Movie Star

Bette Davis as Jezebel 1938.

Cruel Death

The Death of Jezebel by Coli, G. (1643-81) & Gherardi, F. (1643-1704)

Evil Jezebel

Evil queen Jezebel decorating a pulpcover from about 1963.

The Harlot Queen

Jezebel as a book title Cover with the effect-seeking subtitle "Bible's Harlot Queen". It's evident where the attraction of Bible women is situated nowadays.

Good selling Sins

Paulette Goddard as evil pagan princess in the movie "Sins of Jezebel" from 1953. That’s how people imagined bible women in the 1950s.

Jezebel’s Death

Jezebel’s Death by the French artist Paul Gustave Doré (1832–1883).

That’s another one of Doré’s Bible illustrations of 1866. Here he shows how the evil queen is thrown out of the window of her palace. Down on the street there are already waiting the dogs which will devour her body.

Bad Jezebel

Elijah Confronting Ahab and Jezebel in Naboth's Vineyard (1875) by the English painter Sir Frank Bernard Dicksee (1853–1928).

Typical for the time the artist tries to be as exact as possible in the historical presentation of the subject. Many of this paintings were very popular and used – like this one – to illustrate books.

Modern Jezebel

Jezebel is probably the most villainous women in the Bible, she worshipped false gods, manipulated the people of Israel and was above all famous for her promiscuity.

So it may be a little surprising to find a modern lifestyle magazine using the ancient myth of the seductive and evil Jezebel as a kind of brand. But I like especially Paris Hilton on the cover as a modern cheap edition of old Jezabel.

Jezebel’s Cruel Death

The Death of Jezebel (1868) by the French painter Jean Joseph Benjamin Constant (1845-1902).

It’s a very traditional view of Jezebel’s death. She had already received what she deserved and the triumphant Jehu watches how the dogs are devouring her body.

The Incarnation of Evil

There are various evil women in the Bible, above all Delilah and Salome. But without any doubt the worst of all is Jezebel. Delilah destroyed Samson, but finally could be conceded that she served her own people. Even Salome followed more the instructions of her mother than her own motivations. But most notably Jezebel destroyed not only one man, she attacked the Jewish religion itself.

Jezebel was a Phoenician princess and married Ahab the King of Israel (which was in this time divided in two Kingdoms). She gained great influence with Ahab so that he converted to the religion of the Phoenician god Baal.

Temples of Baal were opened in Israel and it is said that Jezebel fostered there a cult of sexual permissiveness. Priest of Yahweh were persecuted and often killed.

After Ahab's death, Jezebel controlled the kingdom with the help of her sons, first Ahaziah and then Jehoram. At least the prophet Elisha proclaimed Jehu king of Israel, who killed Jehoram and then entered the palace of Jezebel. He ordered that she was thrown out of the window. Her dead body was left in the street to be eaten by dogs.

Later Jezebel’s name became a synonym for worshipping false gods, sexual immorality, manipulation, seduction and not at least promiscuity.

But different from others like Delilah or Salome she never became very popular in art. Maybe because she was too evil. There are some paintings, mostly depicting her cruel death, but nothing to compare with the popularity of Salome.

This changed in the 20th century when the promiscuous fame proved to be helpful in selling books and movies.

Here a paperback cover from 1963 by the famous pulp artist Robert McGinnis (born 1926). It demonstrates perfectly why Jezebel became so popular in more recent times.