6253. Ashtoreth

Lexicon

Ashtoreth: Ashtoreth

Original Word: עַשְׁתֹּרֶת
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: `Ashtoreth
Pronunciation: ash-to-reth
Phonetic Spelling: (ash-to'reth)
Definition: Ashtoreth
Meaning: Ashtoreth

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Ashtoreth

Probably for ashtrah; Ashtoreth, the Phoenician goddess of love (and increase) -- Ashtoreth.

see HEBREW ashtrah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
the same as Ashtoreth, q.v.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

עַשְׁתֹּ֫רֶת proper name, of deities ±Aštœreth, < ±Ašt¹rt, ±Aštéreth (see below) (MI¹⁷ עשתר כמש; Phoenician עשתרת (+ often in proper names), proper name עבד עשתר Cook^{Acad. Jan.18, 1896} Sabean proper name, of deity עתֿתר see especially Os^{ZMG xx (1866), 279 f.} DHM^{ib. xxxvii (1883), 376} Fell^{Sab. Gotternamen, ZMG liv (1900), 231 ff., especially 237 ff.}; Assyrian Ištar; Old Aramaic, Palmyrene עתר (= עתֿתר) in proper name; in Egyptian ±astirati WMM^As.u.Eur.313; Greek Ἀστάρτη; on their Greek equivalents (e.g. Ἀφροδίτη) compare Lewy^{Fremdw. 148, 186 f, 250}); — ֶֹ֯ probably artificial, to suggest בּשֶׁת, originally תַּרְתְּ-, תֶּרֶת-, compare Ištar, Ασταρτη, etc.; ׳ע 1 Kings 11:5 2t.; plural תָּרוֺת- Judges 2:13 + 3t.+ רֹת- 1 Samuel 7:4; 1 Samuel 31:10 read probably singular (Dr and others); — ±Aštart, ±Aštereth (Ασταρτη, plural Ασταρται, but Judges 10:6; 1 Samuel 7:4 Ασταρωθ), ancient Semitic goddess (with male counterpart in Moabite, Sabean and apparently Phoenician); Phoenician deity, עשׁתרת אֱלֹהֵי צִדֹנִים 1 Kings 11:5,33, ׳שִׁקֻּץ צ ׳ע 2 Kings 23:13; so probably ׳בֵּית ע 1 Samuel 31:10 (reading singular; see especially Dr); elsewhere plural, of various local goddesses, called עֲשְׁתָּרוֺת (compareAssyrian ilâni u ištarat = gods and Ištars (i.e. goddesses), usually + בעל(יםׅ, as Canaanitish deities Judges 2:13; Judges 10:6; 1 Samuel 7:4; 1 Samuel 12:10; "" אֱלֹהֵי הַנֵּכָר 1 Samuel 7:3. — See especially Dr^{Ashtoreth in} Hast^DB; on Išitar Jastr^Rel. Babylonian passive especially 202 f.; on `Athtar Bae<sup>Rel. 117 f</sup>; on Phoenician on `Aštart Pietschm^{Geschichte. Phön. 184 f.}; on ±Ashtoreth Barton^{JBL x (1891), 73 ff.} GFM^{Ency. Bib}.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root עַשְׁתֹּר (Ashtar), which is related to the Akkadian goddess Ishtar.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The corresponding Greek entry is Strong's G4168: Ἀστάρτη (Astarte), which refers to the same deity in the context of Greek translations and writings. Astarte is the Greek equivalent of the Canaanite Ashtoreth and shares similar attributes and associations.

Usage: Ashtoreth is mentioned in the context of idolatry and pagan worship practices that were prevalent among the Canaanites and sometimes adopted by the Israelites. She is often mentioned alongside Baal, another prominent Canaanite deity.

Context: Ashtoreth was a prominent goddess in the ancient Near Eastern pantheon, particularly among the Canaanites. She was worshiped as a goddess of love, war, and fertility, and her cult was characterized by various rites and ceremonies, often involving ritual prostitution and other practices considered abominable by the Israelites. The worship of Ashtoreth is frequently condemned in the Hebrew Bible, as it led the Israelites away from the worship of Yahweh.

In the biblical narrative, Ashtoreth is mentioned in several passages as a deity whose worship was adopted by the Israelites during periods of apostasy. For example, in 1 Kings 11:5, it is noted that King Solomon, influenced by his foreign wives, turned to the worship of Ashtoreth: "Solomon followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites." This syncretism led to divine disfavor and was a contributing factor to the division of the kingdom after Solomon's reign.

The worship of Ashtoreth was often conducted on high places and involved the use of idols and sacred poles (asherim). The prophets of Israel frequently denounced the worship of Ashtoreth and other foreign deities, calling the people back to exclusive worship of Yahweh.

Forms and Transliterations

לְעַשְׁתֹּ֣רֶת ׀ לְעַשְׁתֹּרֶת֮ לעשתרת עַשְׁתֹּ֔רֶת עשתרת ‘aš·tō·reṯ ‘aštōreṯ ashToret lə‘aštōreṯ lə·‘aš·tō·reṯ leashtoRet

Englishman's Concordance

1 Kings 11:5
HEB: שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֣י עַשְׁתֹּ֔רֶת אֱלֹהֵ֖י צִדֹנִ֑ים
KJV: after Ashtoreth the goddess
INT: Solomon after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians

1 Kings 11:33
HEB: עֲזָב֗וּנִי וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֮ לְעַשְׁתֹּרֶת֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י צִֽדֹנִין֒
KJV: me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess
INT: have forsaken worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians

2 Kings 23:13
HEB: מֶֽלֶךְ־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל לְעַשְׁתֹּ֣רֶת ׀ שִׁקֻּ֣ץ צִידֹנִ֗ים
KJV: had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination
INT: the king of Israel Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians

3 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6253
3 Occurrences

‘aš·tō·reṯ — 1 Occ.
lə·‘aš·tō·reṯ — 2 Occ.