“There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.”
My Notes
What Does Deuteronomy 23:17 Mean?
Moses prohibits cult prostitution for both genders: no Israelite daughter shall be a shrine prostitute (qedeshah — a consecrated woman serving pagan fertility worship), and no Israelite son shall be a shrine prostitute (qadesh — a consecrated man serving the same function). The prohibition addresses the specific Canaanite practice of sexual activity as religious ritual.
The words qedeshah and qadesh derive from the root q-d-sh (holy, set apart) — the same root as "holy" and "sanctuary." The Canaanite system consecrated sexual activity as a form of worship, creating "holy" prostitutes who served in temples. God's prohibition reclaims the word: holiness in Israel means something entirely different from holiness in Canaan. What the neighbors called sacred, God calls abomination.
The gender parity of the prohibition is notable: both daughters and sons are protected. The law doesn't single out one gender for sexual regulation while leaving the other unaddressed. Male and female cult prostitution are prohibited with equal force.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does God reclaiming the word 'holy' from Canaanite usage model his right to define terms?
- 2.Where does your culture call something 'sacred' or 'spiritual' that God might define as profane?
- 3.What does the gender parity of this prohibition teach about equal protection and equal accountability?
- 4.How do you navigate a world where the same vocabulary (holy, sacred, spiritual) means different things in different systems?
Devotional
No shrine prostitutes. Not your daughters. Not your sons. Both genders, same prohibition, same force. Israel's holiness doesn't look like Canaan's holiness — and God makes that distinction absolute.
The Canaanite system called shrine prostitution "holy." The words used (qedeshah, qadesh) come from the same root as "sacred" and "sanctuary." Sexual activity performed at the temple was considered worship — an act of devotion to the fertility gods. The participants were "consecrated" — set apart for this specific religious-sexual function.
God takes the same root word — holy — and completely redefines it. In Canaan, "holy" could mean sexually available for worship. In Israel, "holy" means set apart from exactly that kind of practice. The holiness code doesn't just prohibit pagan sexuality; it reclaims the vocabulary. The word that meant one thing among the nations means the opposite among God's people.
The gender parity is important: both daughters and sons are protected from being used in this way. The law doesn't treat sexual exploitation as a women's problem while excusing men. Both genders are equally prohibited from being consecrated for sexual religious service. The protection and the prohibition apply universally.
The principle beneath the specific prohibition is permanent: God's definition of holiness is not determined by the surrounding culture's definition. What your culture calls sacred, God might call profane. What your neighbors consecrate, God might prohibit. The word "holy" belongs to God, and he defines it — not the market, not the culture, not the trending spiritual practice.
What does your culture call "holy" or "sacred" that God might define very differently?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel,.... The word for "whore" is "kedeshah", which properly signifies an…
Compare the marginal reference. Prostitution was a common part of religious observances among idolatrous nations,…
Orders are here given about five several things which have no relation one to another: -
I. The land of Israel is here…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture