Jezebel: A Character Study

Having It All

Jezebel is considered one of the most evil characters in the Bible.  She certainly did wicked deeds to earn that label:  plotted murder, threatened prophets, influenced her husband to do the wrong thing, and brandished power to her own benefit regardless of its cost to others.

How did she become so hated?  What propelled her to do these evil things which resulted in her death and the death of her family? 

What can today’s Christian woman learn from Jezebel?

Jezebel was born into luxury.  As the daughter of Ethbaal, King of the Sidonians, she probably never knew the anxiety of wondering where her next meal would come from.  She would have retainers, servants, and others constantly waiting on her every whim.  Jezebel may even had some teaching in how to read or write or figure, as her future dealings indicate.  These skills were not available for the average 9th century BC person, as a female, it was even more rare.

The Sidonians resided in Phoenicia.   Likely living in Tyre,  Jezebel’s family worshiped Baal, and it is possible that her name praises the chief storm god of Phoenicia.  However, in Hebrew, her name means ”not exalted.” 

Jezebel married Ahab, the King of Israel.  This meant Ahab was the ruler of the 10 tribes of Israel that did not stay with the House of David.  Whether Jezebel actually loved Ahab is a question that we may never answer.  Jezebel probably did not have a say in whom she was married to as royal daughters, since the beginning of time, were viewed as a way to solidify national ties.

We do know that her husband was greatly influenced by her.  Whether that means she was attractive, persuasive, intelligent or some combination, we do not know.  But it appears that if Jezebel wanted something, she got it.

True Believer?

Jezebel grew up in the Sidonian royal family, which worshiped Baal.  When she married Ahab, King of Israel, she imported her religion to Israel.  Jezebel, like most, grew up with a set of traditions, beliefs, and ways to do things.  For Jezebel, this meant that she followed Baal. 


Jezebel flexed her muscle and convinced her husband Ahab to abandon his father’s God and worship hers, much like Solomon’s wives lead him astray.  I Kings 16:32 relates that Ahab built Baal a new temple in Samaria.  And in that temple, he placed an alter for Baal worship.  Ahab also set up an Asherah pole.

What was Baal worship?  According to the Holman Bible Handbook, Baal means “master” and was a storm god.    His usual title was “Rider of the Clouds” and he is often depicted with a thunderbolt in his hand.   Jezebel had 450 prophets of Baal at the temple, for which she provided food.

Asherah was Baal’s female consort who was revered as a fertility goddess.  Jezebel provided food for 400 Asherah prophets.

In other words, Jezebel put her money where her heart was – with Baal.  She likely spent time with these prophets, and the prophets viewed her favor as something to capture and maintain - both for financial stability and to simply continue to live.

In I Kings 18:16-46, Elijah challenged these 850 prophets to a show down on Mount Carmel.  It appears that Jezebel was unaware this was going on, as she does not find out until later what happened.  Ahab, however, was present, as were the ”people from all over Israel.”  

Elijah told the people to chose between God and Baal.  He had the prophets of Baal prepare a sacrifice and call on Baal to set it on fire (Baal was viewed as a fire god as well).  From morning to noon the prophets called out to Baal, but nothing happened.

Elijah taunted them, indicating that Baal must be asleep or busy or deep in thought.  The prophets started shouting louder and slashing themselves.  Midday passed and the evening sacrifice arrived.  But Baal did not.

Elijah built an altar and had trench placed around it; wood and the meat sacrifice were placed on the altar.  He then had the people fill four large jars with water and they were poured out over the wood, sacrifice and altar.  Again, and Again, the jars were filled and poured out.   Elijah then prayed and “the fire of the Lord” fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the soil and the water in the trench.

When the people saw this, they cried out that “The Lord, He is God!”

Elijah ordered the prophets of Baal be seized and killed.

Ahab was dispatched to eat and drink, because Elijah prophesied rain (a drought raged in Samaria for years which caused a famine).  And Ahab finally got back to Jezebel to report that all of her prophets were dead.

Jezebel was furious.  Her yes-men were gone.  Her money was spent for naught, and she’d have to start training or recruiting a set of new prophets.  Baal worship and indoctrination would be set back for a few weeks, months or years. 

Maybe she even believed that Baal would have vengence on her for her failure to protect Baal’s servants.

In any event, she sent a message to Elijah, stating “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”  Jezebel was a woman used to getting what she wanted. 

Elijah, terrified, fled into the desert.

So was Jezebel truly a believer in Baal?  Or was it just a way for her to get power and control the people?  A way to cloak her plans in a divine manner?

Let Nothing Stand in the Way

In I Kings 21, Jezebel and Ahab lived in a palace in Jezreel.  Near the palace was a lovely vineyard owned by Naboth, a Jezreelite.  Ahab coveted the vineyard, desiring to plant a garden in it.  He asked Naboth to sell it to him, offering to pay the market price or a land swap for a better vineyard.

Naboth refused, noting the land was a family inheritance.  Israelites viewed the land as God's and that the people as tenants could not dispose of their land.   (Leviticus 25:23).

Ahab pouted all the way home, and arrived sullen and angry.  He refused to eat and laid on his bed.   Jezebel came in to see him, and asked why he was in such a mood and why he wouldn’t eat.

Ahab told her of the deal he tried to reach with Naboth.   Jezebel taunted him, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat!   Cheer Up.  I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”  

Jezebel grew up with a differently kingship structure – her father took what he wanted, when he wanted it.  Jezebel was not to be stopped by an Israelite inheritance law or Israelite property law.

She took Ahab’s seal and wrote letters. in his name, requesting the elders and nobles in Naboth’s city host  a fast.  At the dinner, the elders were to have Naboth seated in a prominent place among the people.  Two scoundrels were to be seated opposite him.  These two men would later falsely testify that  Naboth had cursed both God and King Ahab.  After Naboth was tried for blasphemy and sedition, the death sentence was carried out.

With Naboth dead, the land went to Ahab and Jezebel. 

Jezebel told Ahab that Naboth was dead, and Ahab promptly went down to the vineyard and took possession of it.

God, however, did not view this murder and theft as a trivial matter.  He sent Elijah to Ahab in the vineyard.  There, Elijah pronounced Ahab’s punishment for these crimes:  death, specifically, in the place where Naboth died, the dogs would lick up Ahab’s blood.  Dogs would eat those belonging to Ahab’s family and Jezebel would be devoured by dogs near the wall of Jezreel.

Ahab, hearing this prophecy, repented by tearing his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted.  The Lord saw Ahab humbled himself and decided to delay the disaster until after Ahab’s death.

Jezebel apparently did not repent.

Jezebel scoffed at the word of the Lord and schemed a way to get Naboth’s property for Ahab.  She was a dangerous woman because she was a poor loser.  If she didn’t get her way, she’d figure out a way to wield her power to get back at the person.

She was focused on making her own life easier, regardless of the impact on others.  In a way, her persistence should be admired.  Imagine if she converted to the Jewish faith and followed God with the devotion she demonstrated for Baal and for herself.  Instead of a legacy of ashes, she could have a legacy worthy of mention in Hebrews 11.


Lesson Learned


So what can today's woman learn from Jezebel?  First, there are consequences when we flout God's law.  Although they may not be immediate, those consequences do come.  Jezebel tried to ignore God's law and paid for it with her life and her family's lives. 


Second, Jezebel, like all of us, is deeply rooted in the traditions of her family.  We need to examine our lives to see what traditions (both good and bad) we carry over into our adult lives.  Things like gossiping, substance abuse, anger management problems, emotional manipulation, overeating, over-spending, abuse and other bad habits may be deeply embedded in our lives via our family traditions and patterns.  We must be vigilant to remove them from our daily life and thoughts, or we risk passing them to another generation of our families.


Self-centeredness or getting our own way without concern for others is a dangerous path.  In Jezebel's case, it lead her to murder and theft.   We can exhibit the same qualities when we steal time from our employers by talking on the phone or playing on the internet or when we assassinate another's character by talking about them.  In God's eyes, these are still theft and murder and they arise from the same selfish part of the heart that Jezebel's actions did.


Finally, we learn from Jezebel about our God.  He is powerful.  He pursues us (just as He sought to prove to Israel his power).  He desires that we keep his law faithfully.  He is just, in that He does not let scoffers like Jezebel go without punishment.