Queen living at the time of Divided Monarchy
Queen Jezebel, the Phoenician wife of King Ahab, promoted Baal worship and persecuted the prophets of God.
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Jezebel was the Phoenician princess who became the wife of King Ahab of Israel (1Ki.16.31). She zealously promoted the worship of the Canaanite god Baal and persecuted the prophets of the Lord (1Ki.18.4,13,19). Her conflict with the prophet Elijah is notably recorded in 1Kings 18-19, where Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal and Jezebel threatens Elijah's life.
Jezebel's wickedness is further demonstrated in her plot to have Naboth killed so that Ahab could seize his vineyard (1Ki.21). Her actions led to divine judgment, as pronounced by Elijah (1Ki.21.23).
Years later, during the reign of Ahab's son Joram, Jezebel met her demise as prophesied. Jehu, anointed as king of Israel, had her thrown from a window, and her body was consumed by dogs, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy (2Ki.9.30-37).
In Rev.2.20, the name "Jezebel" is used symbolically to describe a false prophetess who led people astray in the church of Thyatira, drawing a parallel to the idolatry and immorality promoted by Ahab's queen.
Part of: Kings, prophets and the house of David
Ahab married Jezebel, a Sidonian princess who promoted Baal and killed the LORD's prophets. Elijah announced drought, confronted 450 prophets of Baal on Carmel, and later pronounced judgement on Ahab and Jezebel after Naboth's murder.
Sources: 1 Kgs 16:31 · 1 Kgs 18:19-40 · 1 Kgs 21:17-24
Naboth refused to sell his ancestral vineyard; Jezebel arranged false witnesses and his death, and Ahab took the land. Elijah met Ahab there and announced that dogs would lick his blood; Ahab's repentance delayed the judgement.
Sources: 1 Kgs 21:1-16 · 1 Kgs 21:19 · 1 Kgs 21:27-29 · 2 Kgs 9:25-26
Jehu, a commander, was anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. He killed Joram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah, had Jezebel thrown from her window, and eliminated Ahab's descendants. Hosea 1:4 later speaks of judgement on Jehu for the bloodshed at Jezreel.
Sources: 2 Kgs 9:6-10 · 2 Kgs 9:30-37 · 2 Kgs 10:1-11 · Hos 1:4
Athaliah, a daughter of Ahab (and in the usual reading of Jezebel), married Jehoram of Judah, then after her son Ahaziah's death killed the royal heirs and ruled Judah six years, importing Baalism. The infant Joash was hidden in the temple.
Sources: 2 Kgs 8:18 · 2 Kgs 11:1-3
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Chaste, the daughter of Ethbaal, the king of the Zidonians, and the wife of Ahab, 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 princess; and the alliance was in this case of a peculiarly disastrous kind. Jezebel has stamped her name on history as the representative of all that is designing, crafty, malicious, revengeful, and cruel. She is 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 length she 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?” He looked up and called to her chamberlains, who instantly threw her from the window, so that she was dashed in pieces on the street, and his horses trod her under their feet. She 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). Her name afterwards came to be used as the synonym for a wicked woman (Rev. 2: 20). It may be noted that she is said to have been the grand-aunt of Dido, the founder of Carthage.
(chaste), wife of Ahab king of Israel. (B.C. 883.) She was a Phoenician princess, daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians. In her hands her husband became a mere puppet. (1 Kings 21:25) The first effect of her influence was the immediate establishment of the Phoenician worship on a grand scale in the court of Ahab. At her 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 her orders and put to the sword. (1 Kings 18:13; 2 Kings 9:7) At last the people, at the instigation of Elijah, rose against her ministers and slaughtered them at the foot of Carmel. When she found her husband east 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 her, 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 her life. 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)
JEZ'EBEL (chaste), the wife of Ahab, king of Israel, was the daughter of a Zidonian king, 1 Kgs 16:31, and of course educated in the idolatrous practices of her native country. She was the virtual ruler of Israel. She introduced the worship of Baal and other idols, maintaining 400 priests of Astarte at her own expense, while Ahab maintained 450 priests of Baal. 1 Kgs 18:19. She resolved on the extermination of all the prophets of God. Obadiah, who was a pious man and principal officer of Ahab's household, rescued one hundred of them at one time from her grasp, and supplied them with bread and water while they were concealed in caves. 1 Kgs 18:3-4, 1 Kgs 18:13. Soon after this, Elijah caused the 450 priests of Baal supported by Ahab to be put to death. For this proceeding Jezebel threatened to take the life of Elijah, but her purpose was frustrated. Soon afterward she planned and perpetrated the murder of Naboth; and by using the king's name and authority with the leading men of Jezreel, she secured their co-operation in the flagrant crime. 1 Kgs 21:1-13. Her doom was predicted by Elijah, and was in due time visited upon her to the very letter. 2 Kgs 9:30-37. See Ahab, Elijah, Jehu. In Rev 2:20 the name Jezebel is used symbolically, and with us it is common as a name of infamy. Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth is often, though improperly, compared to Jezebel.
JEZ'EBEL (chaste), the wife of Ahab, king of Israel, was the daughter of a Zidonian king, 1 Kgs 16:31, and of course educated in the idolatrous practices of her native country. She was the virtual ruler of Israel. She introduced the worship of Baal and other idols, maintaining 400 priests of Astarte at her own expense, while Ahab maintained 450 priests of Baal. 1 Kgs 18:19. She resolved on the extermination of all the prophets of God. Obadiah, who was a pious man and principal officer of Ahab's household, rescued one hundred of them at one time from her grasp, and supplied them with bread and water while they were concealed in caves. 1 Kgs 18:3-4, 1 Kgs 18:13. Soon after this, Elijah caused the 450 priests of Baal supported by Ahab to be put to death. For this proceeding Jezebel threatened to take the life of Elijah, but her purpose was frustrated. Soon afterward she planned and perpetrated the murder of Naboth; and by using the king's name and authority with the leading men of Jezreel, she secured their co-operation in the flagrant crime. 1 Kgs 21:1-13. Her doom was predicted by Elijah, and was in due time visited upon her to the very letter. 2 Kgs 9:30-37. See Ahab, Elijah, Jehu. In Rev 2:20 the name Jezebel is used symbolically, and with us it is common as a name of infamy. Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth is often, though improperly, compared to Jezebel.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
20 verses in 3 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H0348
And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve and worship Baal.
for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)
Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD, fifty men per cave, and I provided them with food and water.
Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebelʼs table.”
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!”
Soon his wife Jezebel came in and asked, “Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?”
But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
So the elders and nobles who lived in Nabothʼs city did as Jezebel had instructed in the letters she had written to them.
Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.”
And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’
(Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel.
And you are to strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD shed by the hand of Jezebel.
And on the plot of ground at Jezreel the dogs will devour Jezebel, and there will be no one to bury her.’” Then the young prophet opened the door and ran.
When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?” “How can there be peace,” he replied, “as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?”
Now when Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. So she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from a window.
So they went back and told Jehu, who replied, “This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke through His servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel the dogs will devour the flesh of Jezebel.
And Jezebelʼs body will lie like dung in the field on the plot of ground at Jezreel, so that no one can say: This is Jezebel.’”
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.