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IN THE HEBREW BIBLE In the Hebrew Bible , Jezebel is the name of a Queen of Israel, whose story is told in 1 Kings . Jezebel was a Phoenician princess, the daughter of King Ithobaal I of Tyre , who married King Ahab . In the Books Of Kings she is blamed for turning Ahab away from the true God , and towards the worship of her god, Baal . The queen is also blamed for introducing Israel to its tyrannical government. It is also believed that she and Ahab tried to begin a revolution in Israel. She is accused of killing the prophets of the Lord, and Elijah charges her with abominations. After Ahab's death she continued to rule through her son Ahaziah , and then when he was killed in battle, Joram , her other son. When he was killed by Jehu , Jezebel was also killed, having been thrown out of her window, and her body was eaten by dogs in fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy. NEW TESTAMENT In the New Testament , Jezebel is a Prophetess in the city of Thyatira . She is accused in Revelation 2:20 of inducing members of the church there to commit acts of sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols. Some authorities suggest that the author here uses the name Jezebel as a nickname, knowing that readers in Thyatira would know to whom was being referred, and would also know of the deeds of the previous Jezebel recorded in 1 Kings. The name Jezebel has come down through the centuries as a general name for all Wicked women. The Jews' and Christians' primary contention with Jezebel was over human (especially child) sacrifice as practiced by the Baal cult. Jezebel is described as a controlling whore (''à la'' the phrase ', where she puts on her makeup). CARTHAGE Jezebel is said to be the Great Aunt of Queen Dido , founder of Carthage. JEZEBEL IN MODERN CULTURE Jezebel has come to be an Archetype for an evil-minded, controlling woman. While it is often negative in connotation, some embrace the image, as evidenced by various Lingerie designs named after Jezebel.
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