Gebirah

This section does not cite any sources. (October 2023)

The title means "[Great] Lady," with the word being the feminine counterpart to gəḇir (גְּבִיר) 'virile man, lord, hero.' However, given that this title is most often attributed to a queen mother, the two have become synonymous and therefore gəḇirā is most often translated as such. When romanised, "gebirah" can be used as both a common noun ("a gebirah", "the gebirah") or a proper noun ("the Gebirah"), as with most royal titles. Although not present in the Masoretic Text, the plural form gəḇiroṯ (גְּבִירוֹת) is commonly used by academics to avoid the intra-word switching of "gebirahs".

Some scholars believe the gebirah held great power as counsel of the king. In 1 Kings 2:20, Solomon said to his mother Bathsheba, seated on a throne at his right, "Make your request, Mother, for I will not refuse you". The position of the queen mother was a privilege of the highest honour. It was the highest authority for a woman in Israel or Judah. The only time a woman held higher office was in the case of Athaliah, who usurped the throne of Judah.

To further complicate matters, the word gəḇereṯ (גְּבֶרֶת; also גְּבִרְת gəḇirət and גְבָרֶת gəḇāreṯ, meaning 'lady', 'mistress', or 'queen') occurs nine times in the Masoretic Text. In comparison, gəḇīrā occurs only six times. Scholars generally take one of two stances with gəḇereṯ: either classing it as an acceptable variation of the word gəḇirā within the ketiv (featuring a common qere), or opting for a distinct separation of the two words, despite their converged meanings.

William G. Most, a Catholic author, sees in the gebirah a type of Mary.^[1]