Prostitute, Prostitution — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Person guilty of illicit sexual relationships; figuratively, one who worships an idol. The term “prostitute” translates four different words found in the Bible. One type of prostitute was the man or woman, married or unmarried, who committed immoral acts (Gn 34:31; Jgs 19:2; Prv 23:27). A different kind of prostitute was the temple prostitute of heathen religions in which fornication was part of the worship (Gn 38:21-22; Dt 23:17; Hos 4:14). Such prostitution was forbidden by the law of Moses (Lv 19:29; 21:9). The “strange woman” was another kind of prostitute (1 Kgs 11:1; Prv 5:20; 6:24; 7:5; 23:27). There are different opinions for why that name was given to prostitutes. One explanation is that it referred to a man leaving his own wife for another, who ought to be a stranger to him (Prv 5:17-20). It may also have referred to a foreign woman (Nm 25:1; Jos 23:13). “Prostitute” also refers to any woman, married or single, who practices unlawful sexual indulgence, whether for lust or monetary gain (Mt 21:31-32; Lk 15:30; 1 Cor 6:15-16; Heb 11:31; Jas 2:25).

Show passage in OET: GEN 34:31

OET-RV GEN 34:31

31 But they responded, “Should he have gotten away with treating our sister like a prostitute?”

OET-LV GEN 34:31

31 And_they _said like_a_prostitute will _he _do with sister _of_our.

Show passage in OET: JDG 19:2

OET-RV JDG 19:2

2 However, she started sleeping around, and then she left him and went to her father’s house in Beyt -Lehem where she ended up staying for four months.

OET-LV JDG 19:2

2 And_she _was _angry on/upon/above_him/it concubine _of_his and_she _went from_with_him to the _house _of her _father _of_her to Bēyt- leḩem Yəhūdāh and_it _became there days four months.

Show passage in OET: PRO 23:27

OET-RV PRO 23:27

27 because a prostitute is a deep pit,
⇔ ≈ and an adulteress is a narrow well.

OET-LV PRO 23:27

27 If/because is_a _pit deep a _prostitute and_is_a _well narrow a _foreign_woman.

Show passage in OET: GEN 38:21–22

OET-RV GEN 38:21

21 so he asked some of the local men, “Where’s the temple prostitute who was at Enayim beside the road?”
¶ But they answered, “There’s never been a temple prostitute around here.”

OET-RV GEN 38:22

22 So Hirah returned to Yehudah and told him, “I couldn’t find her. What’s more, the men of the place said that there hasn’t been a temple prostitute at that place.”

OET-LV GEN 38:21

21 And_he _asked DOM the _men _of her _place _of_her to_say where is_the_cult _prostitute she was_at_Enaim at the_road and_they _said not she _was in_this_place a _cult _prostitute.

OET-LV GEN 38:22

22 And_he _returned to Yəhūdāh and_he/it _said not I_found _her and_also the _men _of the _place they _said not she _was in_this_place a _cult _prostitute.

Show passage in OET: DEU 23:17

OET-RV DEU 23:17

17 Don’t allow any Israeli man or woman to become a religious prostitute.

OET-LV DEU 23:18

18  Not she _will _be a _female _cult _prostitute any_of _the _daughters _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_not he _will _be a _male _cult _prostitute from_(the)_sons of _Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

Show passage in OET: HOS 4:14

OET-RV HOS 4:14

14 I won’t punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves,
⇔ ≈ nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery,
⇔ because the men themselves go off with loose women,
⇔ ≈ and they offer sacrifices with cult prostitutes,
⇔ → so the people without understanding will be ruined.

OET-LV HOS 4:14

14 Not I _will _visit_judgement on daughters _of_your(pl) if/because they _prostitute _themselves and_on brides _of_your(pl) if/because they _commit _adultery if/because they(m) with the_prostitutes they _go _apart and_with the _male_cult _prostitutes they _sacrifice and_a _people which_not it _understands it _will _be _ruined.

Show passage in OET: LEV 19:29

OET-RV LEV 19:29

29 don’t defile your daughter by making her prostitute herself, so the country doesn’t prostitute itself and become full of wickedness.

OET-LV LEV 19:29

29 Do _not profane DOM daughter _of_your by_making_her _prostitute_herself and_not the_earth/land it _will _prostitute _itself and_ the_earth/land _it _will _be _full wickedness.

Show passage in OET: LEV 21:9

OET-RV LEV 21:9

9 If a priest’s daughter prostituted herself, she would be profaning her father so must be burnt to death.

OET-LV LEV 21:9

9 And_a _daughter _of a _man _of a _priest if/because she _will _profane _herself by_acting _as _a _prostitute DOM father _of_her she is_profaning with_fire she _will _be _burnt.

Show passage in OET: KI1 11:1

OET-RV KI1 11:1

11 Now King Shelomoh (Solomon) loved many foreign women—besides Par’oh’s (Pharaoh’s) daughter there were Moavi women, Amoni women, Edomi women, Tsidoni women, and Hiti women.

OET-LV KI1 11:1

11 And_the_king Shəlomoh he _loved women foreign many and_DOM the _daughter _of Parˊoh Mōʼāⱱite_women ˊAmmōnī_women ʼEdōmite_women Sidonian_women Ḩittiy_women.

Show passage in OET: PRO 5:20

OET-RV PRO 5:20

20 My son, why would you stagger along with a strange woman,
⇔ ≈ or embrace the bosom of a foreign woman

OET-LV PRO 5:20

20 And_for_what will _you _go _astray my _son _of_my with_a _strange_woman and_will _you _embrace the_bosom _of a _foreign_woman.

Show passage in OET: PRO 6:24

OET-RV PRO 6:24

24 by keeping your from the evil woman—
⇔ from the smooth tongue of a foreign woman.

OET-LV PRO 6:24

24 To_keep_you from_a _woman _of evil from_smoothness _of tongue a _foreign_woman.

Show passage in OET: PRO 7:5

OET-RV PRO 7:5

5 so they’ll keep you from the street woman—
⇔ ≈ from the ungodly woman whose words sound so smooth.

OET-LV PRO 7:5

5 To_keep_you from_a _woman strange from_a _foreign_woman words/messages _of_who_her she _makes _smooth.

Show passage in OET: PRO 5:17–20

OET-RV PRO 5:17

17 Let them be for you alone,
⇔ ≈ and not for any strangers who are with you.

OET-RV PRO 5:18

18 May your fountain be blessed,
⇔ and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth—

OET-RV PRO 5:19

19 a loving doe, yes, a graceful deer.
⇔ Let her breasts satisfy you always.
⇔ ≈ Constantly be overwhelmed by her love.

OET-RV PRO 5:20

20 My son, why would you stagger along with a strange woman,
⇔ ≈ or embrace the bosom of a foreign woman

OET-LV PRO 5:17

17 Let _them _belong to/for_yourself(m) you_alone and_not to_strangers with_you.

OET-LV PRO 5:18

18 May _it _be spring _of_your blessed and_rejoice from_the _wife _of your _youth(s)_of_your.

OET-LV PRO 5:19

19 A _doe _of loves and_a _mountain _goat _of grace breasts _of_her may_they _satisfy _you at_every _of time by_love _of_her may _you _be _intoxicated continually.

OET-LV PRO 5:20

20 And_for_what will _you _go _astray my _son _of_my with_a _strange_woman and_will _you _embrace the_bosom _of a _foreign_woman.

Show passage in OET: NUM 25:1

OET-RV NUM 25:1

25 Meanwhile, the Israelis settled down at Shitim, and their men started sleeping with women from Moav (Moab)

OET-LV NUM 25:1

25 And_ Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) _he/it _sat _down//remained//lived in_Shiţţīm and_ the_people _it _began to_commit _fornication into the _daughters _of Mōʼāⱱ.

Show passage in OET: JOS 23:13

OET-RV JOS 23:13

13 you all will certainly soon find out that your god Yahweh will not continue to drive out these nations ahead of you. Then they will end up trapping and snaring you all, and be like a whip on your sides and like thorns in your eyes, until you all perish from on this good land that Yahweh your god has given you.

OET-LV JOS 23:13

13 Certainly _(know) you(pl)_will _know if/because _that not YHWH god _of_your(pl) he _will _increase to_dispossess DOM the_nations the_these from_before_face _of_you(pl) and_they _will _be to/for_you(pl) (into)_a_trap and _(into)_a_snare and _(into)_a_scourge in_sides _of_your(pl) and_(into)_pricks in_eyes _of_your(pl) until perish_you(pl) from_under the_soil (the)_good (the)_this which he _has _given to/for_you(pl) YHWH god _of_your(pl).

Show passage in OET: MAT 21:31–32

OET-RV MAT 21:31

31 Which of the two did what the father wanted?”
¶ “The first one,” they answered.
¶ “I can assure you,” Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) continued, “that tax collectors and prostitutes will enter God’s kingdom ahead of you lot,

OET-RV MAT 21:32

32 because Yohan (John; Grk. Yoannes) came to you teaching the way to become right with God, but you didn’t believe that he was sent by God. Yet the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him, and still, even when you saw that, you didn’t later show regret, change your minds, and believe.

OET-LV MAT 21:31

31 Which of the two did the will of _the father?
They _are _saying:
The first.
The Yaʸsous is _saying to _them:
Truly, I _am _saying to _you _all that the tax _collectors and the prostitutes are _going _before you _all into the kingdom of_ the _god.

OET-LV MAT 21:32

32 For/Because Yōannaʸs came to you _all in the_way of _righteousness, and you _all_ not _believed in _him, but the tax _collectors and the prostitutes believed in _him, and you _all having _seen, you _all _were_ not _regretful later which to _believe in _him.

Show passage in OET: LUK 15:30

OET-RV LUK 15:30

30 Yet when this son of yours comes home after using up your money living with prostitutes, then you slaughter the fattened calf for him!’

OET-LV LUK 15:30

30 But when the this son of _you, he _came which having _devoured the living of _you with prostitutes, you _sacrificed the grain _fed calf for _him.

Show passage in OET: CO1 6:15–16

OET-RV CO1 6:15

15 Surely you all know that your bodies are parts of messiah’s body? Because of that, you shouldn’t take your body back and then join it to a prostitute’s body. May it never happen!

OET-RV CO1 6:16

16 Or don’t you know that having sex with a prostitute is a joining together, because it says: ‘The two will become one body.’

OET-LV CO1 6:15

15 Not you _all _have _known that the bodies of _you _all members of_chosen _one /messiah is?
Therefore having _taken _away the members of _the chosen _one /messiah, I _may _make them of_a_prostitute members?
Never it _might _become.

OET-LV CO1 6:16

16 Or not you _all _have _known that the one being _joined _together to _the one, prostitute body is?
For/Because will _be, he _is _saying:
the two into one flesh.

Show passage in OET: HEB 11:31

OET-RV HEB 11:31

31 By faith, Rahav the prostitute didn’t die along with all the others in the city who mocked God, because she had peacefully accommodated the spies.

OET-LV HEB 11:31

31 By _faith Ɽaⱪab/(Rāḩāⱱ) the prostitute not perished _with with _the ones having _disbelieved, having _received the spies with peace.

Show passage in OET: JAM 2:25

OET-RV JAM 2:25

25 Similarly the prostitute Rahav was made right by her actions when she welcomed the Hebrew messengers and then helped them get away by a different route.

OET-LV JAM 2:25

25 And likewise also Ɽaⱪab/(Rāḩāⱱ) the prostitute not by works was _justified, having _welcomed the messengers and by _another way having _sent _forth?

Jump to OET GEN 34:31 section.

Jump to OET JDG 19:2 section.

Jump to OET PRO 23:27 section.

Jump to OET GEN 38:21–22 section.

Jump to OET DEU 23:17 section.

Jump to OET HOS 4:14 section.

Jump to OET LEV 19:29 section.

Jump to OET LEV 21:9 section.

Jump to OET KI1 11:1 section.

Jump to OET PRO 5:20 section.

Jump to OET PRO 6:24 section.

Jump to OET PRO 7:5 section.

Jump to OET PRO 5:17–20 section.

Jump to OET NUM 25:1 section.

Jump to OET JOS 23:13 section.

Jump to OET MAT 21:31–32 section.

Jump to OET LUK 15:30 section.

Jump to OET CO1 6:15–16 section.

Jump to OET HEB 11:31 section.

Jump to OET JAM 2:25 section.

Prostitution appeared early in Israel’s life and continued throughout biblical history. Most biblical passages strongly condemn the practice of prostitution in any form. The priestly law of Leviticus 21:9 provided that a priest’s daughter who practiced prostitution was to be burned to death. A priest could not marry a prostitute (Lv 19:29), and the wages of prostitution could not be used to pay vows in the temple (Dt 23:18). These prohibitions served to keep the worship of the Lord free from the practice of cult prostitution.

Show passage in OET: DEU 23:18

OET-RV DEU 23:18

18 Don’t allow anyone woman or man to bring any part of their wages as a secular prostitute into your god Yahweh’s temple, because both female and male prostitution is abhorrent to him.

OET-LV DEU 23:19

19  Not you _will _bring the_hire _of a _prostitute and_the_price _of a _dog the _house _of YHWH god _of_your to/from_all/each/any/every vow if/because are_(the)_abomination _of YHWH god _of_your also both _of_of _them.

Jump to OET DEU 23:18 section.

The sons of Jacob killed Hamor and his son Shechem, justifying their act by saying: “Should he treat our sister like a prostitute?” (Gn 34:31, NLT). Amaziah’s wife was to become a prostitute (Am 7:17) as punishment for his treatment of the prophet Amos.

Show passage in OET: AMO 7:17

OET-RV AMO 7:17

17 Therefore this is what Yahweh says:
⇔ Your wife will become a prostitute in the city.
⇔ Your sons and daughters will die by the sword.
⇔ Your property will be measured and divided up.
⇔ You’ll die in a foreign, heathen country,
⇔ and Yisrael will certainly be taken into exile from its land.”

OET-LV AMO 7:17

17 For_so/thus/hence thus YHWH he _says wife _of_your in_city she _will _be _a _prostitute and_sons _of_your and_daughters _of_your by_sword they _will _fall and_land _of_your with_measuring-line it _will _be _divided and_you(ms) on ground unclean you _will _die and_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) certainly _(go _into _exile) it _will _go _into _exile from_under land _of_its.

Jump to OET AMO 7:17 section.

In the first century, prostitutes and tax collectors were equally detested by the Jews (Mt 21:32). According to Paul, the body of a Christian belongs to Christ and should not be joined to a prostitute’s body (1 Cor 6:15-16). Proverbs is replete with warnings to those who would go in to prostitutes.

Show passage in OET: MAT 21:32

OET-RV MAT 21:32

OET-LV MAT 21:32

Jump to OET MAT 21:32 section.

A few biblical passages do, however, seem to accept the prostitute as a member of the community. Tamar temporarily served as a prostitute to remind her father-in-law of his promise to her (Gn 38:14-15). Rahab the prostitute had a special place in Hebrew history because she had befriended the Hebrew spies (Jos 2:4-16; Heb 11:31).

Show passage in OET: GEN 38:14–15

OET-RV GEN 38:14

14 So she changed out of her widow’s clothes and covered herself with a veil and wrapped herself up. Then she sat at the entrance of Enayim which is on the road to Timnah. She was doing this because she had seen that Shela had grown up, but she hadn’t been given to him as a wife.

OET-RV GEN 38:15

15 In due course, Yehudah saw her and because she had covered her face, he thought she was a prostitute.

OET-LV GEN 38:14

14 And_she _removed the _clothes _of her _widowhood _of_her from_on_her and_she _covered with_veil and_she _wrapped _herself _up and_she _sat at_the _entrance _of Enaim which is_on the _road _of (of)_to_Timnāh if/because she _had _seen if/because _that Shēlāh he _had _grown _up and_she not she _had _been _given to_him/it to/for_(a)_woman.

OET-LV GEN 38:15

15 And_he_saw _her Yəhūdāh and_he/it _considered_her/it to_a _prostitute if/because she _had _covered face _of_her.

Jump to OET GEN 38:14–15 section.

The words “prostitute” and “prostitution” were used figuratively for idolatry, especially in the prophetic books (Jer 2:20; Rv 17:1, 5, 15-16 OET REV 17:1 · OET REV 17:5 · OET REV 17:15–16; 19:2). This figurative use was based on the marriagelike relationship of the Lord and his people (Jer 3:20). When the people gave their allegiance to idols rather than to God, he charged that they were prostitutes for other gods (Jgs 8:33). The same idea is found in the NT (Rv 17).