Genesis

SCROLL TO BOTTOM FOR CONTENT THREADS.

Prior Chapter \| Prior Verse \| Next Verse \| Next Chapter \| Next Book \| Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015
NASB	Genesis 38:21 He asked the men of her place, saying, "Where is the temple prostitute who was by the road at Enaim?" But they said, "There has been no temple prostitute here."
AMPLIFIED 2015	Genesis 38:21 He asked the men of that place, "Where is the temple prostitute who was by the roadside at Enaim?" They said, "There was no prostitute here."

SCROLL TO BOTTOM FOR CONTENT THREADS.

Bible Question: Part 1. Biblical Support for Temple Prostitutes being used by Israel et. al.

Dear EdB. Well you certainly have kept me busy. Thank you. I have always been curious and concerned with corporate sin. That is to say that an entire church can be guilty of sin because the church leaders can and do lead people into it. The modern day example may be the carnival set up on the grounds of a Christian church that awards questionble prizes that are at least stumbling blocks to believers and non-believers alike. An example from antiquity may be temple prostitutes.

You have done a great job in educating me. However, you seemed to say that God's chosen people had not engaged in the practice. You wrote "Check the timing, this is from Genesis before the temple of God was established. It was also before “organized woship” of God was introduced." That is what put me on the study from a different perspective. You asked that I "check the timing." In other words...Check the Chronology. So I did. And here is what I found. It is rather lenghty but I would appreciate your review and response, as well as that of anyone who follows this thread.

My position will be that God's chosen people employed Temple Prostitutes. Here is my argument.

Tamar (c. 16 century bc.) may not have been a shrine prostitute, but Judah knew full well what a shrine prostitute was….

GE 38:20 Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite in order to get his pledge back from the woman, but he did not find her. 21 He asked the men who lived there, "Where is the shrine prostitute who was beside the road at Enaim?"
"There hasn't been any shrine prostitute here," they said.

The Law is given concerning prostitution through Moses (c. 13 century bc.)..

LEV 21:9 " If a priest's daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire."

Becoming a Shrine Prostitute, or Temple Prostitute was no exception…..

DT 23:17 No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute. 18 You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because the LORD your God detests them both.

Israel had priests and a place to worship, a temple or house of the Lord.

Samuel, a book that records Hannah (Samuel’s mother c.11 century bc.), being in the area of the Lord’s temple.

1SAM 1:9 Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the LORD's temple.

But Solomon (970-31 bc.) would build the temple “for the Name of the LORD” but it was not the first temple.

1KI 3:1 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the LORD, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the LORD. 3 Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

…..but, still, Israel was familiar with the concept. And the Lord would hold it against them as recorded in Hosea (c. 8 century bc.)

HOS 6:10 I have seen a horrible thing
in the house of Israel.
There Ephraim is given to prostitution
and Israel is defiled.

Yet, these people return to their shameful ways (c. 8 century bc)…But does this indicate temple or shrine prostitutes?

HOS 4:17 Ephraim is joined to idols;
leave him alone! 18 Even when their drinks are gone,
they continue their prostitution;
their rulers dearly love shameful ways.
5:3 I know all about Ephraim;
Israel is not hidden from me.
Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution;
Israel is corrupt.
6:10 I have seen a horrible thing
in the house of Israel.
There Ephraim is given to prostitution
and Israel is defiled.

Bible Answer: Jensen
I'm so sorry for the misunderstanding. Yes Israel did worship in temples to false gods with temple prostitutes but never as part of their worship of the God of Abraham.
What I'm trying to say, is no where in Biblical history or secular history do we see temple prostitutes being utilized in the worship of the one true God.
EdB