Ethbaal is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Ethbaal was the king of Sidon and the father of Jezebel, who became the wife of King Ahab of Israel. He is mentioned only once in the King James Bible, in 1 Kings 16:31, where the text identifies him as “Ethbaal king of the Zidonians.” His appearance in Scripture is brief, but his role in the narrative of Israel’s history is significant because of the daughter he raised and the marriage he permitted.
The setting of his appearance is the reign of Ahab, king of Israel, who did more evil than all the kings before him. The text says it was “as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,” and so Ahab took to wife Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal. This marriage was not merely a political alliance; it introduced the worship of Baal into Israel’s royal house. The verse states plainly that Ahab “went and served Baal, and worshipped him.”
Ethbaal himself does not speak or act in the biblical text. Scripture records nothing of his deeds, his reign, or his character beyond his title as king of the Sidonians and his relation to Jezebel. He is a background figure whose significance lies in the daughter he gave in marriage and the spiritual consequences that followed for Israel. The Bible presents him only in connection with the introduction of Baal worship into the northern kingdom.
The Name
The name Ethbaal is a Hebrew transliteration of a Phoenician name, and its meaning is generally understood to be “with Baal” or “Baal is with him,” from the elements *eth* (with) and *baal* (lord or master, used as the name of the Canaanite deity). This meaning is well established in scholarly sources and fits the religious context of Sidon, where Baal was worshipped. The name itself reflects the pagan devotion of Ethbaal’s household, which Scripture later shows to have influenced Israel through his daughter Jezebel.
A Closing Thought
Ethbaal never appears as a character in the biblical story; he is named only as Jezebel’s father. Yet his life reminds us that what we pass on to our children—our loyalties, our worship, our priorities—can shape far more than we imagine. A parent’s devotion to false gods can echo for generations. May we be careful to leave a legacy of faithfulness, not of compromise, knowing that the influences we cultivate in our homes may outlive us and affect many others.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Kings 16:31 — And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.