Zeruah

Zeruah was the widowed mother of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who became the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel after the division of the monarchy (1 Kings 11:26). She is mentioned only in this single verse which identifies Jeroboam's parentage. Her status as a widow at the time of Jeroboam's rise is noted, perhaps to explain his ambition and self-reliance. The name means leprous or full of ringworm, though this may be a descriptive designation applied later rather than a given name. She is one of a number of widowed mothers in the Old Testament whose sons rose to prominence.