Jezebel: The Dark Queen

Jezebel, whose name means “The Prince Ba’al” exists, was a woman who was a Baalist. When the name “Jezebel” is translated into Hebrew, it means “there is no nobility”. Ba’al is a generic term for idols or people who were worshipped. Jezebel was the daughter of Ethball, who was the King of Israel, and who married to the weak-willed King Ahab. Queen Jezebel has been a classic example of a truly evil person, who not only worshiped idols and people, but also practiced witchcraft.

Queen Jezebel was a brazen woman who controlled her husband quite easily, and directed King Ahab to catch all the Jews and to kill them. King Ahab had also built Queen Jezebel a pagan temple in the capital city of Samaria. The King also pleased his Queen by allowing 450 prophets of Ba’al, and 400 prophets of Asherah to eat at the grand royal table. Additionally, Queen Jezebel personally ensured that all her fellow Baalists were given direct access to positions of power. Queen Jezebel was so corrupt that she was personally responsible for God’s chosen people turning to Ba’al and other idol worshiping.

However, God did not turn his back on the Israelites; he caused a great feminine to effect the entire nation by causing a drought. God was upset at His people because they were defiantly sinning against Him by breaking the first and second commandments; “I am the Lord your God” and “You shall have no other gods before me”. Interestingly, Jezebel was humiliated by this since Ba’al was also in charge of the whether; seemingly, no God was happy with the Queen.

Queen Jezebel could not be accused of being an aggressive. King Ahab was fond of vineyard that was close to his villa located in Jezreel, and wanted to buy it from Naboth. Howerver, Naboth did not want to sell it to the king, and politely decline. Queen Jezebel heard of Naboth’s refusal and became angry and so she arranged the execution of Naboth. After Naboth’s death, she ensured that her husband would be the new owner of the vineyard.

Elijah did not miss the opportunity to prove the Queen wrong by her worship of Ba’al. ‘Then Elijah said to the people “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets number four hundred and fifty. Let two bulls be given to us. Let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire is indeed God.” All the people answered “Well spoken!”’ (Read 1 Kings 18:17-40).

God really showed his muscles and destroyed Ba’al by causing a large fire explosion from the sky. The 450 people who were rooting for Ba’al were slaughterered. When Jezebel heard this she became angry “Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying “So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life…..”

King Ahab was mortally wounded in combat, by a man in his own battalion who struck him with a sword between the scal armor and the breast plate. King Ahab told the chariot driver to go back to the his home so he could be treated, but he did not survive. When the chariot arrived back at the King Ahab’s home, the King’s body was unloaded and his dogs began to lick

An Army officer of Elisha, Jehu, planned to slaughter the dynasty of Ahab, and now that the new King Joram was also wounded in battle when he was fighting the Arameans. Jehu was able to trick the king to come out of the house he was staying at and killed him. Jehu continued on to villa where Jezebel and her family were staying at. Queen Jezebel was dressed in the full regalia of a high priestess of Ba’al as well as the full face make-up, and confronted Jehu and shouted and called him “Zimri”, which is the name of a person who murders the king.

"As Jehu entered the gate, she said ‘Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?’ He looked up to the window and said ‘Who is on my side? Who?’ Two or three eunuchs looked out at him. He said “Throw her down.” So they threw her down. Some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, which trampled on her. Then Jehu went in and ate and drank. He said ‘See to that cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king’s daughter.’ But when they came to bury her, they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and palms of her hands.”