Topical Encyclopedia Throughout the biblical narrative, women have played various roles, including those who have been zealous in promoting superstition and idolatry. This entry explores several key figures and instances where women have been instrumental in leading others away from the worship of the one true God, as depicted in the Scriptures.Jezebel One of the most infamous women associated with idolatry in the Bible is Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab of Israel. Jezebel was a Phoenician princess who introduced the worship of Baal, a Canaanite deity, into Israel. Her influence over Ahab and her zealous promotion of Baal worship led to significant spiritual decline in the nation. The Bible records her actions in 1 Kings 16:31-33: "And as if it were a trivial thing for Ahab to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he proceeded to serve and worship Baal. First, Ahab set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria. Then he set up an Asherah pole. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him." Jezebel's zealousness for idolatry extended to persecuting the prophets of the Lord, as seen in 1 Kings 18:4: "While Jezebel was killing off the LORD’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water." The Witch of Endor Another notable figure is the woman known as the Witch of Endor, who is consulted by King Saul in 1 Samuel 28. Despite the Lord's clear prohibition against necromancy and divination, Saul seeks her out in desperation to summon the spirit of the prophet Samuel. The woman, described as having a familiar spirit, is an example of how superstition and the occult were present and influential, even among the people of Israel. 1 Samuel 28:7-8 recounts: "Then Saul said to his servants, 'Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.' 'There is a woman at Endor who is a medium,' his servants replied. So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman by night, and Saul said, 'Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name.'" Solomon's Foreign Wives King Solomon, known for his wisdom, was led astray by his foreign wives, who turned his heart toward other gods. These women, from various nations, brought their idolatrous practices into Israel, leading Solomon to build high places for their gods. 1 Kings 11:4-5 states: "For when Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God, as his father David had been. Solomon followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites." Athaliah Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, further exemplifies the zeal for idolatry. As queen of Judah, she sought to establish Baal worship in the southern kingdom, following in her mother's footsteps. Her reign is marked by violence and the usurpation of the throne, as she attempted to eradicate the Davidic line. 2 Kings 11:1-3 describes her actions: "When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to annihilate all the royal heirs. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the sons of the king who were being put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. So he was hidden from Athaliah and was not killed." These examples illustrate the significant impact women had in promoting idolatry and superstition in biblical times. Their actions often led to spiritual and moral decline, serving as cautionary tales within the biblical narrative. Nave's Topical Index Jeremiah 7:18The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Nave's Topical Index Ezekiel 13:17,23 Library Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers. Period I: the Imperial State Church of the Undivided Empire, or ... Resources What does the Bible say about women pastors? | GotQuestions.orgDo women have to remain silent in church? | GotQuestions.org Are men and women equal in God's eyes? | GotQuestions.org Women: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Women are Courteous to Strangers Women are Tender to Her offspring Women of the Body (Ekklesia) of Christ Women: A Persian Queen Sat on a Throne Beside Her King Women: Active in Instigating to Iniquity Women: As Prophets: Philip's Four Unmarried Daughters Women: Athaliah, in Destroying the Royal Household and Usurping the Throne Women: Bath-Sheba, in Her Adultery, in Becoming the Wife of Her Husband's Murderer Women: Consecrated Jewels to Tabernacle Women: Converted by Preaching of Paul Women: Could not Marry Without the Consent of Parents Women: Deborah, a Judge, Prophetess, and Military Leader Women: Delilah, in Her Conspiracy Against Samson Women: Difference in Ceremonies Made Between Male and Female Children Women: Dinah, in Her Fornication Women: Eve, in Yielding to Temptation and Seducing Her Husband Women: Fall of, and Curse Upon Women: First to Whom the Risen Lord Appeared Women: Fond of Self-Indulgence Women: Forbidden to Wear Men's Costume Women: Gomer, the Adulterous Wife of Hosea Women: had Separate Apartments in Dwellings Women: Haman's Wife, in Advising Him to Hang Mordecai Women: Hannah, the Mother of Samuel Women: Help in Defensive Operations Women: Herodias, in Her Incestuous Marriage With Herod Antipas Women: Herodius, by Indirectly Causing John the Baptist to be Decapitated Women: Jezebel, in Her Conspiracy Against Naboth, to Cheat Him out of his Vineyard Women: Jezebel, in Her Evil Counsels To, and Influence Over, Ahab Women: Jezebel, in Her Persecution and Destruction of the Prophets of the Lord Women: Jezebel, in Her Persecution of Elijah Women: Job's Wife, in Suggesting to Him That he Curse God and Die Women: Leah, in Her Imitation of Rachel in the Matter of Children Women: Lot's Wife, in Her Rebellion Against Her Situation, and Against the Destruction of Sodom Women: Michal, in Her Derision of David's Religious Zeal Women: Miriam, in Her Sedition With Aaron Against Moses Women: Not to be Given in Marriage Was Considered a Calamity Women: Patriotic: The Women of Israel Women: Patriotic: The Women of the Philistines Women: Peninnah, the Wife of Elkanah, in Her Jealous Taunting of Hannah Women: Potiphar's Wife, in Her Lascivious Lust and Slander Against Joseph Women: Property Rights of in Inheritance Women: Property Rights of To Sell Real Estate Women: Punishment for Seducing, when not Betrothed Women: Punishment to be Inflicted Upon Men for Seducing, when Betrothed Women: Purifications of After Childbirth Women: Purifications of After Menstruation Women: Rachel, in Her Jealousy of Leah Women: Rachel, in Stealing Images Women: Religious Privileges of, Among Early Christians Women: Required to Attend to the Reading of the Law of Moses Women: Rules for Dress of Christian Women: Sapphira, in Her Blasphemous Falsehood Women: Sarah, in Her Jealousy and Malice Toward Hagar Women: Silly, and Easily Led Into Error Women: Social Status of in Persia Women: Social Status of in Roman Customs Women: Sold for Husband's Debts Women: Solomon's Wives, in Their Idolatrous and Wicked Influence Over Solomon Women: Symbolical of Wickedness Women: Tended Flocks and Herds Women: The Cannibalistic Mothers of Samaria Women: The Daughters of Lot, in Their Incestuous Lust Women: The Midianite Woman in the Camp of Israel, Taken in Adultery Women: The Philippian Christians Women: The Shunammite Woman, Who Gave Hospitality to Elisha Women: The Sodomites of the Southern Kingdom (Judah) Women: The Widow Who Put Her Two Mite (Small Coins, Greek: Leptas) Into the Treasury Women: The Woman Caught in the Act of Adultery and Brought to Jesus in the Temple Women: Took Part in Ancient Worship Women: Treated With Cruelty in War Women: Unclassified Scriptures Relating To Women: Virtuous, Held in High Estimation Women: Wicked: Commits Forgery Women: Wicked: Full of Deceit and Licentiousness Women: Wicked: Silly and Wayward Women: Wicked: Zeal of, in Licentious Practices of Idolatry Women: Widow of Zarephath, Who Fed Elijah During the Famine Women: Worshiped in Separate Compartments Women: Zealous in Promoting Superstition and Idolatry Women: Zipporah, in Her Persecution of Moses on Account of his Religious Obligations Related Terms Women-servants (21 Occurrences) |
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