was "taken out of man" ( Genesis 2:23 ), and therefore the man has the preeminence. "The head of the woman is the man;" but yet honour is to be shown to the wife, "as unto the weaker vessel" ( 1 Corinthians 11:3 1 Corinthians 11:8 1 Corinthians 11:9 ; 1 Peter 3:7 ). Several women are mentioned in Scripture as having been endowed with prophetic gifts, as Miriam ( Exodus 15:20 ), Deborah ( Judges 4:4 Judges 4:5 ), Huldah ( 2 Kings 22:14 ), Noadiah ( Nehemiah 6:14 ), Anna ( Luke 2:36 Luke 2:37 ), and the daughters of Philip the evangelist ( Acts 21:8 Acts 21:9 ). Women are forbidden to teach publicly ( 1 Corinthians 14:34 1 Corinthians 14:35 ; 1 Timothy 2:11 1 Timothy 2:12 ). Among the Hebrews it devolved upon women to prepare the meals for the household ( Genesis 18:6 ; 2 Sam 13:8 ), to attend to the work of spinning ( Exodus 35:26 ; Proverbs 31:19 ), and making clothes ( 1 Samuel 2:19 ; Proverbs 31:21 ), to bring water from the well ( Genesis 24:15 ; 1 Samuel 9:11 ), and to care for the flocks ( Genesis 29:6 ; Exodus 2:16 ).

The word "woman," as used in Matthew 15:28 , John 2:4 and John 20:13 John 20:15 , implies tenderness and courtesy and not disrespect. Only where revelation is known has woman her due place of honour assigned to her.

These dictionary topics are from
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.