The story of Jezebel is told in the first book of Kings. She is remembered as being one of the most evil women in history.
Jezebel was the daughter of the Siddonian king, Ethbaal, and she married Ahab, king of Israel. Jezebel was a cruel and devious queen. She once forged her husband's signature and seal in order to order a man stoned to death merely because she wanted his vineyard for a garden.
Unlike her husband and his people, Jezebel was a worshipper of Baal, and, as queen of Israel, she attempted to enforce the worship of Baal on the Israelites. Ahab did not try to stop her. To appease his wife, he built her a temple of Baal in the capital city, Samaria, and invited 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah to dine at the royal table.
As queen, Jezebel commanded the people of Israel to forsake their God, and ordered the death of many of their prophets. Those who escaped Jezebel's purge were forced to flee and hid in caves. Then, the prophet Elijah confronted Jezebel at Mount Carmel, and proposed a competition between her prophets and himself. Jezebel accepted, and through the power of God, all of the prophets of Baal were killed.
Elijah also fortold Jezebel's horrific death, proclaiming, "The carcass of Jezebel shall be as dung on the ground in the field of Jezreel, so that not one will be able to say 'This is Jezebel'" (Kings 2:9:37). God Himself also procalimed that the fate of Jezebel would be to be devoured by dogs. This came to pass when, after the death of King Ahab, Jehu had three eunuchs throw Jezebel from her tower window. Her body fell in the street and was trampled by horses, and the mess was indeed devoured by dogs until all that remained was her feet, her hands, and her skull.
In modern times, the word 'Jezebel' has come to be associated with 'harlot'. One possible reason for this is that Jezebel use to paint her face which was not the custom of the Israelite women at the time. It is ironic, however, as the name Jezebel means 'chaste'.