Deuteronomy 23:18
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The verse doesn't just condemn impure earnings; it emphasizes the source of the offering. God rejects not only the act of sin but also the very revenue derived from it, highlighting that holiness demands integrity in how we acquire what we dedicate to Him.
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 is part of a larger section of laws detailing acceptable practices for Israelites, particularly concerning their worship and interactions with others. Immediately before this, Israel is forbidden from returning runaway slaves to their masters, and the verse immediately following deals with regulations about vows and what might be offered to God. This specific prohibition is set within this context of establishing Israel's holy distinctiveness from surrounding pagan nations.
Ever wonder if how you earned money matters when you give it to God? This verse gives a resounding 'Yes!' It's not just about the amount, but the source.
God’s people were forbidden from bringing the earnings of a prostitute or the price of a dog to the Temple as part of a vow offering. This wasn't about God needing money; it was about reflecting His own holiness.
Why the Stern Warning?
Why link the wages of a prostitute with the 'price of a dog'? This pairing reveals a deeper, more shocking impurity that God rejected.
The 'price of a dog' likely refers to something more than just the literal animal. While dogs were considered unclean and contemptible by many, the context suggests a connection to extreme impurity and shameful practices.
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Understanding the 'Dog'
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.
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 passage speaks of the 'hire of a prostitute' being brought to the temple, directly paralleling the prohibition in Deuteronomy and showing the continuation of this abhorrent practice.
Matthew 21:12-13Jesus cleansing the temple of money changers and merchants illustrates the principle that God's house is not a marketplace and should not be defiled by impure or exploitative dealings, even if they are for religious purposes.
1 Corinthians 6:15-20This New Testament passage strongly condemns sexual immorality, reminding believers that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, echoing the Old Testament's emphasis on the sanctity of God's dwelling and the impurity of illicit gains.
Revelation 22:15This verse lists 'dogs' alongside other unrepentant sinners who are excluded from the heavenly city, providing a New Testament understanding of the term 'dog' as a metaphor for those engaged in vile and impure lifestyles, connecting to the figurative use in Deuteronomy.
calvinDeuteronomy 23:18: "Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God."
- Thou shalt not bring the hire. This command has an affinity to the foregoing, for God, rejecting whatever is acquired by illicit and filthy traffic, teaches us that the utmost chastity is to be observed in sacred things; nor does He only refuse the hire of a whore, but also the price of a dog, lest th…
clarkeDeuteronomy 23:18: "Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God."
The hire of a whore, or the price of a dog - Many public prostitutes dedicated to their gods a part of their impure earnings; and some of these prostitutes were publicly kept in the temple of Venus Melytta, whose gains were applied to the support of her abominable worship.
The verse doesn't just condemn impure earnings; it emphasizes the source of the offering. God rejects not only the act of sin but also the very revenue derived from it, highlighting that holiness demands integrity in how we acquire what we dedicate to Him.
This passage is part of a larger section of laws detailing acceptable practices for Israelites, particularly concerning their worship and interactions with others. Immediately before this, Israel is forbidden from returning runaway slaves to their masters, and the verse immediately following deals with regulations about vows and what might be offered to God. This specific prohibition is set within this context of establishing Israel's holy distinctiveness from surrounding pagan nations.
This passage is part of a larger section of laws detailing acceptable practices for Israelites, particularly concerning their worship and interactions with others. Immediately before this, Israel is forbidden from returning runaway slaves to their masters, and the verse immediately following deals with regulations about vows and what might be offered to God. This specific prohibition is set within this context of establishing Israel's holy distinctiveness from surrounding pagan nations.
"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." — The verse doesn't just condemn impure earnings; it emphasizes the source of the offering. God rejects not only the act of sin but also the very revenue derived from it, highlighting that holiness…
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Last reviewed October 2026
