In the Hebrew Bible, Gebirah (; Hebrew: גְּבִירָה|gəḇirā|lady) is a title ascribed to queen mothers of Israel and Judah.
The title means "[Great] Lady," with the word being the feminine counterpart to (Hebrew: 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 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 (Hebrew: 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 (Hebrew: גְּבֶרֶת; also Hebrew: גְּבִרְת and Hebrew: גְבָרֶת, meaning 'lady', 'mistress', or 'queen') occurs nine times in the Masoretic Text. In comparison, occurs only six times. Scholars generally take one of two stances with : either classing it as an acceptable variation of the word 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]