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Israel went after the Canaanite gods, for the worship of these pagan deities involved
actual prostitution with cult prostitutes connected with the Canaanite shrines. In the Old
Testament sometimes the use of the phrase “go a whoring after” gods implies an
individual’s involvement with cult prostitutes. An example might be in Exod. 34:15-16:
“Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after
their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods.… And thou take of their daughters unto thy
sons,and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring
after their gods.”
The religious theory behind such activity at the Canaanite shrine was that such sexual
activity with cult prostitutes, both male and female, who represented the gods and
goddesses of the Canaanite fertility cult, would stimulate fertility in their crops and
flocks. Such cult prostitutes were not designated as prostitutes but rather “holy ones” or
“set-apart ones,” since the Semitic term for “holy” means, first of all, to be set apart for a
special use. This is illustrated in Deut. 23:17: “There shall be no cult prostitute [set-apart
one] of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a cult prostitute of the sons of Israel”
(
RSV
;
KJV
, “whore of the daughters of Israel” and “sodomite of the sons of Israel”). This
theme of religious harlotry looms large in the prophets who denounce this backsliding in
no uncertain terms. Ezekiel minces no words as he openly calls both Judah and Israel
“harlots” and vividly describes their backsliding in sexual terms (Ezek. 16:6-63; 23).
The Book of Hosea, in which Hosea’s wife Gomer became unfaithful and most likely
was involved in such cult prostitution, again illustrates not only Hosea’s heartbreak but
also God’s own heartbreak because of the unfaithfulness of his wife, Israel. Israel’s
unfaithfulness appears in Hos. 9:1: “Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for
thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor.”
WICKED
A. Nouns.
(
, 7563), “wicked; ungodly; guilty.”
occurs only in Hebrew and
late Aramaic. The word occurs about 260 times as a noun or an adjective and especially
in the poetic literature of the Old Testament. It is rare in the Pentateuch and in the
historical books. Its frequency increases in the prophetical books.
The narrow meaning of
lies in the concept of “wrongdoing” or “being in the
wrong.” It is a legal term. The person who has sinned against the law is guilty: “They that
forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them” (Prov.
28:4). When in Israel’s history justice did not prevail, the “guilty” were acquitted: “…
When the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn” (Prov. 29:2; cf. 2 Chron. 6:23).
also denotes the category of people who have done wrong, are still living in
sin, and are intent on continuing with wrongdoing. This is the more general meaning of
the word. The first psalm exhorts the godly not to imitate the deeds and behavior of the
ungodly, wicked people. The “wicked” does not seek God (Ps. 10:4); he challenges God
(Ps. 10:13). In his way of life the “wicked” loves violence (Ps. 11:5), oppresses the
righteous (Ps. 17:9), does not repay his debts (Ps. 37:21), and lays a snare to trap the
righteous (Ps. 119:110). Ps. 37 gives a vivid description of the acts of the “wicked” and
also of God’s judgment upon them. Facing the terrible force of the “wicked,” the
righteous prayed for God’s deliverance and for His judgment upon them. This theme of
judgment has already been anticipated in Ps. 1:6: “For the Lord knoweth the way of the