Jezebel

Jezebel is a queen consort of the northern Kingdom of Israel described in the Hebrew Bible. According to 1 Kings, she was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, and she married Ahab, king of Israel. The narrative portrays her as a major promoter of the worship of Baal and Asherah and as opposing the worship of Yahweh within the royal court.

Her influence is linked to several key episodes in the biblical account. She is described as supporting the prophets of Baal and targeting the prophets of Yahweh. One notable episode is the plot to secure Naboth’s vineyard, in which Jezebel orchestrates false charges against Naboth to enable Ahab to take possession of his land. The story portrays her as central to the intensification of Baal worship in Israel. The Elijah narratives place Jezebel in the broader conflict between the worship of Yahweh and Baal in the same period, including prophetic challenges to royal authority.

In the later part of the narrative, Jehu’s purge of the house of Ahab leads to Jezebel’s death. When Jehu arrives at Jezreel, Jezebel attempts to seduce or confront him from a window; she is then thrown down by his officers, and her body is said to be consumed by dogs, fulfilling a prophecy.

Scholarly treatment of Jezebel varies; some view her as a historical figure, others as a literary and theological character used to critique idolatry and foreign influence in Israel. In modern usage, Jezebel has become a cultural label for a domineering or morally dissolute woman and appears in various literary and religious contexts.