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Description of  Harlot or Holy Woman?: A Study of Hebrew Qede ah

Harlot or Holy Woman? presents an exhaustive study of qedeah, a Hebrew word meaning consecrated woman but rendered prostitute or sacred prostitute in Bible translations. Reexamining biblical and extrabiblical texts, Phyllis A. Bird questions how qedeah came to be associated with prostitution and offers an alternative explanation of the term, one that suggests a wider participation for women as religious specialists in Israels early cultic practice. Read more