עַשְׁתֹּרֶת
𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕
Ashetoret
H6253 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The name of a prominent West Semitic goddess, frequently identified in the Hebrew Bible as the principal female deity of the Phoenicians and other Canaanite groups, associated primarily with fertility, sexuality, love, and sometimes war. In biblical passages, עַשְׁתֹּרֶת (ʻAshtôreth) appears as the object of worship or as a foreign deity recognized in opposition to YHWH. The word functions primarily as a proper noun, denoting the deity herself, and in some cases stands collectively for the cult or practices associated with her.
Semantic Range
proper name of a goddess, Phoenician/Canaanite female deity, object of foreign worship, symbol of fertility/love/war, polemical term for idolatry
Root / Etymology
The term is connected to the Semitic root עשתר, which may relate to the concepts of 'increase' or 'abundance,' but the exact Hebrew etymology is uncertain due to its likely borrowing from North-West Semitic (Phoenician/Ugaritic), where ʻAthtar and cognate forms denote prominent gods and goddesses. The vocalization in the Hebrew Bible shows adaptation, possibly influenced by the vowel pattern of the word בּשֶׁת (boshet, 'shame'). Thus, while the proper noun refers to an externally attested deity (cognate to Akkadian Ishtar, Ugaritic Ashtart), its form in Hebrew reflects both foreign origin and Israelite polemical adaptation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the biblical narrative, עַשְׁתֹּרֶת typically symbolizes foreign religious influence and is often listed alongside other non-Israelite deities such as Ba‘al. She is named in the context of the practices of the peoples neighboring ancient Israel, especially recognized as a chief goddess of the Sidonians (Phoenicians). The name is most frequently encountered in the context of polemics against syncretism or idolatry, particularly in the monarchic period (cf. 1 Kings 11:5, 11:33; 2 Kings 23:13). The Greek and later translations rendered the term as Astarte, a form further removed from the closely related Mesopotamian Ishtar. English translations often use "Ashtoreth" or, rarely, "Astarte." The variant Hebrew vocalization (with 'o' as in boshet) signals a disparaging pun—a common biblical polemical device. Unlike other divine names, the term does not become a generic noun, and is not typically associated with Judean or post-exilic religion beyond its use as a polemical referent to foreign cults. This distinguishes עַשְׁתֹּרֶת from similar forms such as עַשְׁתָּרוֹת (ʻAshtaroth), which may refer to cult objects or locations named after the deity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably for עַשְׁתְּרָה; Ashtoreth, the Phoenician goddess of love (and increase); Ashtoreth.
Bantu Hebrew
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עשתר (ʿ-š-t-r) — increase, abundance, enrichment
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1203 | בְּעֶשְׁתְּרָה | Ashtoreth-Place |
| H6252 | עַשְׁתָּרוֹת | Abundance-Goddesses |
| H6254 | עַשְׁתְּרָתִי | the Ashtarothite |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6253-02 |
לְ/עַשְׁתֹּרֶת֮ | leashetoret | HR/Np |
for Ashtoreth | to Ashtoreth | 2 |
H6253-01 |
עַשְׁתֹּ֔רֶת | ashetoret | HNp |
Ashtoreth | Ashtoreth, Abundance-Goddess | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6253-01 |
1 Kings 11:5 | עַשְׁתֹּ֔רֶת | ashetoret | HNp |
Ashtoreth | Ashtoreth, Abundance-Goddess |
H6253-02 |
1 Kings 11:33 | לְ/עַשְׁתֹּרֶת֮ | leashetoret | HR/Np |
to Ashtoreth | to Ashtoreth |
H6253-02 |
2 Kings 23:13 | לְ/עַשְׁתֹּ֣רֶת | leashetoret | HR/Np |
for Ashtoreth | to Ashtoreth |