Jezebel
A Phoenician princess, daughter of Ethbaal of Sidon, married to King Ahab of Israel. She promoted the worship of Baal and Asherah as state religion, supported hundreds of their prophets at her table, and had the prophets of the Lord hunted down — sending Elijah fleeing for his life after Carmel. When Naboth refused to sell his vineyard she arranged false witnesses and had him stoned so Ahab could take it. Elijah's prophecy of her end was fulfilled at Jezreel, where she was thrown from a window; her name became a byword, used again in Revelation.
What we know — and how we know it
Where in scripture
1 Kings2 KingsRevelationAs if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshiped him.
1 Kings 16:31
for when Jezebel cut off Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
1 Kings 18:4
Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed Yahweh’s prophets, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh’s prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
1 Kings 18:13
Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
1 Kings 18:19
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
1 Kings 19:1
Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don’t make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time!”
1 Kings 19:2
But there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
1 Kings 21:25 — Urged Ahab to evil
You must strike your master Ahab’s house, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel.
2 Kings 9:7
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
Family
In their own words — 6 recorded sayings
“Then Jezebel sent a servant to Elijah, saying, May the gods' punishment be on me if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” — 1 Kings 19:2
“But Jezebel, his wife, came to him and said, Why is your spirit so bitter that you have no desire for food?” — 1 Kings 21:5
“Then Jezebel, his wife, said, Are you now the ruler of Israel? Get up, take food, and let your heart be glad; I will give you the vine-garden of Naboth the Jezreelite.” — 1 Kings 21:7
“And in the letter she said, Let a time of public sorrow be fixed, and put Naboth at the head of the people; And get two good-for-nothing persons to come before him and give witness that he has been cursing God and the king. Then take him out and have him stoned to death.” — 1 Kings 21:9-10
“Then Jezebel, hearing that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, said to Ahab, Get up and take as your heritage the vine-garden of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he would not give you for money, for Naboth is no longer living but is dead.” — 1 Kings 21:15
“And when Jehu was coming into the town, she said, Is all well, O Zimri, taker of your master's life?” — 2 Kings 9:31
Speaker attribution: Clear Bible MACULA (CC BY 4.0). Wording: Bible in Basic English (public domain).
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