The term "whore" and its derivatives are used in the Bible to describe individuals, particularly women, who engage in sexual immorality, often in the context of prostitution or idolatry. The usage of this term is predominantly found in the Old Testament, where it serves as a metaphor for unfaithfulness to God, as well as a literal description of sexual promiscuity.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often translated as "whore" is "zanah," which means to commit fornication or to be a harlot. This term is used both literally and metaphorically. For instance, in the book of Hosea, the prophet is commanded to marry a "wife of whoredom" to symbolize Israel's unfaithfulness to God through idolatry (Hosea 1:2). The nation of Israel is frequently depicted as a whore in the prophetic books, illustrating their spiritual adultery by worshiping other gods (Ezekiel 16:30-34).

Proverbs also warns against the dangers of engaging with a whore, emphasizing the moral and spiritual consequences of such actions. Proverbs 5:3-5 states, "Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil, in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to Sheol."

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the Greek word "porne" is used, which is often translated as "harlot" or "prostitute." The term is less frequently used in the New Testament but carries a similar connotation of sexual immorality. Revelation 17:1-5 describes the "great prostitute" who sits on many waters, symbolizing the corrupt and idolatrous systems of the world that lead people away from God.

Moral and Spiritual Implications

The Bible consistently portrays whoredom as a serious sin, both in the physical sense of sexual immorality and in the spiritual sense of idolatry. The use of the term "whore" serves as a stark warning against unfaithfulness to God's commandments and the pursuit of worldly desires. It underscores the importance of purity, fidelity, and devotion to God.

Cultural and Historical Considerations

In ancient Israelite society, prostitution was not only a moral issue but also a social and economic one. Women who became prostitutes often did so out of necessity, due to poverty or lack of familial support. Despite this, the biblical texts focus on the spiritual ramifications of such actions, urging the community to uphold God's standards of holiness.

Redemption and Forgiveness

Despite the harsh language and severe warnings associated with whoredom, the Bible also offers hope for redemption and forgiveness. Jesus' interaction with the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11) exemplifies the possibility of forgiveness and transformation. Jesus' response, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more," highlights the grace available to those who repent and turn away from sin.

In summary, the term "whore" in the Bible is a powerful symbol of both physical and spiritual unfaithfulness. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of sin and the need for repentance, while also pointing to the hope of redemption through God's mercy and grace.

The Excellence of the Abiding Glory of virginity; the Soul
... love it, and plot and strive to defile its godlike and lovely image, as the prophet
Jeremiah shows, reproaching Jerusalem, "Thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou ...
/.../chapter i the excellence of the.htm

How those are to be Admonished who have had Experience of the Sins ...
... Whence to the soul that sins and never ceases from sin it is said, There is come
unto thee a whore's forehead; thou refuseth to be ashamed (Jeremiah 3:3). They ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter xxviii how those are.htm

How the Impudent and Bashful are to be Admonished.
... Thus the Lord, openly upbraiding the impudent people of the Jews, saying, There
is come unto thee a whore's forehead; thou wouldest not blush (Jeremiah 3:3 ...
/.../leo/writings of leo the great/chapter vii how the impudent.htm

Discourse III.
... cometh into a depth of evils, he despiseth [2786] ;' for refutation does not stop
them, nor perplexity abash them; but, as having a whore's forehead,' they ...
/.../athanasius/select works and letters or athanasius/discourse iii.htm

Whether a Man May Make Oblations of Whatever He Lawfully Possesses ...
... turp. vel iniust. caus.4] "the whore's is a shameful trade in what she does but
not in what she takes," and consequently what she takes she possesses lawfully. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether a man may make.htm

That it is the Prerogative of the Same Power to be Beneficent and ...
... Of this help the Divine Instructor made use by Jeremiah, saying, "Thou hadst a whore's
forehead; thou wast shameless towards all; and didst not call me to the ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter ix that it is the.htm

Letter cxxiii. To Ageruchia.
... becomes a matron, she will soon riot in every kind of excess; so much so that the
prophet's words shall be true of her "Thou hast a whore's forehead, thou ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxiii to ageruchia.htm

Christ's First and Last Subject
... Thy face is as the whore's forehead that is brazen, if thou darest to say "I have
repented," when thine arms are up to the elbow in the filth of thine iniquity ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/christs first and last subject.htm

Letter cxvii. To a Mother and Daughter Living in Gaul.
... Secret infamy no longer contents you; you call boldness freedom; "you have
a whore's forehead and refuse to be ashamed." [3068]. 10. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxvii to a mother.htm

Apart
... As the inspired prophet would have said, they must have "a whore's forehead" before
they can dare to unmask their hearts before their fellow-men. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 43 1897/apart.htm

Whore's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Whore's (1 Occurrence). Jeremiah 3:3 Therefore
the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no ...
/w/whore's.htm - 6k

Whoring (17 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Whore. Multi-Version
Concordance Whoring (17 Occurrences). Exodus 34:15 Lest thou ...
/w/whoring.htm - 12k

Whores (2 Occurrences)

/w/whores.htm - 7k

Withholden (12 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 3:3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no
latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. ...
/w/withholden.htm - 10k

Refusedst (1 Occurrence)
... Jeremiah 3:3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no
latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. ...
/r/refusedst.htm - 6k

Hadst (43 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 3:3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no
latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. ...
/h/hadst.htm - 20k

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