The Former Prophets Sexual Health Vocabulary

The Book of Joshua

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)

Sexual Health Positive Vocabulary

Intimacy with God, yah-DAH (Joshua 3:7)

Covenant, buh-REETH (Joshua 3:3)

Gynecological and Anatomical

Circumcise,  (Joshua 5:2)

Unhealthy Sexuality Vocabulary

Female Sacred Sex Trade Survivor, zah-NAH (Joshua 2:1)

Canaanites (Joshua 7:9)

Balaam (Joshua 24:10)

Sexual Health Positive Vocabulary

The premier sexual health term for genital sexual intercourse in the Bible is yah-DAH, to be physically intimate with. (Genesis 4:1; Strong, H3045) Yah-DAH weaves throughout the Old and New Testaments as a term not only for intercourse but connecting spiritual intimacy with God. In the Book of Joshua yah-DAH as spiritual intimacy occurs eight times. The use does not appear to be an intellectual knowing of information, yah-DAH points to relational integrity, compassionate presence in conflict, reverence, awareness of sin, freedom, confidence in God, hope, and experiential awareness of God’s presence.

And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know (yah-DAH) that I am with you as I was with Moses. (Joshua 3:7)

,

This is how you will know (yah-DAH) that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. (Joshua 3:10)

He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know (yah-DAH) that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.” (Joshua 4:24)

“The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows (yah- DAH)! And let Israel know (yah-DAH)! If this has been in rebellion or disobedience to the LORD, do not spare us this day. (Joshua 22:22)

And Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, said to Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, “Today we know (yah- DAH) that the LORD is with us, because you have not been unfaithful to the LORD in this matter. Now you have rescued the Israelites from the LORD’s hand.” (Joshua 22:31)

…then you may be sure (yah-DAH) that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the LORD your God has given you. 

“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know (yah-DAH) with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. (Joshua 23:13-14)

Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced (yah-DAH) everything the LORD had done for Israel. (Joshua 24:31)

Gynecological and Anatomical Terms

Circumcise, MOLE

At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise (MOLE) the Israelites again.” (Joshua 5:2)

MOLE is the Hebrew root word for circumcise appearing 12 times in Genesis. Joshua connects directly to the sexual health big picture of Genesis. (Strong, H4135)

Unhealthy Sexuality Terms

Sacred Sex Trade Survivor, zah-NAH

Joshua features five sexual health terms and images. Zah-NAH connects to the famous female sex trafficking survivor, Rahab.  She assisted Israel’s intel for the invasion of Jericho. The Hebrew word for sacred sex trafficking victim is za-NAH appearing four times in Joshua. (Strong, H2181) Rahab lists in the direct genealogical line of Christ and mentions two more times in the New Testament as a distinguished person of faith and righteousness. (Matthew 1:5; Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25).(Strong, G1242) Circumcise is the ritual to remove the foreskin of Israeli males as sign of covenant with God.  Canaanite reconnects the incestuous sexual assault of Ham against his mother in Genesis 9:25. Balaam mentions in the Book of Revelation as the Old Testament figure who influenced the seduction of the Israelites into sacred sex trafficking. The NIV mistakenly translates par-NEW-oh “participate in sacred sex trafficking” as sexual immorality. (Strong, G4203) 

Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality (par-NEW-oh) “ to participate in sacred sex trafficking”). (Revelation 2:14)

Canaanites (Joshua 7:9)

The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?” (Joshua 7:9)

Balaam (Joshua 24:10)

When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. (Joshua 24:9)

But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand. (Joshua 24:10)

The Book of Judges

Sexual Health Positive Terms

Concubine, pee-LEG-esh 

Genital Sexual Intercourse, yah-DAH

Two sexual health positive terms appear in The Book of Judges. Virgin, buh-tue-LAH connects to the sexual health big picture of Genesis. (Genesis 24:16; Strong, H1330)  Yah-DAH is the premier term for sexual intimacy in the Bible first occurring in Genesis 4:1. The range of meaning includes emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and sexual intimacy. (Strong, H3045)

Gynecological and Anatomical Terms

Childless, Infertile, ah-KAHR

Give Birth, YEH-led

Two gynecological words occur in Judges, childless and give birth.  Both appear in the Genesis sexual health positive big picture. Ah-KAHR is used for Abraham’s wife Sarah who was barren in Genesis 11.  The YEH-led citation first appears in God’s blessing for Eve in Genesis 3:6. (Genesis 11:30 and 3:6; Strong, H6135, H3205)

A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless (ah-KAHR), unable to give birth (YEH-led). (Judges 13:2)

Unhealthy Sexuality Terms

Evil, RA (Judges 2:11)

Baals (Judges 2:11)

Ashtoreth (Judges 2:13)

Acting Out in Sacred Sex Trafficking, zah-NAH (Judges 2:17)

Asherah Pole (Judges 6:25)

Ephod (Judges 8:27)

Deities of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, Philistines (Judges 10:6)

Dagon (Judges 16:23)

Gang Rape (Judges 19:25)

Sexual Abuse (Judges 19:25)

The Genesis sexual health premier term for genital intercourse appears in Judges 19:22.  The word is yah-DAH ranging in meaning from spiritual and emotional intimacy to sexual intercourse. (Strong, H3045) The Judges 19 use of yah-DAH directly connects to Genesis 19 gang rape attempt by Sodom sex offenders. It seems reasonable Biblical authors used the literary device of paradox contrasting the spiritual intimacy of  sexual intercourse with the violence of gang rape.  The sex offenders in Judges present much like the Genesis 19 rioters who threaten to sexually assault messengers from God. The original Hebrew of the Genesis account makes clear all people of the region including females surrounded the house in the gang rape attempt. In this snap shot only men mention. These perpetrators are not same sex attraction males. At minimum these offenders are bisexual due to the fact they sexually assault a female.  As the violent offenders threaten, the master of the house surrenders the concubine to the mob.  The perps then rape, yah-DAH, the concubine (pee-LEG-esh) and abuse her through the night. (Strong, H6370) Two words for abuse appear, ah-LAHL occurring 20 times in 18 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament and ah-NAH appearing 83 times in 79 verses. (Strong, H5953, H6031)

Could it be that yah-DAH means intercourse and BO and ah-NAH clarify the meaning? Note in the Judges 21:11 passage yah-DAH is followed by a qualifier shah-KAWV. Could it be that yah-DAH as sexual intimacy which is spiritual, beautiful, restful, pleasurable, compassion in presence, and reconciliatory can be distinguished from intercourse followed by BO, ah-NAh, shah-KAWV? Examine each snap shot.

But the men would not listen to him. So the man took his concubine (pee-LEG-esh) and sent her outside to them, and they raped (YDA)  her and abused (ah-LAHL) her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. (Judges 19:25)

The husband of the concubine then dismembers her body sending the 12 severed pieces to each tribe of Israel.  Much like the erotic violence of Sodom this tragic snap shot signals decline of intimacy with God leading to sexual nihilism and genocide. Once again sexual health terms connect with precise images and vocabulary to the Book of Genesis.

The sexual health term yah-DAH, genital intercourse is used two more times in Judges to describe women who are virgins. This is strange word order in the Hebrew not occurring previously. The NIV English translates as:

“This is what you are to do,” they said. “Kill every male and every woman who is not a virgin.” (Judges 21:11)

The literal translation looks like:

21:11  וְזֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשׂוּ כָּל־זָכָר וְכָל־אִשָּׁה יֹדַעַת מִשְׁכַּב־זָכָר תַּחֲרִֽימוּ

This is the matter which you shall do: kill every male and every female who is having intercourse (yah-DAH) (in the bed) or having unhealthy sex (shah-KAWV) with a male. 

Since there are no other snap shots to compare it with, I will leave it as stands. Note the paradoxical use of yah-DAH sexual intercourse and the unhealthy sexuality term shah-KAWV together.

The Hebrew term for evil, RA appears 666 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. (Strong, H7451) Six often occurs symbolizing evil. Three can mean complete. 666 most likely communicates a comprehensive evil. In the first 13 chapters of Genesis RA only means coercive acts or sexual violence. Perhaps erotic violence is the sole meaning in the Genesis sexual health big picture rather than ethereal moralistic evil?

The Book of Judges records Israel’s  loss of intimacy with God, resulting in sexual nihilism and genocide. The word RA occurs 17 times in Judges. Cha-LAWL, an untranslatable trigger word sometimes used for decline of intimacy appears eight times in Judges. (Strong, H2490) Eight may connect to the flood snap shot of Noah and his family. Eight is the number of survivors of the flood in Genesis 6-11. Not only does the term cha-LAWL appear for loss of intimacy with God, one can see escalation from rape to murder with dismemberment. RA, evil, appears in the phrase, “The Israelites did evil (RA) in the eyes of the Lord”. This statement emerges as a theme of trauma repetition. The brain remembers trauma and can replay the pain over and over with the same sensations as the original trauma. Evil, RA repeats and the sex trafficking by the Israeli’s reappeared with increasing violence. The phrase “The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord” appears six times in Judges, six is often a Biblical symbol of evil (Judges 2:11,15, 3:7,12, 4:1, 6:1). 

The phrase “The Israelites did evil (RA)  in the eyes of the Lord” connects the loss of intimacy within the sexual health big picture. “The eyes of the Lord” may also pick up the intimacy theme of Genesis 1-3 where seven times God “sees” the creation calling it good.  In Genesis 6-11, humankind declines to sexual nihilism, abuse, and incest. All “the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord” phrases connect directly to unhealthy sexuality. When the Israelites do RA, evil, in the eyes of the Lord, the phrase means participating in the economy of sacred sex trafficking with its coercion and violence. 

The balance of the use of RA means emotional distress, treachery, waging war, physical harm, rape, murder with dismemberment, and physical disaster. The number of sexual health uses for RA totals 10 of the 17 passages in Judges (Judges 2:11, 3:7, 12, 4:1, 6:1,10:6, 13:1, 20:3,12,13). All ten uses of RA connect to unhealthy sexuality, or the evil that resulted from sacred sex trafficking, rape and murder.

Judges uses ten images for the sacred sex trade. They are: Baals, Asherah Poles, Ephod, Ashtoreth, and the deities of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, Philistines, and Dagon.  Perhaps these images speak to the comprehensive practice of  sacred sex trafficking in that geographical region?  The Ephod in the era of the Judges was an elegant garment worn by priests for rituals symbolizing the speech of God. Made of gold and woven with blue, purple, and crimson colors the Ephod also featured gem stones with the names of the sons of Israel. In Judges 8:27 Gideon’s Ephod became an idolatrous object of worship. The Israelites were said to have, “prostituted (zah-NAH) themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.” (Judges 8:27)

Zah-NAH, the root word for sacred sex trafficking, occurs six times in Judges. Once again this may be strategic use of Hebrew numerology signifying evil. (BLB, Strong, H2181)

The Books of Samuel

Sexual Health Positive Vocabulary

Concubine, pee-LEG-esh

Possible Healthy Genital Sexual Intercourse, shah-KAWV

Two sexual health positive words appear in 2 Samuel.  Concubine is the Hebrew pee-LEG-esh first appearing in Genesis 22:24. (Strong, H6370) Mesopotamian and Israeli husbands could legally have multiple wives or concubines. A concubine had legal status in a family above a slave but lesser than a “veiled wife”. Life as a concubine seems harsh. I am in no way advocating we sell our daughters as second wives to become child bearing machines. A concubine very well may have been a healthier position than sacred sex trafficking in the ancient Near East. The Code of Hammurabi permitted a man to take other wives if: the first “veiled wife” was ill or sterile, possessed poor character, neglected her duties, publicly shamed him, or was a celibate priestess. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3209201.  

    Amnon, King David’s son, falls in love with (ah-HAWV) his niece, Tamar, the lovely sister of his brother, Absalom. (Strong, H157) Amnon conspires to seduce but instead sexually assaults his niece. Tamar is the name sake of Onan’s wife in the coitus interruptus snap shot of Genesis 38. Tamar, the widowed daughter in law, seduces Judah the father of her deceased husbands, Er and Onan. The Amnon rape and the Tamar and Onan snap shots orbit incest. 

Shah-KAWV literally means a bed, sexual intercourse, or unhealthy sexuality. (Strong, H7901)  The books of 1 and 2 Samuel feature shah-KAWV 27 times. Shah-KAWV in sexual health contexts appears 7 times. Eli’s sons use their position to seduce the women serving at religious worship services for sex. (1 Samuel 2:22) This type of seduction by religious authorities can be termed “authority rape”. The position of power and authority of the priesthood can create powerful bonds with victims. The term shah-KAWV, meaning rape, appears three more times in King David’s seduction of Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:4), and twice for Amnon’s rape. (2 Samuel 13:11-14) Shah-KAWV refers once to the future sexual assault of King David’s concubines by his son Absalom. (2 Samuel 12:11) Shah-KAWV as genital sexual intercourse occurs twice in reference to Uriah’s resistance to having intercourse with Bathsheba for the purpose of covering up King David’s impregnation of his wife, and Bathsheba’s conception of Solomon (2 Samuel 11:11; 2 Samuel 12:24)

I have placed shah-KAWV, sexual intercourse, in the sexual health section because Uriah’s comment about making love to his wife is not unhealthy. It very well could be the author skillfully uses shah-KAWV as back story for the seduction of Uriah’s wife. Perhaps shah-KAWV as unhealthy sexuality points the reader to the authority rape of David against Bathsheba?

Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my commander Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open country. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to (shah-KAWV) my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!” (2 Samuel 11:11)

Now Saul had had a concubine (pee-LEG-eshnamed Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish- Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine (pee-LEG-esh)?” (2 Samuel 3:7)

Gynecological and Anatomical

Infertility, sah-GAHR REH-chem (1 Samuel 1:5)

Pregnant, hah-RAH (1 Samuel 1:20)

Give Birth to (YEH-led) (1 Samuel 1:20)

Labor Pains or Writhing and Flailing, TSEAR hah-PHAWK (1 Samuel 4:19)

Foreskins, arh-LAH (2 Samuel 3:14)

Ritual Cleansing After Menstruation, kah-DAWSH tahm-AH (2 Samuel 11:4)

Virgin, buh-tue-LAH (2 Samuel 13:2)

The writer of Samuel uses seven gynecological terms: infertility, pregnant, give birth to, labor pains, foreskin of the penis, ritual cleansing after menstruation, and virgin. Infertility combines two words not used previously, “closed” and “womb”.  (Strong, H5462; H7358) Pregnant is hah-RAH and give birth, YEH-led. (Strong, H2029; H3205) Labor pains is a graphic construction using the words writhing and flailing. (Strong, H6735; H2015) Foreskin (arh-LAH) of the penis mentions in David’s reflection on the100 Palestinian foreskins he delivered to his father in law. King Saul demanded the foreskins as bride price for Michal. He intended for David to be killed in the herculean attempt to subdue 100 violent combatants undesirous of surrendering their manhood. (Strong, H6190)

Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins (arh- LAH.” (2 Samuel 3:14)

Several terms for menstruation appear in the Old Testament. In Genesis the first Hebrew  phrase is the, “way of women”, DEH-rek nah-SHEEM, appearing in the Jacob and Rachel flight snap shop. (Genesis 31:35) In her tent Rachel sits on a camel’s saddle concealing stolen idols. As her father searches for his missing household icons, Rachel ruses an ancient menstruation taboo to prevent ransacking her belongings. During a woman’s monthly cycle, both she and the furniture she sat on were “unclean” or off limits. Anyone touching Rachel or the saddle upon which she sat would then be ceremonially unclean. Rachel wins. Laban loses his idols. The term nee-DAH for monthly cycle appears nine times in the Book of Leviticus.  (Strong, H5079) The term tah-MAH, ritual uncleanness, connects to various people or acts.  (Strong, H2932) The words ritual cleansing after menstruation in 2 Samuel 11:4 are kah-DEISH tah-MAH.  (Strong, H6942 and H2932) Once ritual purification (kah-DEISH) took place, the sanctions for tah-MAH of menstruation lifted. The final gynecological term is buh-tue-LAH, virgin. (2 Samuel 13:2; Strong, H1330)

Unhealthy Sexuality Terms

Rape, shah-CAWV (1 Samuel 2:22)

Unhealthy Sexuality, BO (1 Samuel 3:7)

Ashtoreths (1 Samuel 7:3)

Idol, ter-ah-PHEEM (1 Samuel 19:3)

Sexual Abuse, ah-NAH (2 Samuel 13:14)

The Books of Samuel feature two terms for unhealthy sexuality, shah-KAWV and BO.  (Strong, H7901; H935). Shah-KAWV has a range of meaning from a simple bed or lie down to sexual intercourse to rape.  Bo conveys “to go to”. This movement can be simply directional or it can communicate sexual intercourse. Both terms only mean unhealthy sexuality up to this point from Genesis through Samuel. Another sexual abuse term emerges in 2 Samuel 13:14, ah-NAH.  Not only did Amnon rape his sister, he abused (ah-NAH) her.

Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept (authority rape/shah-KAWV) with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. (1 Samuel 2:22)

Now Saul had had a concubine (pee-LEG-esh) named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish- Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you sleep with (BO) my father’s concubine?” (2 Samuel 3:7)

Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and made love to (BO and shah-KAWV) her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. (2 Samuel ` 12:24) 

But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed (shah-KAWV) with me, my sister.” (2 Samuel 13:11)

But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped (sexually abused/ah-NAH) her and sexually assaulted (shah-KAWV) her. (2 Samuel 13:14)

Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with (BO) your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.”

So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with (BO) his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. (2 Samuel 16:21-22)

Two idolatry terms are found in Samuel.  Ashtoreth symbolizes sacred sex trafficking and teh-rah-PHEEM is a household idol.  (Strong, H6031; H8655) The ancient Near East was known for a plethora of gods. Israel had a long history of blending local deities with their worship of Yahweh.

So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 7:3)

Then Michal took an idol (ter-ah-PHEEM) and laid it on the bed, covering it with a garment and putting some goats’ hair at the head. (1 Samuel 19:13)

The Books of Kings

Sexual Health Positive Terms

Genital Sexual Intercourse, yah-DAH (1 Kings 1:4)

Covenant, buh-REETH (2 Kings 17:15)

The premier sexual health positive term for intercourse is yah-DAH first appearing in Genesis 4:1.  All sexual health terms in the first five chapters of Genesis are positive and appropriate for the teaching of children. 1 Kings 1:4 connects directly to the the big picture of sexual health in Genesis.  (Strong, H3045) Aging king David required a nurse in his senior years. The writer of Kings makes sure readers understand David did not have genital sexual intercourse with his caregiver. The sexual health positive word covenant, buh-REETH, links the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. (Strong, H1285,Genesis 6:18; Revelation 15:5) Covenant appears in the NIV 342 times in 313 verses.

The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations (yah-DAH) with her. (1 Kings 1:4)

They rejected his decrees and the covenant (buh-REETH)he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.” (2 Kings 17:15)

Gynecological and Anatomical Terms

Pregnant

Give Birth to

But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her. (2 Kings 4:17)

Once again the Books of Kings connect to the Genesis sexual health big picture. Pregnant (hah-RAH) and give birth to (YEH-led) first occur in Genesis 4:1 with the sexual health positive term for genital sexual intercourse (yah-DAH). (Strong, H2029; H3205)

Adammade love (yah-DAH)  to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant (hah-RAH) and gave birth (YEH-led) to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” (Genesis 4:1)

Unhealthy Sexuality Terms

Kings begins unhealthy sexuality terms with zah-NAH the word for sex trafficked females.  Now two prostitutes(zah-NAH) came to the king and stood before him. (1 Kings 3:16; Strong, H2185).King Solomon during his reign married over 1000 women as political collateral with other nations. Attacking a neighboring country became problematic when one’s daughter and grandchildren resided behind the walls of siege.  These economic and military alliances contributed to Solomon’s financial success. The foreign wives he married motivated Solomon to install idol worship with sacred sex trafficking within the temple complex of Jerusalem. But before Solomon’s spiritual decline to idolatry and sex trafficking, the king had good moments. 1 Kings 3 illustrates one of those benevolent events where David’s son by Bathsheba demonstrated the “wisdom of Solomon.”  Two sex trafficked women approached the king in a child custody complaint. Both women gave birth. When one child died during the night, the mother switched her dead infant for the surviving child. The two women met with King Solomon to end the bitter custody battle. Solomon ruled to cut the child into two pieces, perhaps a primitive joint custody agreement.

The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.” (1 Kings 3:26-27)

Could it be the snap shot of Solomon’s wisdom about two trafficked women foreshadowed his own decline into the sacred sex trade?

The Books of Kings feature four statements of male sex trafficking victims.  

There were even male shrine prostitutes (kah-DEISH) in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. (1Kings 14:24)

He expelled the male shrine prostitutes (kah-DEISH) from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made. (1 Kings 15:12)

He rid the land of the rest of the male shrine prostitutes who remained there even after the reign of his father Asa. (1 Kings 22:46)

He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes (kah-DEISH) that were in the temple of the LORD, the quarters where women did weaving for Asherah. (2 Kings 23:7)

Hosea shows how God cares for and understands victims of sex trafficking.  Jesus shows the same compassion with the woman caught in adultery. The KJV edits kah-DEISH as Sodomites.

Sacred Sex Trafficking Images

Ashtoreth (1 Kings 11:5)

Molek (1 Kings 11:5)

Chemosh (1 Kings 11:7)

Baal-Zebub (2 Kings 1:3)

High Places, bah-MAH (2 Kings 12:3)

Idols, mah-seh-KAH (2 Kings 17:16)

Asherah Pole (2 Kings 17:16)

Baal (2 Kings 17:16)

Eight sacred sex trafficking images appear in the Books of Kings. The chief deity worshiped in Canaan was the goddess Asherah or Ashtoret. (Strong, H6253) Canaan of Genesis 9 was the incestuous offspring of Ham and his mother. The land of Canaan or modern day Palestine would become an image of idolatry and conflict throughout history to the present.  Neighboring cultures like the Phoenicians named her Astarte, Ishtar by the Assyrians, and the Palestinians worshiped in the temple of Asherah. (1 Samuel 31:10)  A limbless vertical tree inserted into the ground most likely symbolizing fertility through penile intercourse. The earth was considered a female deity by the Mesopotamians and Greeks. So the imagery may illustrate the Asherah pole as a penis inserted into the earth deity.   Asherah carvings on numerous trees were called “groves”. Manasseh erected an Asherah pole in the temple itself. (2 Kings 17:16; 21:7). Asherah’s main lover was Baal whose divine union played out between sex trafficked males and females with paying worshipers. The expectation of ancient man evoked divine blessing for human sacrifices and payment for sex trafficking. Many sacred places of worship located on hilltops where military defense could be made against attacking armies. High places, bah-MAH, also feature cultic symbols like the Asherah pole and graven images. (2 Kings 12:3; 17:16) https://www.gotquestions.org/who-Asherah.html  

The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. (2 Kings 12:3; Strong, H1116)

Six idolatrous proper names appear in Kings; Ashtoreth, Molek, Chemosh, Baal-Zebub, Asherah pole, and Baal.  These deities were known for institutional funding through sacred sex trafficking and child sacrifice. Six is often a symbol for evil in the Bible.

They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger. (2 Kings 17:17)

He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes that were in the temple of the LORD, the quarters where women did weaving for Asherah. (2 Kings 23:7)