Jezebel/Jezabel (
Hebrew ???????? /
????????,
Modern&_160;
Izével / Izável Tiberian&_160;
?Îzé?el /
?Îza?el&_160;; historically translated as "not exalted") is the name of two women in the
Bible, mentioned in several modern
pop songs.
She is introduced as a Phoenician princess, the daughter of King Ithobaal I of Tyre. Her father was the king of the entirety of the Phoenician empire. Jezebel marries King Ahab of the Northern Kingdom during the time the nation of Israel was divided into Northern (Israel) and Southern (Judah) kingdoms. She turns Ahab away from Yahweh and toward the worship of Phoenician god, Baal. [1]
Ahab and Jezebel let temples of Baal operate in Israel, and the pagan religion receives royal patronage. Furthermore, the queen uses her control over Ahab to lead the Hebrews into idolatry, sexual immorality and subjects them to tyranny.
After she has the prophets of Yahweh slaughtered, the prophet Elijah challenges 450 prophets of Baal to a test (1 Kings 18), exposes their god as powerless, has them slaughtered (1 Kings 1840), and incurs Jezebel's furious enmity.
