feminine of קָדֵשׁ; a female devotee (i.e. prostitute); harlot, whore.
Transliteration:qᵉdêshâh
Pronunciation:ked-ay-shaw'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew term H6948 (qᵉdêshâh) is the feminine form of H6945 (qādēsh). Its etymological root is H6942 (qādēsh), meaning "holy" or "set apart." Paradoxically, while the root signifies sacredness and separation for divine purposes, qᵉdêshâh denotes a woman "set apart" for a profane, cultic purpose: a female temple prostitute. This term specifically refers to a woman who engaged in ritual sexual acts as part of pagan worship, particularly within fertility cults dedicated to deities such as Baal and Asherah. Unlike a common prostitute (H2181 - zônâ), the qᵉdêshâh's activities were religiously sanctioned within her pagan context, making her an integral part of idolatrous worship. Her designation as a "devotee" underscores this perversion, as her devotion was directed towards false gods through practices abhorrent to Yahweh.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The occurrences of H6948 consistently highlight its association with idolatry and practices forbidden by Yahweh.
* **[[Genesis 38:21-22]]**: Here, the term appears in the narrative of Judah and Tamar. Judah, seeking a prostitute, asks for the "qᵉdêshâh" at Enaim, suggesting a known presence of such cultic figures even in early periods. Tamar is mistaken for one, indicating the public recognition of this role. This early mention underscores the antiquity of such practices in the region.
* **[[Deuteronomy 23:17-18]]**: This passage contains an explicit prohibition: "There shall be no qᵉdêshâh (cult prostitute) among the daughters of Israel, nor any qādēsh (male cult prostitute) among the sons of Israel. You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of the LORD your God for any vow, for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God." This unequivocally condemns the practice as an abomination, emphasizing its defiling nature and incompatibility with true worship of Yahweh.
* **[[1 Kings 14:24]]**: During the reign of Rehoboam, the text states, "There were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They committed all the abominations of the nations whom the LORD dispossessed before the people of Israel." While the masculine form H6945 (qādēsh) is used here, the context clearly implies the presence and proliferation of both male and female cult prostitutes as a sign of widespread apostasy and adoption of Canaanite religious practices.
* **[[1 Kings 15:12]]**: King Asa "also purged the land of the male cult prostitutes and removed all the idols that his fathers had made." This verse, again using the masculine form, demonstrates the consistent efforts of reforming kings to eradicate these abominable practices, indicating their deep entrenchment and the necessity of their removal for national spiritual health.
* **[[1 Kings 22:46]]**: King Jehoshaphat "also purged from the land the rest of the male cult prostitutes who were left in the days of his father Asa." This further reinforces the ongoing struggle against cultic prostitution as a persistent element of idolatry.
* **[[2 Kings 23:7]]**: King Josiah, during his sweeping reforms, "broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes who were in the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for Asherah." This verse is particularly telling, as it explicitly links the qādēsh (and by extension, the qᵉdêshâh) directly with the temple of Yahweh and the worship of Asherah, highlighting the profound extent of syncretism and defilement that had occurred.
* **[[Hosea 4:14]]**: The prophet Hosea condemns the people: "I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for men themselves go aside with prostitutes and sacrifice with qᵉdêshâh (cult prostitutes), and a people without understanding shall come to ruin." Here, qᵉdêshâh is explicitly mentioned alongside common prostitution and adultery, serving as a powerful metaphor for Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness to Yahweh, equating their idolatry with cultic sexual immorality.
### Related Words & Concepts
The study of H6948 is enriched by understanding its relationship to several key biblical terms and theological concepts:
* **H6945 (qādēsh):** The direct masculine counterpart, a male cultic prostitute. The two terms frequently appear together in prohibitions and condemnations, underscoring the dual nature of this cultic abomination.
* **H6942 (qādēsh):** The root word for "holy" or "set apart." The perversion of this root to describe a cultic prostitute highlights the stark contrast between true holiness, which involves separation *to* Yahweh, and false holiness, which involves separation *to* pagan deities and illicit practices.
* **H2181 (zônâ):** This term refers to a common prostitute or harlot. While a qᵉdêshâh engages in sexual acts for payment, her primary distinction lies in the religious, cultic context of her actions, setting her apart from a zônâ who engages in prostitution purely for economic gain.
* **Idolatry and Apostasy:** The presence of qᵉdêshâh is almost invariably a symptom and manifestation of idolatry and spiritual apostasy. These women served in temples dedicated to foreign gods, and their activities were an integral part of the forbidden worship of Baal, Asherah, and other Canaanite deities.
* **Fertility Cults:** The practices of the qᵉdêshâh were deeply embedded in ancient Near Eastern fertility cults, which believed that ritual sexual acts could stimulate the gods to ensure agricultural and human fruitfulness.
* **Sexual Immorality:** Beyond its cultic dimension, the role of the qᵉdêshâh also represents a profound form of sexual immorality, violating God's commands regarding purity and proper sexual conduct.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of H6948 is profound, representing a confluence of several critical themes in biblical theology:
* **Violation of Divine Holiness:** The very existence of a qᵉdêshâh is a direct affront to the holiness of Yahweh. God's people are called to be qādôsh (holy), set apart for Him in purity and devotion. The qᵉdêshâh, by contrast, is "set apart" for pagan deities and defiling practices, embodying the ultimate perversion of true holiness.
* **An Abomination to Yahweh:** The Deuteronomic prohibition explicitly declares the qᵉdêshâh (and qādēsh) an "abomination" (tôʻēḇâ) to the LORD. This strong condemnation highlights God's utter rejection of such practices, which defile the land and the people.
* **Symbol of Spiritual Adultery:** In the prophetic literature, particularly Hosea, the physical prostitution of the qᵉdêshâh serves as a powerful and visceral metaphor for Israel's spiritual unfaithfulness to Yahweh. Just as a wife commits adultery by turning to other men, Israel committed spiritual adultery by turning to other gods and engaging in their forbidden rites.
* **Consequence of Apostasy:** The historical books repeatedly show that the presence and proliferation of qᵉdêshâh (and qādēsh) were direct indicators of Israel's spiritual decline, widespread idolatry, and the breakdown of their covenant relationship with God. Their removal by reforming kings signifies a return to covenant fidelity and purity.
* **Call to Purity and Separation:** The consistent condemnation and purging of the qᵉdêshâh underscore God's unwavering demand for His people to maintain purity and to remain distinct from the defiling practices of the surrounding nations. This separation is essential for their identity as a holy people set apart for Yahweh.
### Summary
The term H6948 (qᵉdêshâh) denotes a female cultic prostitute, a woman "set apart" for ritual sexual acts within pagan fertility cults. This designation represents a profound perversion of the Hebrew root for "holiness," illustrating the ironic and abhorrent nature of her role from a Yahwistic perspective. Biblically, the qᵉdêshâh is consistently condemned as an abomination to Yahweh, a stark symbol of idolatry, spiritual apostasy, and defilement. Her presence signifies Israel's spiritual decline, while her eradication by reforming kings marks periods of renewed covenant fidelity and purification. Theologically, the qᵉdêshâh embodies a direct violation of divine holiness, serving as a vivid metaphor for Israel's spiritual adultery against God and underscoring the imperative for purity and separation from pagan practices.
TRV