Bible Characters
Jezebel in the Bible: Queen of Israel and Opponent of Elijah
Jezebel in the Bible was a Phoenician princess, the daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon, who married King Ahab of Israel (1 Kings 16:31). She promoted the worship of Baal and Asherah, killed the LORD's prophets, threatened Elijah's life, and arranged the murder of Naboth to take his vineyard (1 Kings 18:4, 19; 19:2; 21:5-16). She died when Jehu had her thrown from a window in Jezreel, as Elijah had prophesied (2 Kings 9:30-37).
Her story is told in 1 Kings 16 through 2 Kings 9. Her name is also used in Revelation 2:20 for a false prophetess in the church at Thyatira.
Jezebel at a Glance
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Name meaning | Uncertain; often linked to a Phoenician phrase associated with Baal |
| Testament | Old Testament, with a New Testament reference |
| Key books | 1 Kings, 2 Kings, Revelation |
| Time period | About 874-841 BC (traditional dating) |
| Family | Father Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; husband Ahab; sons Ahaziah and Joram (1 Kings 22:52; 2 Kings 9:22). Ahab's daughter Athaliah is not directly named as Jezebel's child |
| Known for | Promoting Baal worship, opposing Elijah, Naboth's vineyard |
Jezebel's Background and Marriage to Ahab
Jezebel was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians (1 Kings 16:31). Sidon was a Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast north of Israel. Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in Samaria for 22 years (1 Kings 16:29).
The writer of Kings says Ahab considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam and went further by marrying Jezebel and serving Baal (1 Kings 16:31). He built a temple for Baal in Samaria, set up an altar in it, and made an Asherah pole (1 Kings 16:32-33). The law of Moses had warned Israel against marrying into the nations of Canaan because they would turn Israel's hearts to other gods (Deuteronomy 7:3-4).
Promoting Baal and Killing the Prophets
Jezebel supported a large number of pagan prophets. Elijah refers to 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah who ate at Jezebel's table (1 Kings 18:19).
She also targeted the LORD's prophets. While Jezebel was killing them, Obadiah, who was in charge of Ahab's palace, hid 100 of them in two caves in groups of fifty and supplied them with food and water (1 Kings 18:3-4, 13).
Jezebel and Elijah
During a drought that Elijah had announced, he challenged Ahab to gather Israel and the pagan prophets at Mount Carmel (1 Kings 17:1; 18:19). The prophets of Baal called on their god all day with no answer. When Elijah prayed, fire from the LORD fell and consumed his sacrifice (1 Kings 18:26-29, 36-38). The prophets of Baal were then put to death at the Kishon Valley (1 Kings 18:40).
Ahab reported everything to Jezebel (1 Kings 19:1). She sent a messenger to Elijah swearing by her gods that by the same time the next day she would make his life like the lives of the prophets who had died (1 Kings 19:2). Elijah was afraid and ran for his life to Beersheba and then into the wilderness (1 Kings 19:3-4).
The account of Carmel does not say the prophets of Asherah were present or killed. The text only records the fate of the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:22, 40).
Naboth's Vineyard
Naboth of Jezreel owned a vineyard next to Ahab's palace. Ahab offered to buy it or trade a better vineyard for it (1 Kings 21:1-2). Naboth refused because the LORD forbade him to give away the inheritance of his ancestors (1 Kings 21:3). The law required family land to stay within the family and tribe (Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7).
Ahab went home sullen and angry, lay on his bed, and refused to eat (1 Kings 21:4). Jezebel asked whether he was not the one who ruled Israel, and told him she would get the vineyard for him (1 Kings 21:7).
The Plot Against Naboth
Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles of Naboth's city (1 Kings 21:8). The letters told them to proclaim a fast, seat Naboth in a prominent place, and bring in two scoundrels to accuse him of cursing God and the king. Then they were to take him out and stone him (1 Kings 21:9-10). Two witnesses were the minimum the law required for a capital case (Deuteronomy 17:6).
The elders did exactly what she wrote (1 Kings 21:11-13). When she heard Naboth was dead, she told Ahab to go and take possession of the vineyard (1 Kings 21:15-16). 2 Kings 9:26 adds that Naboth's sons were killed as well.
Elijah's Prophecy of Judgment
God sent Elijah to meet Ahab in the vineyard (1 Kings 21:17-18). Elijah said that dogs would lick up Ahab's blood in the same place they had licked up Naboth's (1 Kings 21:19). He announced disaster on Ahab's entire house (1 Kings 21:21-22). About Jezebel, he said dogs would devour her by the wall of Jezreel (1 Kings 21:23).
The writer adds this summary: there was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife (1 Kings 21:25). When Ahab heard Elijah's words, he tore his clothes, fasted, and put on sackcloth, and God delayed the disaster until the days of his son (1 Kings 21:27-29).
Jezebel After Ahab
Ahab was killed in battle at Ramoth Gilead, and dogs licked up his blood when his chariot was washed at a pool in Samaria (1 Kings 22:34-38). Jezebel outlived him. Her sons Ahaziah and then Joram (also called Jehoram) reigned as kings of Israel (1 Kings 22:51; 2 Kings 3:1).
Athaliah, who became queen of Judah and later seized the throne there, was from Ahab's family. 2 Kings 8:18 says Jehoram king of Judah married a daughter of Ahab, and 2 Kings 8:26 names Athaliah, the mother of Jehoram's son Ahaziah, as a granddaughter of Omri. The Bible does not state directly that Jezebel was her mother.
Jezebel's Death
Elisha sent a young prophet to anoint Jehu, a military commander, as king over Israel. The anointing came with a command to destroy the house of Ahab and avenge the blood of the prophets shed by Jezebel (2 Kings 9:1-7). The prophet repeated that dogs would devour Jezebel on the plot of ground at Jezreel and no one would bury her (2 Kings 9:10).
Jehu killed King Joram with an arrow and had his body thrown onto Naboth's field (2 Kings 9:24-26). When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel painted her eyes, arranged her hair, and looked out of a window (2 Kings 9:30). She called down to him, comparing him to Zimri, who had killed his master and reigned only seven days (2 Kings 9:31; 1 Kings 16:15-18).
Jehu asked who was on his side, and two or three officials looked down. He told them to throw her down, and they did (2 Kings 9:32-33). Later Jehu ordered her buried because she was a king's daughter, but his men found only her skull, feet, and hands (2 Kings 9:34-35). Jehu recognized this as the fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy (2 Kings 9:36-37).
Jezebel in Revelation
In the letter to the church in Thyatira, Jesus rebukes the church for tolerating a woman he calls Jezebel, who called herself a prophet and misled his servants into sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols (Revelation 2:20). He says he gave her time to repent, and she refused (Revelation 2:21).
Interpreters generally understand this as a woman in Thyatira whose teaching resembled the Old Testament queen's influence, not Jezebel herself. The name was used because of what Jezebel represented in Israel's history.
What the Bible Does and Does Not Say
In modern English, "Jezebel" is often used as an insult implying sexual immorality. The Old Testament account focuses on her idolatry, violence, and abuse of power. When Jehu referred to her idolatry and witchcraft (2 Kings 9:22), the terms describe her religious practices. Her painting her eyes and arranging her hair before her death is recorded without explanation in the text (2 Kings 9:30).
Lessons from Jezebel's Account
- Idolatry has consequences for a nation. Ahab's marriage to Jezebel came with the establishment of Baal worship in Israel (1 Kings 16:31-33).
- Power used to steal and kill is judged. Jezebel used the king's seal and false witnesses to take Naboth's land and life (1 Kings 21:8-16, 23).
- God's word is fulfilled. Elijah's prophecy about Jezebel was carried out years later in detail (1 Kings 21:23; 2 Kings 9:36).
- God preserves a faithful remnant. Even during Jezebel's persecution, Obadiah protected 100 prophets and 7,000 in Israel had not bowed to Baal (1 Kings 18:4; 19:18).
Where Jezebel Appears in the Bible
- 1 Kings 16:31
- 1 Kings 18:4, 13, 19
- 1 Kings 19:1-2
- 1 Kings 21:5-25
- 2 Kings 9:7-37
- Revelation 2:20-23
For another woman in Israel's history whose story played out in a royal court, see our profile of Esther in the Bible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Jezebel's husband?
Jezebel was married to Ahab son of Omri, king of Israel, who reigned in Samaria for 22 years (1 Kings 16:29-31).
Where was Jezebel from?
Jezebel was from Sidon, a Phoenician city. She was the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians (1 Kings 16:31).
How did Jezebel die?
At Jehu's command, officials threw her from a window in Jezreel (2 Kings 9:30-33). When men went to bury her, only her skull, feet, and hands remained, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy (2 Kings 9:35-36).
What did Jezebel do to Naboth?
She wrote letters in Ahab's name arranging for two false witnesses to accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king. He was stoned, and Ahab took his vineyard (1 Kings 21:8-16).
Who is the Jezebel in Revelation?
Revelation 2:20 refers to a woman in the church at Thyatira who called herself a prophet and led people into immorality and idolatry. The name links her to the Old Testament queen; she is not the same person.