Lexical Summary qedeshah: Temple prostitute, cult prostitute Original Word: קְדֵשָׁה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance harlot, whore Feminine of qadesh; a female devotee (i.e. Prostitute) -- harlot, whore. see HEBREW qadesh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. of qadesh, q.v. Topical Lexicon Overview of Biblical Usage The feminine noun קְדֵשָׁה (qedēshāh) designates a woman consecrated to cultic prostitution within the fertility rites of Canaanite religion. The terminology underscores the tragic inversion of true holiness: what is “set apart” is devoted not to the LORD but to idolatrous worship and sexual immorality. Occurrences in Narrative and Law • Genesis 38:21–22 presents the qedēshāh as an ostensibly recognized figure along the road to Enaim. Judah’s search for her reveals how easily covenant people could blur moral lines when mingling with Canaanite practice. Prophetic Exposure of Spiritual Unfaithfulness Hosea 4:14 widens the semantic field, using qedēshāh to illustrate national apostasy: “I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery, because the men themselves consort with harlots and sacrifice with cult prostitutes; so a people without understanding will come to ruin”. Here the prostitution is both literal and metaphorical, portraying Israel’s breach of covenant fidelity. Cultural and Religious Background Ancient Near Eastern fertility cults employed sexual rites to secure agricultural bounty, weaving immorality into worship. By calling these women “qedēshāh,” the culture claimed a counterfeit sanctity. Biblical authors deliberately retain the term to unmask the perversion: sacredness, wrenched from its true object, becomes profane. Theological Themes 1. Holiness Reclaimed: Scripture insists that genuine holiness is inseparable from the LORD’s character (Leviticus 19:2). Qedēshāh exposes humanity’s tendency to substitute sensual experience for spiritual obedience. Ministry and Discipleship Implications • Guarding Worship Purity: Modern ministry must discern contemporary equivalents of syncretism that promise fulfillment yet undermine holiness. Relationship to Parallel Masculine Term The masculine qādēsh (Deuteronomy 23:17; 1 Kings 14:24) confirms that cult prostitution transcended gender. Scripture confronts both sexes equally, affirming a holistic vision of purity. Conclusion קְדֵשָׁה stands as a stark reminder that holiness cannot be severed from obedience. By exposing the emptiness of pagan substitutes, the term invites God’s people to pursue sanctification rooted in covenant love, ultimately fulfilled in the Bridegroom who “loved the church and gave Himself up for her, to sanctify her” (Ephesians 5:25–26). Forms and Transliterations הַקְּדֵשָׁ֛ה הַקְּדֵשׁ֖וֹת הקדשה הקדשות קְדֵשָֽׁה׃ קְדֵשָׁ֖ה קדשה קדשה׃ hakkedeShah hakkedeShot haq·qə·ḏê·šāh haq·qə·ḏê·šō·wṯ haqqəḏêšāh haqqəḏêšōwṯ kedeShah qə·ḏê·šāh qəḏêšāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 38:21 HEB: לֵאמֹ֔ר אַיֵּ֧ה הַקְּדֵשָׁ֛ה הִ֥וא בָעֵינַ֖יִם KJV: saying, Where [is] the harlot, that [was] openly INT: saying Where Where the harlot who Enaim Genesis 38:21 Genesis 38:22 Deuteronomy 23:17 Hosea 4:14 5 Occurrences |
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