Jezabel
Determined. Strategic. Defiant.
JEZABEL, 9th century BCE, Phoenicia, modern day Lebanon
Jezebel was a woman who came into her marriage wielding her own political power. She was a Phoenician princess who grew up in a goddess-based tradition where she was seen and valued by her community. She was educated, autonomous, and likely trained in sacred sexual rituals.
She married a Hebrew King, making her a Queen who often ruled in tandem with her husband. He came from a culture and religion firmly rooted in patriarchy. The king aligned himself with his wife, which led to a peaceful synthesis of diverse cultural and religious practices in the royal court, showcasing a new level of cultural and religious syncretism.
The King’s inner circle disapproved of her political leadership and the new religious synthesis that was emerging. The King’s leaders could not allow a woman to have power, especially sexual power, as it would challenge their control over women and their patriarchal social and religious structure.
While the marriage led to a political, trading and military alliance, the religious and cultural chasm was too great. Jezebel had to be discredited and dethroned.
The path to discrediting her came from the place where she was most vulnerable: her sacred sexuality. Despite her political power and influence in ancient Israel, Jezebel's legacy has been marred by negative portrayals and the "Jezebel spirit" label, a term used to label women as whores and promiscuous. Three thousand years later, we still use “morality” to shame women and strip them of their power.
What if that never happened? … What if the legacy of Jezebel was that of a powerful female leader?
This piece seeks to capture the tension between the two world views surrounding Jezebel, and reflects broader societal and cultural shifts during this historical period. She stands as the central figure between patriarchal abrahamic traditions and matrilineal goddess traditions underscoring the ideological struggle between the two in ancient Israel.
It invites viewers to imagine how broader social and cultural norms would have evolved if matrilineal, equity-based cultural and religious practices had been able to thrive in balance with patriarchal traditions, and suggests that if Jezebel’s stories had been told truthfully, we would be living in a world where women can and do wield more power and or at least are valued leaders in partnership with men. We could even see more peaceful co-existence and synthesis of diverse religious and cultural practices.
Artwork by Moonjube
