Ethbaal

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Ethba'al. (With Baal). King of Sidon and father of Jezebel.  1 Kings 16:31. Josephus represents him as a king of the Tyrians, as well as of the Sidonians. We may, thus, identify him with Eithobalus, who, after having assassinated Pheles, usurped the throne of Tyre for thirty-two years. The date of Ethbaal's reign may be given as about B.C. 940-908.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("with Baal"), namely, for his patron god. Ithobalus ("Baal with him") in Menander (Josephus, Apion 1:18), king of Sidon, Jezebel's father ( 1 Kings 16:31). (See Jezebel .) Priest of Astarte. Murdered Pheles, 50 years after Hiram's death, and usurped the throne of Tyre for 32 years, 940-908 B.C.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Ethbaal (‘with Baal,’ i.e . enjoying his favour and protection). King of the Sidonians, and father of Jezebel, wife of Ahab king of Israel (  1 Kings 16:31 ).

Morrish Bible Dictionary

King of Sidon, and father of Jezebel wife of Ahab.  1 Kings 16:31 .

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Hebrews Ethba'al, אֶתְבִּעִל , With Baal, I.E., enjoying his favor and help; Sept. Ε᾿Θβάαλ ) , a king of Sidon, father of the infamous Jezebel, the wife of Ahab ( 1 Kings 16:31). According to Josephus (Ant . 8:13, 1 and 2; Apion, 1:18), Ethbaal is called Ithobalus ( Ι᾿Θόβαλος or Εἰθώβαλος , I.E., אַתּוֹבִעִל =Baal With Him) by Menander, who also says that he was a priest of Astarte, and, having put the king Pheles to death, assumed the scepter of Tyre and Sidon, lived sixty-eight years, and reigned thirty-two (comp. Theophil. Autol. 3, page 132). As fifty years elapsed between the deaths of Hiram and Pheles, the date of Ethbaal's reign may be given as about B.C. 940-908. The worship of Baal was no doubt closely allied to that of Astarte, and it is even possible that a priest of Astarte might have been dedicated also to the service of Baal, and borne his name. We here see the reason why Jezebel, the daughter of a priest of Astarte, was so zealous a promoter of idolatry, the taint of which, with its attendant tyranny, eventually extended to the throne of Judah in the person of Athaliah; and as, twenty-one years after the death of Ethbaal, his granddaughter Dido built Carthage, and founded that celebrated commonwealth (Josephus, as above), we may judge what sort of a spirit animated the females of this royal family. (See Ahab). Another Phoenician king of the same name ( Ι᾿Θόβαλος or Εἰθώβαλος ) appears as a contemporary of Nebuchadnezzar (Josephus, Ant. 10:11, 1; Apion, 1:21; Eusebius, Chron. Armen. 1:74). (See Phoenicia).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

eth - bā´al , eth´bā̇ - al ( אתבּעל , 'eth - ba‛al , "with Baal"): "King of the Sidonians," and father of Jezebel whom Ahab king of Israel took to wife ( 1 Kings 16:31 ).