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According to [[Israel Finkelstein]], the marriage of King Ahab to the daughter of the ruler of the Canaanite empire was a sign of the power and prestige of Ahab and the northern Kingdom of Israel. He termed it a "brilliant stroke of international diplomacy".<ref name="Finkelstein">{{Cite book|title=The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts|last1=Finkelstein|first1=Israel|last2=Silberman|first2=Neil Asher|publisher=Simon and Schuster|year=2001|isbn=978-0-684-86912-4|pages=169–195|author-link1=Israel Finkelstein}}</ref> He says that the inconsistencies and anachronisms in the biblical stories of Jezebel and Ahab mean that they must be considered "more of a historical novel than an accurate historical chronicle".<ref name="Finkelstein" /> Among these inconsistencies, [[1 Kings 20]] states that "[[Hadadezer|Ben-Hadad]] king of [[Aram-Damascus|Aram]]" invaded Samaria during Ahab's reign, but this event did not take place until later in the history of Israel, and "Ben-Hadad" was the title of the ruler of Aram-Damascus.<ref name="FinkelsteinSilberman2002">{{cite book |author1= Israel Finkelstein |author2= Neil Asher Silberman |title= The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Sacred Texts |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=lu6ywyJr0CMC&pg=PA176 |date=6 March 2002 |publisher= Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-0-7432-2338-6 |page= 176}}</ref> Finkelstein also states that the biblical accounts are "obviously influenced by the [[Deuteronomic Code|theology]] of the seventh century BCE writers".<ref name="Finkelstein" /> They were hostile to polytheism and viewed Samaria as a rival to Jerusalem.<ref name="Finkelstein" />
According to Dr J. Bimson, of [[Trinity College, Bristol]] 1 and 2 Kings are not "a straightforward history but a history which contains its own theological commentary". He points to verses like {{bibleverse|1 Kings|14:19}} that show the author of Kings was drawing on other earlier sources.<ref>''IVP New Bible Commentary'' (21st Century Edition), p. 335</ref> The book mixes the annals of history with legends, folktales, miracle stories and "fictional constructions",<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RCgUvQOIvD0C&q=%22fictional+constructions%22&pg=PA1 |page=1 |title=Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching: First and Second Kings |author=Richard D. Nelson |publisher=Westminster John Knox Press |year=1987 |isbn=978-0-664-22084-6}}</ref> and presentation of earlier sources is heavily edited to fit the Deuteronomist agenda.<ref>{{cite book|last=Fretheim|first=Terence E|title=First and Second Kings|publisher=[[Westminster John Knox Press]] |year=1997|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ODLAo9QouEC |isbn=978-0-664-25565-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last= Van Seters |first=John |author-link=John Van Seters |title=In search of history: historiography in the ancient world and the origins of biblical history |publisher= Eisenbrauns |year=1997 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=0-skPdXtewwC&pg=PA406 |isbn= 978-1-57506-013-2 |page=307}}</ref> Janet Howe Gaines likewise finds the narratives implausible, especially the narrative of Naboth being betrayed by an entire Israelite town. <ref>{{Cite web |last=Gaines |first=Janet Howe |date=2023 |title=How Bad Was Jezebel? |url=https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/how-bad-was-jezebel/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240211025417/https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/how-bad-was-jezebel/ |archive-date=February 11, 2024 |website=Biblical Archaeology Society}}</ref> But Christian Frevel argues that the biblical narrative subtly alludes to the Omrides' historical role in introducing Yahwism to Judah, which was obfuscated by anti-Omride
A seal from the 9th century BCE, discovered in 1964, has a partially damaged inscription of "[[Yodh|Y]][[Zayin|Z]][[Bet (letter)|B]][[Lamedh|L]]" which could have once read, "belonging to Jezebel". However, there are some issues with this theory. Whereas on the seal it appears the inscription begins with the letter [[yodh]], Jezebel's name starts with an [[aleph]], which is lacking on the seal; furthermore, the possessive [[lamedh]] which would translate to the predicate "belonging to ..." is also missing from the seal. However, it is entirely possible these letters simply could have been located where the seal is now [[Lacuna (manuscripts)|damaged]]. The seal includes motifs associated with both Egyptian and Israelite royalty, such as the [[Uraeus]] cobra which is commonly found on pharaonic artifacts, and symbols such as the [[winged sun]] and [[Ankh]], which are found on numerous other Israelite royal seals from the 8th century BCE and onwards. Regardless, scholars do not agree on whether the seal is evidence for the historicity of the biblical character. Some scholars have said that the size and intricacy of the seal could mean it was used by royalty. If the seal truly represents Jezebel, then she most likely represented '[[Anat]] as queen, who was the wife of the [[Baal#Baʿal|Ugaritic Baal]]. This aligns with Phoenician royal tradition. <ref name=":4">{{cite web |last= Korpel |first= Marjo C. A. |title= Fit for a Queen: Jezebel's Royal Seal |date= May 2008 |url= http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/uncategorized/fit-for-a-queen-jezebels-royal-seal |publisher= Biblical Archaeology Society |access-date=17 November 2013}}</ref>
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