Deuteronomy 23:17-18
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This verse isn't just about prohibiting common prostitution; it specifically targets "sacred prostitution." The Hebrew words used refer to individuals, both male and female, who were consecrated to pagan deities and engaged in sexual acts as part of their religious worship. This prohibition highlights Israel's distinct call to holiness, separating them from the pervasive idolatrous practices of surrounding nations.
“None of the daughters of Israel shall be a cult prostitute, and none of the sons of Israel shall be a cult prostitute. You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of the LORD your God in payment for any vow, for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage appears in a section of laws detailing what is forbidden for Israelites to prevent impurity and contamination of their holy nation. It directly follows regulations about refugees and runaway slaves finding sanctuary, emphasizing a contrast between protection and practices deemed abhorrent, especially those tied to pagan worship. The prohibition against cult prostitution and male temple prostitutes is presented as a strict boundary, setting Israel apart from the surrounding nations and their idolatrous rituals.
Have you ever wondered why some ancient practices seem so strange and even repulsive to us today? This verse touches on one of those.
What might seem like mere 'prostitution' in other cultures was deeply tied to religious worship.
Deuteronomy 23:17 explicitly forbids 'cult prostitutes' among the Israelites. The original Hebrew words used here, 'kedeshah' (female) and 'kadesh' (male), don't just mean common prostitutes. They specifically refer to individuals dedicated to or involved in sexual acts as part of pagan religious rituals.
Pagan Worship Practices
Israel's Distinct Call
God's call to holiness isn't just about grand pronouncements; it’s deeply personal and affects our daily lives.
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This verse underscores that true worship of God requires a commitment to sexual purity, setting His people apart.
The prohibition against cult prostitution in Deuteronomy 23:17 is a powerful statement about God's standard for sexual ethics within His covenant people.
A Standard for Israel
Purity as a Sign of Covenant
Understand the original words
tōʿēbāh · Hebrew Noun
A term often used in the Old Testament to describe religious practices—particularly idolatry, sexual immorality, or ritual impurity—that are fundamentally repulsive and detestable to the holy character of God.
qĕdēšāh / qādēš · Hebrew Noun
A term used in ancient Near Eastern contexts for a male or female temple prostitute associated with pagan fertility cults; their presence and practices were strictly forbidden in Israel because they profaned the holiness of God.
ʾetnān · Hebrew Noun
Refers to gain or income derived from prostitution; such funds were considered 'unclean' and spiritually tainted, making them unfit to be offered as a vow to the Lord.
This verse directly prohibits homosexual relations, reinforcing the strong stance against sexual immorality that includes sodomy, which is also condemned in Deuteronomy 23:17.
Micah 1:7Micah condemns the 'payment of a harlot' and 'wages of dogs' in Jerusalem, directly linking these practices to idolatry and apostasy, mirroring the prohibition in Deuteronomy against cult prostitution.
Romans 1:26-27Paul describes the natural consequences of rejecting God's truth, including unnatural sexual relations, showing how this kind of sexual impurity is a departure from God's created order, a theme echoed in Deuteronomy's strict commands.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10This passage lists various sins that will exclude people from the Kingdom of God, including 'men who practice homosexuality' and 'prostitutes,' demonstrating that these sexual ethics are a consistent part of God's people's way of life throughout Scripture.
clarkeDeuteronomy 23:17: "There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel."
There shall be no whore - See on Genesis 38:15-21 (note).
pooleDeuteronomy 23:17: "There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel."
No common prostitute, such, as were tolerated and encouraged by the Gentiles, and used even in their religious worship. Of the daughters of Israel; not that such practices were allowed to the strangers among them, as is evident from many scriptures and reasons, but that it was in a peculiar manner, and upon special reasons, forbidden to them, as being much more odious in them than in s…
This verse isn't just about prohibiting common prostitution; it specifically targets "sacred prostitution." The Hebrew words used refer to individuals, both male and female, who were consecrated to pagan deities and engaged in sexual acts as part of their religious worship. This prohibition highlights Israel's distinct call to holiness, separating them from the pervasive idolatrous practices of surrounding nations.
This passage appears in a section of laws detailing what is forbidden for Israelites to prevent impurity and contamination of their holy nation. It directly follows regulations about refugees and runaway slaves finding sanctuary, emphasizing a contrast between protection and practices deemed abhorrent, especially those tied to pagan worship. The prohibition against cult prostitution and male temple prostitutes is presented as a strict boundary, setting Israel apart from the surrounding nations and their idolatrous rituals.
This passage appears in a section of laws detailing what is forbidden for Israelites to prevent impurity and contamination of their holy nation. It directly follows regulations about refugees and runaway slaves finding sanctuary, emphasizing a contrast between protection and practices deemed abhorrent, especially those tied to pagan worship. The prohibition against cult prostitution and male temple prostitutes is presented as a strict boundary, setting Israel apart from the surrounding nations and their idolatrous rituals.
"“None of the daughters of Israel shall be a cult prostitute, and none of the sons of Israel shall be a cult prostitute. You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of the LORD your God in payment for an…" — This verse isn't just about prohibiting common prostitution; it specifically targets "sacred prostitution." The Hebrew words used refer to individuals, both male and female, who were consecrated to p…
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Last reviewed October 2026
