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ArchivesJezebel and Isabel
For some reason, I have been thinking lately that the name Jezebel (Hebrew), which means "wicked," is somehow related to Isabel and its many variants (Isobel, Isabelle, Isabella, Izabela). I looked these names up, and they mean "consecrated to God." Even, so, the names are so similar, I'm still wondering whether it would be possible that they have any connection at all. Any thoughts on this?
Magda (from Magdalena, latinate form of Magdalene; variants: Madeleine, Maddalena)
Magda (from Magdalena, latinate form of Magdalene; variants: Madeleine, Maddalena)
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It does appear that they come from the same name. The letter J did not exist in the ancient world. The name is most likely the Hebrew אִיזֶבֶל ('Izevel), which probably means "where is the prince?", a ritual question spoken in ceremonies honouring Baal. Alternatively, it may mean "not exalted"
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Jezabel in Yiddish hebrew translation is Izevel, which is pronounced "Izebel". So very likely Isabel is a dirivation. The name does not mean wicked, though the woman was. It means "exalted bel" ( who in biblical text was her god). Baal or bel were often used in names to connect to characteristics of deities as was in Hebrew in names like Micha-el or Dani-el. The problem is who bel was in jezebel, likely Dagon or chemosh or lucifer, demonic enemies of YWH, The Most High God.
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Jezebel in the Hebrew is אִיזֶבֶל ('Izevel) which would read like "not exalted" or "not married" in any language of Canaan. It's probably a disparaging form of the original Phoenician name, which in full was probably "The Lord ("baal") is my dwelling/husband", something like B'l'zbl, which seems to be a known female name in Phoenician. The English form Jezebel comes via the Septaguint, which rendered the name in Greek as Iezebel, or Jezebel once J instead of I came to stand for the phoneme /j/ in medieval Latin (/j/ to /dj/ or similar occurred later in some languages. Oh, and /b/ and /v/ are common allophones, with one letter often standing for both phonemes as the value changes due the surrounding phonemes).
This message was edited 2/7/2020, 4:14 AM
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I wondered too. I think there is connection. They are both evil as was Jezebel in the bible.
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Both origins are correct. "Isabel" is a Latin form of Elizabeth, and can be found in various forms in languages such as Spanish, Italian, French, and Catalan. However, it also exists in a form completely unrelated to Elizabeth (Elisheva in Hebrew), as a dialectal variant of Jezebel. Just claim the first origin, and not the second one, if you want to use Isabel.
The Wikipedia pages for both Isabel and Jezebel explain this.
Hope that helped!
The Wikipedia pages for both Isabel and Jezebel explain this.
Hope that helped!
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Cause Wikipedia is always right...Not!
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I've just come back from Israel and there the name Jezebel is definitely pronounced Isabel. I have no idea where the idea that it is a variant of Elizabeth comes from. I have a feeling it may have been rehabilitated as a name by ignorance. The short if ignorance of Hebrew that turned the adonai into Jehovah.
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Nope. The Bel or Baal which forms the end of Jezebel was the name of a Middle Eastern god who was known, unremarkably, as the Lord! But Isabel is spanish for Elizabeth, and the part of that name that means God or Lord is the first syllable, the El bit. The Beth at the end, that became Bel, means House, so it's something like House of the Lord or Place Consecrated to the Lord.
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I've been thinking of the very same thing myself. There has to be a connection of some sort. I wonder how come Isabel became such a popular name from early on? People surely must've made the association to the wicked Jezebel.
They say that Isabel comes from Italian and is a variant of Elisabeth (Elisabella -> Isabella). Then again, isn't the "bel" in Jezebel somehow related to the "bel" in Belzebub?
They say that Isabel comes from Italian and is a variant of Elisabeth (Elisabella -> Isabella). Then again, isn't the "bel" in Jezebel somehow related to the "bel" in Belzebub?
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Jezebel and Beelzebub
are indeed related, but not necessarily that way.
Beelzebub - originally Ba'al-zvuv ("lord of flies").
Ba'al (meaning "lord" or "owner") was a name of a canaanite god, and Jezebel was a leader of the Ba'al followers.
But the "bel" in Jesebal is originally "vel", and the "beel" in "beelzebub" is "ba'al" - sounds and spelled differently, so I don't know.
are indeed related, but not necessarily that way.
Beelzebub - originally Ba'al-zvuv ("lord of flies").
Ba'al (meaning "lord" or "owner") was a name of a canaanite god, and Jezebel was a leader of the Ba'al followers.
But the "bel" in Jesebal is originally "vel", and the "beel" in "beelzebub" is "ba'al" - sounds and spelled differently, so I don't know.
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Ba'al is not "a" Canaanite god. The word was used as a title for many Canaanite gods, and originally for YHWH as well. In other contexts it is translated "master", "owner", "husband", or "citizen". Beelzebub is a derogatory Hebrew pun on the name of one such god. The OT refers to "the Baals", and reformers seeking to purify Hebrew religious practice insisted that YHWH was not just one of the many Baals and the title is only used of foreign gods in the received texts. Be'l is the common Chaldean form, Ba'l or Ba'al the Phoenician/Punic (as in Hannibal). Jezebel itself may be a derogatory Hebrew pun on her Phoenician name, in reference to her being "thrown down" to her death.
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