving of his house.
Lesson: This highlights the importance of spousal support. This matriarch definitely sacrificed a lot to support her husband. If a marriage is to thrive, spouses must be selfless enough to sacrifice for the family’s well-being and offer mutual support to accomplish individual and family goals.
2. Gathering and taking care of animals in the ark
Once Noah’s ark was ready and the global flood looming, she must have also helped gather supplies for the journey. This would have included food, water, and clothing for her family. According to some extra-Biblical Jewish tradition, she also tended to the animals in the ark. This entailed bringing the animals into the ark two by two and caring for the diverse animals, i.e., feeding and cleaning them. Her maternal nurturing instincts must have kicked in.
Lesson: couples should harness their strengths and gifts for the betterment of the households. A family thrives when wives must put their nurturing instincts to work as husbands play their hunting and protective roles. Competition is a chief marriage killer, but synergy brings life and success.
3. Preserving the human race
God hit the reset button. Save for Noah, his wife, his three sons, and the sons’ wives (a total of 8 people), the rest of humanity perished in the flood waters. It was a new beginning not just for the animal kingdom but also for the human race. Noah’s wife inadvertently took center stage in the reset world. The human race would be preserved through her womb. The sons of Noah and their wives would move to repopulate the world again. Like Eve, she became the mother of all creation.
Lesson: Motherhood is a blessing. Let all women relish the great honor God gives them in fulfilling his purposes by giving birth to human beings who God uses. Moreover, this is a challenge to be always faithful. When Noah’s wife gave birth, she didn’t know how important the boys she bore would become in repopulating the earth. Put your best foot forward every day, for you may not know what aspect of your life God will choose to use for His purposes.
4. Family stability
A wife sets the tone of the family as a homemaker. As a wife to a man with a great assignment, Noah’s wife contributed greatly to his success by providing stability at home. More than taking care of his physical needs, which was largely a feminine role in that culture, she must have also offered him emotional and spiritual support.
Lesson: A stable home is a stepping stone to great achievement. Spouses must endeavor to create stability at home by living in peace, understanding, respecting, and supporting one another. This creates a conducive environment for them to thrive.
What does she symbolize?
Looking at Noah’s wife in the Bible, scholars have posited that she symbolizes an important aspect of the faith. Two symbols stand out:
1. The church
In Against Faustus, St. Augustin posits that Noah’s wife symbolizes the church. He compared the ark with salvation in Christ, with Noah representing Christ and Noah’s family (including his wife), the church. She labors faithfully like the church.
2. New beginning
God used the global flood restarting point. He destroyed the entire world save for those in the ark and started afresh. Eve emerges as in instrument God used to preserve human life and give the human race a new start. As such, Noah’s wife symbolizes new beginnings.
Conclusion
Though she remains unnamed, Noah’s wife played a crucial role in Noah’s life, particularly in fulfilling his assignment of building the ark and preserving life when God reset the world. With this, she played an important role in God’s plan of salvation and cemented the place of women in Christianity. Believers today can learn from her the importance of spousal support, harnessing strengths, and creating family stability to fulfill the family vision.
Kendrick Ong'anya is a freelance Christian writer based in Nairobi, Kenya. As a believer in Christ, he is passionate about writing Christian content to deepen believers' faith, even while drawing those who are yet to believe into the fold. He is open to collaborating with individuals and organisations to curate blog posts, articles, devotionals, prayer guides, verse/ chapter commentary, and e-books, among other Christian content. You can follow Kendrick on Facebook.
