5 Examples of Bad Mothers in the Bible |

The Bible has many powerful lessons that we learn from good mothers. But these examples of bad mothers in the Bible teach us even more about the kind of mothers we shouldn’t be! Let’s learn about these mothers and the lessons they teach us!

middle Eastern woman wearing a purple head scarf

Am I a bad mother? I’ve asked that question myself in my darkest moments, whispered it to my husband late at night and shot it off to my sister in a text message when my patience is running really, really thin.

The truth is, every good mother probably questions herself from time to time. It’s part of wanting to be godly mothers who raise good children who honor God.

We can take comfort in the fact that God’s Word tells us how to be good mothers. If we follow God’s plan for life and motherhood, we have God’s promise that He will help us to raise good kids.

Being a godly mother doesn’t mean our children are guaranteed to turn out “right.” And it’s not a promise from God that they will be saved.

But the Bible promises us that when we train up our children in His ways, they’ll never be able to get away from those teachings. Even if they grow up and go astray, they will always know the truth in their hearts.

Many wayward men and women have returned to God because of the prayers and good examples set by their mothers. So, don’t ever think that the role of a mother doesn’t matter!

God can take your best efforts and use them for His glory.

In This Post

Why Do Examples of Bad Mothers in the Bible Matter?

It’s easy to forget that the people in the Bible didn’t know they were in the Bible. They had no idea that their lives were being recorded for the world to read for thousands of years.

They were living their lives, going about their business–good and bad. And now we have them for examples of what we should and shouldn’t do.

The Bible is full of examples of good, godly mothers. They teach us important lessons about faith and trusting God.

But the Bible also gives us plenty of examples of not-so-great moms. Dare I say, some pretty bad moms?

These bad examples are just as important as the good ones. When we read them, we can see the real impact a mom has on her kids’ lives.

It’s often more far-reaching than we can see right now.

two young women reading the Bible together

What to Learn from Bad Mothers

We can learn so many lessons about the qualities of a godly mother in the Bible. But there are just as many lessons to learn from the bad mothers of the Bible.

Being a mom is a great joy and it is the greatest gift we receive in life–and we only get one chance to raise our kids!

Each of us wants to be a great mom, and we’re always looking for people to give us advice and wise counsel. Just check out one of the hundreds (thousands?) of mommy groups on Facebook!

We learn a lot from women we admire. But we learn just as much from mothers who maybe aren’t the most shining examples of motherhood!

Bad mothers in the Bible show us the consequences of not following God’s plan and doing His will.

These examples of bad mothers in the Bible show us what happens when a women chooses her own way instead of God’s way. And the often disastrous consequences of not listening and obeying the Holy Spirit.

5 Examples of Bad Mothers in the Bible

Let these bad moms of the Bible and their stories be a cautionary tale to help guide and shape your motherhood journey!

Lot’s Wife: A Lesson in Disobedience

God blessed Abraham with riches and many flocks. God had also blessed Abraham’s nephew Lot as well. Because each of them had so many flocks and herds, they weren’t able to remain together.

Abraham offered Lot the first choice of where to go. Lot chose the “well-water plains of Sodom” and moved his family toward that wicked city. As we read through the story, we see that Lot moved closer and closer to Sodom until he and his family lived right in the middle of the city.

Eventually, God decided to bring judgment to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham asked God to have mercy on the city for the sake of a few righteous people, and God said that He would.

However, there were not enough righteous people in the city for God to save it! But in His great mercy, God sent angels into Sodom to save Lot and his family.

They were so steeped in the evil of the city, that they didn’t want to follow the angels out! The angels forced them to leave, and they unwillingly left their home.

As they journeyed from the city, fire and destruction rained down behind them. Then angels commanded them not to look back.

But Lot’s wife disobeyed and looked back. Instantly, she was turned into a pillar of salt.

Reflections on Disobedience and Its Ramifications

While Lot’s wife is one of the unnamed mothers in the Bible, her story is one of the most powerful displays of God’s judgment. Her disobedience brought instant, permanent ramifications for her and her family.

This story illustrates the importance of instant obedience to God–and the gravity of disobedience. It’s a stark reminder to us that God sees what we consider “small” acts of disobedience are big to Him.

Rachel: The Jealous Mother

In the book of Genesis, we read the story of Isaac’s two sons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob deceived his older brother, stealing the blessing of the firstborn. When Esau learned of the deception, he threatened to kill Jacob after the death of their father.

In fear for his life, Jacob left home and traveled back to his mother’s family. There, he met and fell madly in love with his cousin, Rachel. Her father, Laban, said that Jacob could marry her if he worked for seven years to earn her hand.

After seven years of hard labor, Jacob received his reward–or so he thought. Imagine his surprise when he discovered that he had not married Rachel, but her older sister, Leah! The trickster had been tricked and was now married to a woman he did not love.

His father-in-law did allow him to marry Rachel, as well, after Jacob promised seven more years of work. Can you imagine you and your sister being married to the same man? Talk about sibling rivalry!

And we see that Rachel was indeed jealous of her sister. The Bible tells us that God shut up Rachel’s womb so that she could not bear children, while Leah bore several sons.

Rachel was so jealous, she gave her maid to Jacob as his concubine. Leah responded in kind until eventually, Jacob had twelve sons and a daughter with four different women!

Rachel’s bitterness and jealousy greatly affected her family, causing problems that lasted for many generations.

The Consequences of Jealousy

In the story of Rachel from the Bible, her struggle with jealousy serves as a poignant example of the consequences it can bring. It has powerful and long-lasting effects on families and relationships.

The consequences of Rachel’s jealousy ripple through her family, fostering tension and competition among her children and nephews. Ultimately, her jealousy created an atmosphere of discontent and strife, highlighting the destructive power of this emotion.

Rachel’s story serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the importance of addressing jealousy before it consumes us and damages our relationships. Trust me, our kids pick up on those attitudes, and they will affect them.

Athaliah: The Power-Hungry Queen

Is there the worst mom in the Bible? I don’t know for sure, but it just might be Athaliah.

Athaliah was the mother of Ahaziah, who was the king of Judah. Her father was Omri, the king of Israel. Her son was a wicked king who only on the throne for one year.

When Athaliah heard that her son, Ahaziah, was killed in a battle, she took things into her own hands. She immediately went out and killed all of the royal family, setting herself up as the new queen.

One brave woman named Jehosheba, took King Ahaziah’s son, Joash, and hid him from Athaliah, saving his life. She kept the young boy safe and hidden from his grandmother for six years.

The evil queen reigned during that time. In the seventh year, the priest gathered support for the true king and brought him into the temple. When they people saw him, they were happy and shouted with joy!

When Athaliah heard it, she came to the temple and saw the king standing there with all of his supporters.

She cried, “Treason, treason!”

But her evil reign was over, and she was killed right there in the temple.

woman looking over her shoulder with a jealous expression on her face

Exploring the Consequences of Selfish Ambition

Can you imagine a grandmother so angry and bitter that she would kill all of her grandchildren? Blind, selfish ambition can lead a person to commit unspeakable, unimaginable evils.

Athaliah’s insatiable ambition blinded her to the moral and ethical considerations of her actions and led her down a path of tyranny and bloodshed.

Her short reign plunged the kingdom into chaos and despair, earning her a legacy of infamy as one of the most despised figures in biblical history. While we can find some redeeming qualities in many people, Athaliah has none.

Athaliah’s story serves as a stark warning against the dangers of unchecked ambition and how it can destroy families and even nations.

Michal: A Picture of Bitterness

The story of King David is one of the most popular and inspiring tales in the Bible. He started as a simple shepherd boy, killed a giant with a rock, and ended his life as the king of Israel.

Somewhere along the way, he fell in love with King Saul’s daughter, Michal. When Saul heard that his daughter was also in love with David. He told the young man that he could marry Michal if he killed one hundred Philistines.

David loved Michal so much, he went and killed two hundred Philistines! Saul kept his word and gave his daughter to David to be his wife.

Later, when Saul began to hate David, Michal protected him from her father’s men.

Saul knew how much David and Michal loved one another. Because of his hatred of David, Saul took Michal and gave her to be wife to another man.

After the death of Saul, his son, Ishbosheth, tried to take over the kingdom, but God had other plans. He had already promised the kingdom to David.

David demanded that they return Michal to him. Perhaps he was hoping for peace, or for David not to retaliate against him, so Ishbosheth took Michal from her husband and gave her back to David. (Such was the life of women during those times–they were basically property!)

All that she went through left Michal with a bitter and jealous heart. When David returned the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, he danced and praised the Lord with abandon. Michal looked out the window and saw what her husband was doing.

The Bible says that she despised him. When he returned home, she met him outside with angry, bitter words.

“How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!”

It would seem that she learned nothing from her father’s pride and his ultimate downfall. Because of her bitterness, she was cursed to never bear any more children.

Several chapters later we read how Michal’s five sons with her second husband were given to Gibeonites to atone for the sins of Saul. They, along with two of Saul’s other two grandsons were hanged.

Insights into Resentment and Forgiveness

Bad things happen in life. Most of them we cannot control. But we can control our reaction to them.

Michal embodies a deeply wounded spirit marked by bitterness and resentment. Her resentment stemmed from feelings of betrayal and neglect, particularly when David prioritized his devotion to God over her desires.

However, amidst the pain and disillusionment, Michal’s story also offers a glimpse of the redemptive potential of forgiveness. Through forgiveness, both the giver and receiver can experience healing and restoration.

This story reminds us that forgiveness is an act of mercy. But it’s also a path to personal liberation from the shackles of bitterness and resentment.

Herodias, The Mother of Salome: A Murderous Mother

In the New Testament, we read about John the Baptist and King Herod. Herod Antipas was in an adulterous relationship with Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

John the Baptist preached against this sin, regardless of the consequences. Because of this Herodias hated him and wanted him dead. John was arrested and thrown into prison.

When Herod’s birthday rolled around, he threw himself a big birthday bash. As he partied with his friends, he got drunk and asked Herodias to bring her daughter, Salome, to his party.

He told Salome that if she would dance for him, he would give her whatever she wanted, even if it was half of his kingdom. (As a side note: Herod was a tetrarch who was placed on the throne by Rome. He didn’t actually have a kingdom to give.)

Herodias told Salome that she should ask for John the Baptist’s head to be brought to her on a charger. Herod never thought she would ask for such a thing, and the Bible says he was sorry he made the oath. The death of John was never Herod’s intent.

But he kept his word and immediately sent the executioner to behead John in prison.

The Dangers of a Rebellious Heart

The story of Herodias and John the Baptist shows us the dangers of a rebellious heart. Herodias harbored a deep-seated resentment towards John for condemning her unlawful marriage to Herod Antipas.

This resentment fueled her desire for revenge, leading her to manipulate her daughter into requesting John’s execution. Herodias’s rebellious heart, driven by pride, ambition, and a refusal to accept moral accountability, ultimately resulted in a heinous act of violence.

Herodias and her rebellious spirit show us the destructive consequences of unchecked rebellion against God’s laws and the principles of His Word.

Learning from Imperfect Examples in the Bible

Every mother longs to be a good mom. The women we have highlighted today allowed their intrusive thoughts and evil desires to win out.

They chose their own ways rather than living right in God’s eyes. When we look at the whole story of human history, we see that never works out well!

We can look at these mothers and understand the importance of raising our kids in the fear of God.

Lot’s wife teaches us that obedience matters in the little things as well as the big things. Nothing is too small for Him to care about.

From Rachel, we learn that jealousy destroys families, and our kids can learn it from our bad attitudes. While none of us will ever have the kind of power that Athaliah wielded, we can learn a lesson from her, too. She shows us the dangers of blind ambition and putting self above others.

Michal teaches us that bitterness can consume your life until you say things you regret and will pay for the rest of your life. Lastly, Herodias shows us the danger of rebellion and how is has the power to destroy lives.

These are all powerful, life-changing lessons that can change your entire life as you trust your Heavenly Father to guide you.

Be a spiritual mama! Take a page from the playbook of these bad moms and let Christ Jesus lead you to be a good mom to your kids!

5 Lessons to Learn from These Bad Mothers in the Bible