◄ 6948. qedeshah ►
Strong's Lexicon qedeshah: Temple prostitute, cult prostitute Original Word: קְדֵשָׁה Part of Speech: Noun Feminine Transliteration: qdeshah Pronunciation: keh-deh-SHAH Phonetic Spelling: (ked-ay-shaw') Definition: a female devotee Meaning: A female devotee, often associated with temple prostitution in ancient Near Eastern religious practices. Word Origin: Derived from the root קָדַשׁ (qadash), meaning "to be set apart" or "to be holy." Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The concept of a female devotee or temple prostitute does not have a direct equivalent in the Greek New Testament. However, related Greek terms that deal with sexual immorality or idolatrous practices include πορνεία (porneia, Strong's Greek 4202), which refers to fornication or sexual immorality, and ἱερόδουλος (hierodoulos, Strong's Greek 2410), which can refer to a temple servant, though not specifically a prostitute. Usage: The term קְדֵשָׁה appears in the Hebrew Bible to describe women who were dedicated to pagan religious rituals, which often included sexual rites. This term is used in contexts that highlight the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations and the Israelites' deviation from the worship of Yahweh. Context: The term קְדֵשָׁה (Qedeshah) is used in the Hebrew Bible to refer to women who were involved in cultic practices, particularly those associated with Canaanite religious rituals. These women were often linked to the worship of fertility deities, where sexual acts were performed as part of religious ceremonies. The presence of קְדֵשָׁה is indicative of the syncretism and moral decline that the prophets and leaders of Israel frequently condemned. In the Berean Standard Bible, the term appears in passages such as Genesis 38:21-22, where Judah encounters Tamar, whom he mistakenly believes to be a קְדֵשָׁה. The narrative highlights the cultural and religious tensions between the Israelites and the surrounding nations, emphasizing the call to holiness and separation from pagan practices. The role of the קְדֵשָׁה is contrasted with the biblical ideal of holiness, where true devotion to God is marked by moral purity and adherence to His commandments. The presence of such figures in Israelite society serves as a warning against the dangers of idolatry and the moral corruption that accompanies it. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin fem. of qadesh, q.v. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance harlot, whore Feminine of qadesh; a female devotee (i.e. Prostitute) -- harlot, whore. see HEBREW qadesh 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 qəḏêšāh Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts Englishman'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 HEB: הָיְתָ֥ה בָזֶ֖ה קְדֵשָֽׁה׃ KJV: And they said, There was no harlot in this INT: has been here harlot Genesis 38:22 HEB: הָיְתָ֥ה בָזֶ֖ה קְדֵשָֽׁה׃ KJV: said, [that] there was no harlot in this [place]. INT: has been no harlot Deuteronomy 23:17 HEB: לֹא־ תִהְיֶ֥ה קְדֵשָׁ֖ה מִבְּנ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל KJV: There shall be no whore of the daughters INT: None shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel Hosea 4:14 HEB: יְפָרֵ֔דוּ וְעִם־ הַקְּדֵשׁ֖וֹת יְזַבֵּ֑חוּ וְעָ֥ם KJV: and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people INT: go with harlots and offer the people 5 Occurrences Strong's Hebrew 6948 5 Occurrences haq·qə·ḏê·šāh — 1 Occ. haq·qə·ḏê·šō·wṯ — 1 Occ. qə·ḏê·šāh — 3 Occ.