Jezebel

For my Intro to the Bible class, each student is asked to make a 10-minute presentation on a Biblical character. I decided to try something new with my presentation by performing a Spoken Word poem. Spoken Word is a broad way of defining art that has to do with words. When I have seen Spoken Word, it's usually poetic, rhythmic, dramatic, artistic storytelling, often in a rhyming scheme, often set to music, sometimes with expressive movement or dance. Here is a powerful example of Spoken Word (which is also called Slam Poetry at times):


My version was fairly simple -- just the words, a few gestures, and the emotion of my voice. The topic: Jezebel, a wicked queen of Israel from 1 and 2 Kings. For a synopsis of Jezebel's life, see this paper. Now, here is Jezebel in Spoken Word. (Audience snapping commences.)

Repentance lacking, evil overwhelming. The Lord’s wrath and justice, finally fulfilled

Royalty demolished, flesh eaten by dogs. Upon the cold ground her blood was spilled.

This is Jezebel, the princess, the seductress, worshiper of idols, an entire nation’s distraction.

Wife of Ahab, daughter of Ethbaal, a queen evil in heart and eyes and action.

Even her name means “The Prince Baal exists.”

In all things, idolatry for Jezebel persists.

In First and Second Kings you find her story. The people wandering, drifting, devoid, and whining.

David and Solomon long past, with a slew of wicked kings and a kingdom now declining.

Then Ahab takes the throne, wicked at his root. He practices more evil than any who’d come before.

Worst of all, he marries Jezebel and through her comes to worship Baal, leading a nation to wrongly adore.

The prophet Elijah warned. Warning, warning of a famine on Israel that would be provoked.

Where is Baal now, Jezebel? Where is this god of weather you worship and invoke?

Elijah asked a challenge, a way to test the prophets. He stood alone as advocate of the Lord.

While 850 others idolized and fantasized and trivialized but could not actualize rain pour.

At the offering upon an altar, Elijah caused water to gush forth, as it would later from the Lord’s side.

Then fire consumed, the water vaporized, the false prophets brought to Kishon where in their pride they died.

Ahab tells his queen about Elijah, of Baal’s prophets slew.

Jezebel promises by day’s end the Lord’s prophet will be dead too.

Elijah runs in fear, camps in desert under tree, asks God that death might freeingly come unto thee.

Yet sustenance arrives. God comes not in wind or quake or fire but in the quiet voice that fulfills man’s desire.

Go, says God to prophet, rescue my people from Jezebel and Baal’s idolatrous demands.

So Elijah returned, life still intact, and somehow slipped through the evil queen’s hands.

The setting next moves to a vineyard, a family property, that of Naboth, of Jezreel.

Proximity made the land to Ahab appeal, but Naboth said no no matter how sweet the deal.

Anger rose in Ahab. How dare Naboth refuse the king?

He pouted and fasted, being unused to denial in anything.

Enter Jezebel, scheming, plotting, conniving. With the evil queen directing, Naboth’s death was sewn.

Accusing him of cursing God and king, she found false witnesses, had him tried, and stoned.

Death a weapon in quest of passions to be quenched, a vineyard now acquired by blood spilled.

Ahab went to claim the bounty of Jezebel’s deed, but Elijah called a curse upon those that killed.

Said prophet to king, “May evil be upon you, your lineage interrupted, the house of Ahab go asunder.

Your wife’s blood lapped by dogs, for you murdered to gain your plunder.”

Overcome, Ahab rued his action. Garments torn, sackcloth worn, fasting, and awareness of infraction.

Merciful again, God relented, and said punishing descendants would meet his satisfaction.

But no contrition in Jezebel was found. Divine clemency had no say.

She would meet disgrace by hound at unknown time and place and day.

When that day came, she knew and she withdrew to paint her face, adorn her hair, and prepare for demise.

Jehu, man of God, approached to crush the house of Ahab, and he met the aged queen’s eyes.

Swiftly he commanded she be thrown from her tower, stripped of her power, that her death come at that hour.

Falling, falling, soul dancing with doom, her body left for the mongrels to devour.

This is Jezebel, daughter of Hell, lonely bones all that linger

Disgraced, now dead, dogs having eaten all but skull and feet and fingers

Like dung in the field in the confines of Jezreel, says the Word.

That no body remain and no followers be retained, revealed, or heard.

This is Jezebel, symbol of sin, adorer of false deities, malevolent, covetous, coarse

She that led God’s people into sin, seduced, and killed without remorse.

Even now does her name bear meaning: false prophets, fallen women, idolatry, immorality.

Sin unchecked leads to deeds deplorable, and we should recall repentance’s centrality.

There is one God and we shall have no more.

Bear the cautionary tale of Jezebel and the Lord alone adore.