H6253 H6253
Ashtoreth, Canaanite/Phoenician goddess of love and war
Ashtoreth (also Astarte) was a major Canaanite and Phoenician goddess of fertility, love, and warfare, corresponding to Mesopotamian Ishtar and Greek Aphrodite. The name appears in Hebrew with vowels borrowed from 'bosheth' (shame), reflecting Israelite scribal disdain for the deity. Solomon infamously built a high place for Ashtoreth when influenced by his foreign wives (1 Kings 11:5, 33), and this shrine remained until Josiah's reforms destroyed it (2 Kings 23:13). The goddess worship involved cultic prostitution and represented everything opposed to exclusive worship of Yahweh. Her cult was widespread across the ancient Near East.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The divine name of the Canaanite goddess of love, fertility, and war, known across the ancient world as Astarte (Phoenician), Ishtar (Assyrian/Babylonian), or Aphrodite (Greek). In 1 Kings 11:5, Solomon is condemned for following 'Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians.' Verse 33 lists her among the gods for whom Solomon built high places, and 2 Kings 23:13 records Josiah's destruction of these shrines. The Hebrew vocalization (עַשְׁתֹּ֫רֶת) likely deliberately echoes 'bosheth' (shame) to express contempt. Archaeological evidence shows widespread worship including the Mesha Stele's mention. Translations preserve the name: 'Ashtoreth,' 'Astarot' (Spanish), 'Astarté.' 3×
AR["عَشْتَارُوتَ", "لِ-عَشْتَارُوتَ", "لِعَشْتَارُوتَ"]·ben["অষ্টারোথের-জন্য", "অষ্টোরৎ", "অষ্টোরৎকে"]·DE["Ashtoreth", "zu-Ashtoret", "zu-Ashtoreth"]·EN["Ashtoreth", "to-Ashtoret", "to-Ashtoreth"]·FR["Ashtoreth", "à-Ashtoret", "à-Ashtoreth"]·heb["ל-עשתורת", "עשתורת"]·HI["अश्तोरेत", "अश्तोरेत-को", "ल-अश्तोरेत"]·ID["Asytoret", "kepada Asytoret", "untuk-Astoret"]·IT["Ashtoreth", "a-Ashtoret", "a-Ashtoreth"]·jav["Astoret", "dhateng-Astoret", "kangge-Astoreth"]·KO["-에게-아스다롯", "아스다롯을", "아스토렛을-위하여"]·PT["Ashtoret", "a-Ashtoret", "para-Ashtoret"]·RU["Ашторет", "для-Аштарты"]·ES["Astarot", "a-Astarot", "para-Astarté"]·SW["Ashtorethi", "kwa-Ashtorethi"]·TR["-Aştoret-için", "Aştoret'e", "Aştoret'in"]·urd["عشتارت", "عشتارت-کو", "کے-لیے-عشتاروت"]
Related Senses
G2316 1. God, the true God (1315×)H6635b 1. hosts, armies (of YHWH) (286×)H0410 1. God, the true God (223×)G0032 1. heavenly angel (170×)H4397 2. messenger, envoy, ambassador (102×)H3742 1. cherub, angelic guardian being (91×)H0430 2. gods (pagan deities) (81×)H0426 1. God, the true God (76×)G1140 1. demon, evil spirit (62×)H0433 1. God, the true God (54×)H5945b 1. Most High (30×)G4152 1. spiritual (21×)H0426 2. god(s), pagan deities (20×)H5943 1. [ketiv:Most High] (18×)G1139 1. be demon-possessed (13×)H1712 1. Dagon (13×)G2316 2. god, pagan deity (12×)G5310 1. Most High (9×)H0410 3. a god, deity (generic) (9×)H3645 1. Chemosh (9×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† עַשְׁתֹּ֫רֶת n.pr.deae. ʿAštōreth, ʿAštart, ʿAštéreth (v. infr.) (MI17 עשתר כמש; Ph. עשתרת (+ often in n. pr.), n. pr. עבד עשתר Cook Acad. Jan. 18, 1896 Sab. n. pr. dei עתֿתר v. especially OsZMG xx (1866), 279 f. DHM ib. xxxvii (1883), 376 FellSab. Götternamen, ZMG liv (1900), 231 ff., especially 237 ff.; Assyrian Ištar; Old Aramaic Palm. עתר (= עתֿתר) in n. pr.; in Egyptian ʿastirati WMMAs. u.…