

This is an entertaining and enlightening look at a classic biblical story. In fact, Jezebel was not sexually promiscuous and the word harlot refers to her unfaithfulness to the God of Israel. Hazleton examines the stories that label her a “harlot queen” as well as the roles of Elijah and Elisha in creating this image. As a foreigner, a polytheist, and a powerful woman, Jezebel had three strikes against her.

Using history, historical fiction, and sociological and anthropological studies, she paints a picture of life during the time that Jezebel lived. Lesley Hazleton, formerly a psychologist and a journalist who reported on the Middle East for Time magazine, works to provide a more balanced picture of this foreign woman who became queen of ancient Israel by marriage. The only information available about her life is found in the Books of Kings in the Bible. Jezebel, like many a powerful woman, has a bad reputation.
