Deuteronomy 23:18-19
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
18 There shall be no temple prostitute[a] among the Israelite women, nor a temple prostitute among the Israelite men.(A) 19 You shall not offer a prostitute’s fee or a dog’s pay[b] as any kind of votive offering in the house of the Lord, your God; both these things are an abomination to the Lord, your God.(B)
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- 23:18–19 Temple prostitute: Heb. qedesha, lit., “holy one,” a title of the goddess of fertility. The role or function of the qedesha is debated; some see this as simply a term for a prostitute (Heb. zona). Others see it as designating a cultic role but not necessarily one involving sexual activity. The evidence is insufficient to give a final answer.
- 23:19 Dog’s pay: “dog” is a derogatory term for a male temple prostitute.
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