Can you name the female humans on Noah's Ark?

Question

In my previous post I asked who was on the Ark. I was told Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth and their wives.

Does the Bible mention their names? These are the women who are supposed to have given birth to (literally) the entire human race. If not, why? Is the word of God sexist?

Answer 1

As far as I know, none of the wives' names are mentioned. This does not necessarily make the word of God sexist.

The writer's of the Bible are thought to be all men. They were in a paternalistic society, where only men were taught things like reading and writing. In the Jewish society of the time, women were considered property (much like most of the world until just the last century or so). So it is not surprising that few women are mentioned by name. In fact, considering the society of the time, it's surprising how MANY women are mentioned by name in the Bible.

There are plenty of other women who are mentioned by name - Ruth, Naomi, Esther, Eve, Sarah, Rahab (the harlot), Miriam. One great example is Mary, the mother of Jesus. In fact, of Jesus' birth family, Mary is the only one we really know much about. After Jesus' earliest years, Joseph is never mentioned again. In His years of ministry, Jesus never mentions him.

What is really surprising is how JESUS treated women. The Hebrews were still very much a paternalistic society when He came along, but He paid special attention to this often-neglected group. There are many stories of Jesus touching the lives of women in the Gospels, which shows Gods' special love and concern for this group. Just a few examples - the woman caught in adultery who was about to be stoned, the widow burying her only son, the woman at the well, Mary Magdalene, the sisters Martha and Mary. Obviously, if women were not important to God, His Son would not have shown such great love and respect for them.

Answer 2

I don't know the name of Japheth's wife, which was the mother of the indo-european line that most of asia and europe are decedents of. I don't know the name of Shem's wife, the mother of the semitic races of hebrew, arab, philistine, and so on. But the wife of Ham was Egyptis, the mother of most of the races of Africa and others including the Canaanites. The bible was abridged several times. Men who wish the female to be less than the equal to themselves. But I do not believe God himself is sexist. You should observe the tale of Ruth, Sarah, Rachel, Michal, Miriam, Deborah, and other righteous women throughout the Old Testiment that have remained. Although there are fewer stories of women, the women are far more faithful and righteous then the greatest men.

I heard one statement about God's "sexist" nature. His last creation was the woman, and I say that he saved the best of his creations for last.

Maybe the bible has more stories of men because men struggle with faith and need more instruction then the women do. Women are already blessed greatly.

Answer 3

On the animal numbers, change "one male and one female" to 4 males and 3 females of every clean animal. 3 couples and one left for sacrifice upon getting out of the Ark. Then, at the end, earth would not be a new Eden. Noah and family were still imperfect humans. They were all born from Adam and Eve. So they inherited sin. It would not be Eden. It would be a new start for humanity. Noah was the best of men, but why? He was the only family head who obeyed God as God wished. All that was necessary to be preserved through the Flood, was to walk aboard the Ark. That is all. Yet no one did. Showing how degenerate they all were.

Answer 4

The Bible does not mention their names due to the customs of that time. In the same way that the geneologies are based on the man as well.

The Bible is not sexist. The books of Esther and Ruth are devoted to the actions of these women. The people who found the empty tomb were women, which during this time would not be witnesses at all according to the Jewish law of that time. If the Bible was sexist, why would these books and reports exist?

If anything, Christianity has been liberating to women as a whole (yeah I know of certain sects, etc...but in general). The actual teaching of the Bible instructs in the proper respect due women.

Answer 5

Hmm. A loophole.

Just to play devil's advocate (not to say I believe this, because I find the story of Noah preposterous), the Bible never says God did not create more humans after the flood. In much the same way it doesn't state whether Adam and Eve were the only humans, just that they were the first.

Answer 6

No, I just checked to be sure, and their names are missing. I know it's a disgrace, but the books in the Bible were written by men, and historically men have been rather disdainful of the capabilities and importance of women. Obviously even the Godliest of men had a problem with this. As a feminist, it makes me sick, and as a Christian, it makes me sick. The author (Moses, I believe - but I'm not certain) couldn't even bother to write down their names. It wasn't because his hand was cramped up, because he wrote "and their wives"; he just didn't care what their names were, which is not a Godly mindset. I think I better stop thinking about this issue before I get REALLY mad about it.

Answer 7

A lot of women are not named in the bible. Man has the name that is passed down, so it doesn't matter what the women's names are.

As a woman, I am not offended by this at all.

Answer 8

Mrs Noah,, Mrs Ham, Mrs Shem, and Mrs Japheth,,,,, and thats the truth.......

Answer 9

Of course not, the Bible doesn't consider women to have any value whatsoever. Their names were not recorded, they weren't important enough.
At least, from the Christian perspective.

Answer 10

Women are of no use in patriarchal religions except as the mothers of sons and sex partners for the men so their names are rarely mentioned.