Ἰεζαβήλ
Iezabḗl
G2403 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name referring to Jezebel, originally the Phoenician (Tyrian) royal wife of King Ahab of Israel in the 9th century BCE; secondarily applied in early Christian literature as a figurative label for a woman characterized by false teaching, seduction, or moral corruption.
Semantic Range
personal name Jezebel, Phoenician queen; figurative use for a woman associated with false teaching or corrupting influence; by extension, an infamous or disreputable woman
Root / Etymology
From Hebrew אִיזֶבֶל (ʾÎzeḇel); adapted directly into Greek. The original Hebrew etymology is debated, possibly meaning 'Where is the prince (Baal)?' or otherwise 'without cohabitation,' though the precise origin is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Septuagint, Ἰεζαβήλ is used as the transliteration of the personal name Jezebel, the historical Phoenician queen married to Ahab (1 Kings 16–21). In the New Testament, it appears in Revelation 2:20 as a symbolic or figurative designation for a woman in the community associated with false teaching and immoral behavior, modeling herself after the notorious figure from the Hebrew scriptures. In both cases, English translations often use 'Jezebel,' but in the Second Temple and NT context the word functioned not only as a proper name but as a type or epithet. Its usage does not denote ethnic or religious identity but refers to notorious behavior. The term does not carry the meaning of 'Jewess' or any specific ethnic marker but is strictly a personal name or pejorative label. Classical Greek texts do not attest Ἰεζαβήλ outside biblical Greek.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (אִיזֶבֶל); Jezabel (i.e. Jezebel), a Tyrian woman (used as a synonym of a termagant or false teacher):--Jezabel.
Root Family
Ἰεζαβήλ (Iezabēl) — proper name, Jezebel, notorious woman
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2403-01 |
Ἰεζάβελ | iezabel | N ACC F SG |
Jezebel | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2403-01 |
Revelation 2:20 | Ἰεζάβελ | iezabel | N ACC F SG |
Jezebel |