Topic: Persons Of The Bible - Jezebel

The name Jezebel is from the Hebrew אִיזֶבֶל ('Izevel) which meant "not exalted". The name also means "chaste."

Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, the king of the Zidonians, and the wife of Ahab (B.C. 883.), the king of Israel (1 Kings 16:31). This was the "first time that a king of Israel had allied himself by marriage with a heathen Phoenician princess; and the alliance was in this case of a peculiarly disastrous kind. In Jezebel's hands her husband became a mere puppet. (1 Kings 21:25) The first effect of Jezebel's influence was the immediate establishment of the Phoenician worship on a grand scale in the court of Ahab. At Jezebel's table were supported no less than 450 prophets of Baal and 400 of Eastward. (1 Kings 16:31,21; 18:19) The prophets of Jehovah were attacked by Jezebel's orders and put to the sword. (1 Kings 18:13; 2 Kings 9:7) Jezebel has stamped her name on history as the representative of all that is designing, crafty, malicious, revengeful, and cruel. Jezebel was the first great instigator of persecution against the saints of God. Guided by no principle, restrained by no fear of either God or man, passionate in her attachment to her heathen worship, she spared no pains to maintain idolatry around her in all its splendour. Four hundred and fifty prophets ministered under her care to Baal, besides four hundred prophets of the groves [R.V., 'prophets of the Asherah'], which ate at her table (1 Kings 18:19). The idolatry, too, was of the most debased and sensual kind." Her conduct was in many respects very disastrous to the kingdom both of Israel and Judah (21:1-29). At last the people, at the instigation of Elijah, rose against Jezebel's ministers and slaughtered them at the foot of Carmel . When Jezebel found her husband cast down by his disappointment at being thwarted by Naboth, (1 Kings 21:7) she wrote a warrant in Ahab's name, and sealed it with his seal. To Jezebel, and not to Ahab, was sent the announcement that the royal wishes were accomplished, (1 Kings 21:14) and on her accordingly fell the prophet's curse, as well as on her husband, (1 Kings 21:23) a curse fulfilled so literally by Jehu, whose chariot-horses trampled out Jezebel's life. At length Jezebel came to an untimely end. As Jehu rode into the gates of Jezreel, she looked out at the window of the palace, and said, "Had Zimri peace, who slew his master?" Jehu looked up and called to her chamberlains, who instantly threw her from the window, so that Jezebel was dashed in pieces on the street, and Jehu's horses trod Jezebel under their feet. Jezebel was immediately consumed by the dogs of the street (2 Kings 9:7-37), according to the word of Elijah the Tishbite (1 Kings 21:19). It is also recounted the body was left in that open space called in modern eastern language "the mounds," where offal is thrown from the city walls. (2 Kings 9:30-37) Jezebel's name afterwards came to be used as the synonym for a wicked woman (Rev. 2: 20). It may be noted that Jezebel is said to have been the grand-aunt of Dido, the founder of Carthage .

Derived from Easton's and Smith's Bible Dictionaries

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