This Canaanite goddess, known elsewhere as Astarte or Ishtar, represented fertility, love, and war. Israel repeatedly succumbed to her worship, setting up her images and high places despite covenant prohibitions. The biblical vocalization probably deliberately distorts the name by adding vowels from the word 'shame' to express contempt. Solomon built high places for her in his apostasy; Josiah later destroyed them. The plural form often appears, possibly indicating multiple local manifestations or images. Her cult involved ritual prostitution and practices the prophets condemned as spiritual adultery.