Biblical View Of Hardworking Women

The Bible presents numerous examples of women engaged in diligent and significant work, both within and outside the home, often highlighting their efforts as commendable. The concept of "hard work" for women appears in various contexts, from physical labor to spiritual service.

One prominent example is the "excellent wife" described in Proverbs 31, who "seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands" ^[2]. This passage portrays a woman actively involved in managing her household, engaging in commerce, and providing for her family through her industry. Her labor is not merely domestic but extends to entrepreneurial activities, demonstrating a broad scope of work.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul commends several women for their hard work in the Lord. In his letter to the Romans, he greets Tryphena and Tryphosa, identifying them as "women who have worked hard in the Lord" ^[1]. He also singles out Persis, stating she "has worked very hard in the Lord" ^[1]. Another woman, Mary, is noted for having "bestowed much labour on us" or, in some interpretations, "on you" (referring to the saints in Rome) ^{[11, 15]}. These references suggest that women's labor in the early Christian community was recognized and valued, encompassing various forms of service that contributed to the spread of the gospel and the edification of believers ^[10]. While the exact nature of their labor is not always specified, commentators suggest it involved "higher Christian labors" within the sphere appropriate for women, possibly including services similar to those provided by Priscilla to Apollos ^[10]. John Gill notes that Tryphena and Tryphosa were potentially noblewomen who converted and whose labor was significant, though not necessarily in public teaching roles ^[12].

Beyond direct commendation, the Bible also illustrates women's experiences with strenuous effort, particularly in childbirth. Rachel, for instance, experienced "hard labor" during childbirth ^[4]. The Hebrew term for "hard labor" (be-hakshotah be-lidtah) implies that the delivery caused her significant pain and hardship ^[14]. This theme of difficult childbirth is also used metaphorically in prophetic literature, such as in Isaiah, where the sudden and overpowering pain of the "day of the Lord" is compared to the pangs of a woman in labor ^{[8, 13]}. Interestingly, some interpretations suggest that Hebrew women, accustomed to hard labor in the fields during their slavery in Egypt, might have experienced comparatively less pain in parturition due to their physical conditioning ^[9].

The broader biblical understanding of "good works" applies to women as well. Paul encourages women to be "clothed with good works, as is right for women who are living in the fear of God" ^[3]. This aligns with the general biblical teaching that good works are an outflow of faith and are wrought by God in believers ^[6]. The concept of "labor" (Amal) itself can refer to work or toil ^[7]. The Bible also includes names that reflect strength and labor, such as Eshtaol, meaning "a strong woman" ^[5].

Thus, the biblical narrative consistently values and acknowledges the hard work of women, whether in domestic management, spiritual service, or the physical demands of life.

Sources

Romans “Romans 16:12 (BSB) — Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, women who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my beloved Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord.”
Proverbs “She seeks wool and flax, and works eagerly with her hands. -- Proverbs 31:13”
I Timothy “I Timothy 2:10 (BBE) — But clothed with good works, as is right for women who are living in the fear of God.”
Genesis “They traveled from Bethel. There was still some distance to come to Ephrath, and Rachel travailed. She had hard labor. -- Genesis 35:16”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Eshtaol — a strong woman”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Works, Good — Christ, an example of -- Joh 10:32; Ac 10:38. Called Good fruits. -- Jas 3:17. Fruits meet for repentance. -- Mt 3:8. Fruits of righteousness. -- Php 1:11. Works and labours of love. -- Heb 6:10. Are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God -- Php 1:11. They alone, who abide in Christ can perform -- Joh 15:4,5. Wrought by God in us -- Isa 26:12; Php 2:13. The Scripture designed to lead us to -- 2Ti 3:16,17; Jas 1:25. To be performed in Christ's name -- Col 3:17. Heavenly wisdom is full of -- Jas 3:17. Justification unattainable by -- Ro 3:20; Ga 2”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Amal — labor; iniquity”
Isaiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 42:14: long time--namely, during the desolation of Israel (Isa 32:14). holden my peace--(Compare Psa 50:21; Hab 1:2). cry like a travailing woman, &c.--Like a woman in parturition, who, after having restrained her breathing for a time, at last, overcome with labor pain, lets out her voice with a panting sigh; so Jehovah will give full vent to His long pent-up wrath. Translate, instead of "destroy . . . devour"; I will at once breathe hard and pant, namely, giving loose to My wrath.”
Exodus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Exodus 1:19: The Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women - This is a simple statement of what general experience shows to be a fact, viz., that women, who during the whole of their pregnancy are accustomed to hard labor, especially in the open air, have comparatively little pain in parturition. At this time the whole Hebrew nation, men and women, were in a state of slavery, and were obliged to work in mortar and brick, and all manner of service In The Field, Exo 1:14, and this at once accounts for the ease and speediness of their travail. With the strictest truth the midwives”
Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 16:12: Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord--two active women. Salute the beloved Persis--another woman. which laboured much in the Lord--referring probably, not to official services, such as would fall to the deaconesses, but to such higher Christian labors--yet within the sphere competent to woman--as Priscilla bestowed on Apollos and others (Act 18:18).”
Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 16:6: Greet--or "salute" Mary, who bestowed much labour on us--labor, no doubt, of a womanly kind.”
Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 16:11: Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord,.... These two were women, and are said to be noble women of Iconium, whom the apostle converted there, and afterwards went to Rome the names are Greek (t), though they might be Jewish women, since Tryphon is the name of a man among the Jews. Trypho, the famous Jew, with whom Justin Martyr had his dialogue, is well known, and perhaps is the same with R. Tarphon, or Tryphon, so often mentioned in the Misnic and Talmudic writings: however, as these were women, their labour cannot be understood of their labouring in t”
Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 13:8: 13:8 Pangs . . . like those of a woman in labor: The day of the Lord brings sudden and overpowering pain and fear for the wicked (see also Jer 30:6; Hos 13:13; Mic 4:9, 10; 5:3).”
Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Genesis 35:17: WHEN SHE WAS IN HARD LABOR. Be-hakshotah (when she was in hard) is a hifil . The meaning of be-hakshotah be-lidtah (when she was in hard labor) is: the delivery caused her pain. 15 Hifil is a causative form. If this is the case then be-hakshotah must be transitive, hence I.E.’s comment that it means caused her hardship. Cf. Kimchi. Va-tekash (and she had hard labor, in v. 16) is similar. 16 It, too, is an active form and is to be explained as in note 15. However the latter is a pi’el . Va-tekash is similar to va-tekhal (and she was done) in And when she had d”
Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 16:6: Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us. Some copies read, "you"; and so do the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions: and indeed it seems most likely that the persons on whom this good woman bestowed so much labour, and to whom she was so very serviceable, were the saints at Rome, where she lived, rather than the apostle and his companions; not but that she might have been in some parts where she had met with him, and his friends, and had been very indefatigable in assisting and supplying them, in a very generous and liberal manner, with all the nec”

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