MEANING OF JEZEBEL.
(Vol. ii., p. 357.)
There appear to be two serious objections to the idea of your correspondent W.G.H. respecting the appearance of Baal in this word: 1. The original orthography (
אִיזֶּבֶל
); whereas the name of the deity is found on all Phœnician monuments, where it enters largely into the composition of proper names, written
בעל
: and, 2. The fact of female names being generally on these same monuments (as tombstones and so forth) compounded of the name of a goddess, specially Astarth (
אַתִֹּרִת
or
עַ
). I do not know that we have any example of a female name into which Baal enters.
The derivation of the word appears to be that given by Gesenius (s.v.); that it is compounded of the root
זָבַל
(habitavit, cohabitavit) and the negative
אֵין
, and that its meaning is the same as αλοχος, casta: comp. Agnes. Isabel, in fact, would be a name nearer the original than the form in which we have it.
SC.
Carmarthen, Oct. 29. 1850.
Jezebel.—W.G.H. has been misled by the ending bel. The Phœnician god Bel or Baal has nothing to do with this name,—the component words being Je-zebel, not Jeze-bel. Of the various explanations given, that of Gesenius (Heb. Lex., s. voc.) appears, as usual, the simplest and most rational. The name
אִיזֶבֶל
(Jezebel) he derives from
אִי
(i) "not" (comp. I-chabod, "In-glorious") and
זָבַל
(zábal), "to dwell, cohabit with."
The name will then mean "without cohabitation," i.e. αλοχος (Plat. Theæt.) "chaste, modest." Comp. Agnes, Katherine, &c.
Less satisfactory explanations may be found in Calmet's Dictionary, and the Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature, edited by Dr. Kitlo.
R.T.H.G.
Jezebel.—The Hebrew spelling
אִיזֶבֶל
presents so much difficulty, that I fear such a derivation as W.G.H. wishes to obtain for the name is not practicable by any known etymology. Nothing that I am aware of, either in Hebrew, Syriac, or Arabic, will help us. The nearest verb that I can find is the Chaldee
אֲזָא
, signifying, "to light a fire," parts of which occur two or three times in Dan. iii.; but I fear it would be too daring a conjecture to interpret the name quem Belus accendit on the strength of that verb's existence. At present I feel myself obliged to take the advice of Winer, in his Lexicon, "Satius est ignorantiam fateri quam argutari."
"Nominis origo (he says) non liquet. Sunt qui interpretentur non stercus, Coll. 2 Reg. ix. 27., ineptè.
Simonis in Onom. dictum putat Ino
נְאִי זֶבֶל
, mansio habitationis (habitatio tectissima); Gesenius cui nemo concubuit, Coll.
זבל
, Gen. xxx. 20. Sed satius," &c.
Admitting that Hasdrubal is, in fact
עָזְרו בֵּל
, Bel (was) his helper, we cannot possibly connect
אִיזֶבֶל
with it.
ב
.
L—— Rectory, Somerset.
Jezebel.—Your correspondent W.G.H. believes this word to be derivable from Baal. That the Phœnician word
בַעַל
(Lord) makes a component part of many Syrian names is well-known: but I do not think the contracted form
בֵל
, which was used by the Babylonians, is ever found in any Syrian names. If we suppose the name
אִיזֶבֶל
to be derived from
בֵל
or
בַעַל
, we must find a meaning for the previous letters. Gesenius derives the name from
אי
, the negative particle,
זבל
, and gives it the sense of "innuba", i.e. "pure," comparing it, as a female name, with the Christian Agnes. There is but one passage, however, in Scripture which supports this secondary sense of
זבל
properly, "to be round," or, "to make round," and then "to dwell;" from whence
זְבוּל
, "a dwelling or habitation:" also
זְבוּלוּן
, "dwellings," the name which Leah gives to her sixth son, because she hopes that thenceforward her husband
יִזְבְלֵוִי
, "will dwell with me." (Gen. xxx. 20.) Gesenius considers this equivalent with "cohabit;" and from this single passage draws the sense which he assigns to
אִיזֶבֶל
This seems rather far-fetched. I am, however, still inclined to give the sense of "pure, unpolluted," to
אִיזֶבֶל
, but on different grounds.
זֶבֶל
has another sense, κοπρος, particularly of camels, from the round form; and the word was common, in the later Hebrew, in that sense. Hence the evil spirit is called
בַעַל־זְבוּל
, a contemptuous name, instead of
בַעַל־זְבוּב
= Βεελζεβουλ instead of Βεελζεβουβ (Matt. xii. 24.).
The negative of this word
אִיזֶבֶל
might, without any great forcing of the literal sense, imply "the undefiled," Αμιαυτος; and this conjecture is supported by comparing 2 Kings, ix. 37. with the same verse in the Targum of Jonathan. They are as follows: (Heb.):
וִהָיְתָ נִבְלַת אִיזֶבֶל כְּרמֶן עַל־פְנֵי הַשׂרֶה
In the Targum thus:
וּתִהֵי נִבֵילתָּא רְאִיזֶבֶל כְּזֶבֶל מְבַרַּר עַל אַפֵּי תַקְלָא׃
It is quite clear that the Targumists intended here a strong allusion to the original meaning of Jezebel's name; viz. that she who was named "the undefiled" should become as "defilement." I am not sure whether a disquisition of this kind may be considered irrelevant to your work; but as the idea seems not an improbable one to some whose judgment I value, I venture to send it.
E.C.H.