Topical Bible: A-whoring

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Topical Encyclopedia

The term "a-whoring" is an archaic expression found in the King James Version of the Bible, often used to describe the act of idolatry or spiritual unfaithfulness to God. It is derived from the Hebrew word "zanah," which means to commit fornication or to be unfaithful. In a biblical context, "a-whoring" is frequently used metaphorically to describe Israel's infidelity to Yahweh through the worship of foreign gods and the adoption of pagan practices.

Biblical Usage and Context

1. Idolatry as Spiritual Adultery: The Bible often uses the metaphor of marriage to describe the covenant relationship between God and His people. When Israel turned to other gods, it was seen as a form of spiritual adultery. This is vividly illustrated in the book of Hosea, where the prophet's marriage to an unfaithful wife symbolizes Israel's unfaithfulness to God. Hosea 1:2 states, "When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, He said to him, 'Go, take for yourself a wife of prostitution and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is committing blatant acts of prostitution by forsaking the LORD.'"

2. Warnings Against Idolatry: Throughout the Old Testament, God warns Israel against going "a-whoring" after other gods. In Exodus 34:15-16 , God commands, "Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they prostitute themselves with their gods and sacrifice to them, and you are invited, and you eat of their sacrifices. And you take some of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters prostitute themselves with their gods and cause your sons to do the same."

3. Consequences of Spiritual Unfaithfulness: The Bible outlines severe consequences for Israel's spiritual infidelity. In Judges 2:17 , it is recorded, "Yet they would not listen to their judges, but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commandments. They did not do as their fathers had done."

4. Call to Repentance: Despite Israel's repeated unfaithfulness, God continually calls His people to repentance and offers restoration. In Jeremiah 3:1 , God says, "If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, should he return to her again? Would not the land be completely defiled? But you have prostituted yourself with many lovers—and would you return to Me? declares the LORD."

5. New Testament Perspective: While the term "a-whoring" is not used in the New Testament, the concept of spiritual fidelity remains. Believers are urged to remain faithful to Christ and avoid the spiritual adultery of idolatry. James 4:4 warns, "You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God."

Theological Implications

The use of "a-whoring" in Scripture underscores the seriousness with which God views idolatry and spiritual unfaithfulness. It serves as a powerful reminder of the exclusive devotion God demands from His people. The metaphor of spiritual adultery highlights the personal and relational nature of sin against God, emphasizing the need for repentance and the restoration of the covenant relationship.

Strong's Hebrew

2181. zanah -- to commit fornication, be a harlot
... fornication, X continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play
the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish. ...
/hebrew/2181.htm - 6k

Library

On the Same Words of the Gospel, John xiv. 6, "I am the Way," Etc.
... For her misery hath taught her, how evil a thing it is to go a whoring from
the Lord. For to fall away from that Simple and Singular ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon xcii on the same.htm

Of the Manifold Meaning of the Holy Scriptures.
... thee," [1898] of which fornication elsewhere also the Lord says in rebuking them:
"The spirit of fornication deceived them, and they went a whoring from their ...
/.../cassian/the conferences of john cassian/chapter xi of the manifold.htm

That all the Saints, Both under the Law and Before It, were ...
... "For, lo," he says, "they that are far from Thee shall perish: Thou destroyest all
them that go a-whoring from Thee,""that is, who prostitute themselves to ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 25 that all the saints.htm

Of the Unity of the Godhead and the Trinity of Persons
... "Your hearts are gone a whoring from God. O that ye would believe it."
None of you will deny but ye have broken all the commands. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/lecture xiii of the unity.htm

The Section Chap. I. -iii.
... to the reality. According to ver.2, it is to be expressed figuratively
that the people went a-whoring from Jehovah. The spiritual ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the section chap i -iii.htm

The Crowning of Abimelech
... And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned
again, and went a whoring after the Baalim, and made Baal-berith their god. ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/iii the crowning of abimelech.htm

The Life of Mr. Donald Cargil.
... he said, This is the first step of our going a-whoring from God; and whoever of
the Lord's people this day are rejoicing, their joy will be like the crackling ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the life of mr donald.htm

Nearness to God the Key to Life's Puzzle
... As the context says: 'They that are far from Thee shall perish.' 'Thou hast
destroyed'"already, before they die"'all them that go a-whoring from Thee.' And ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/nearness to god the key.htm

O virgin-Youth that Art Become Bridegroom, Move to a Little ...
... The name of her spouse is set on her; let her not go a whoring for another name,
for she was not baptized in the name of man; with Names wherein she was ...
/.../hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn xx o virgin-youth that.htm

Come Rest, and be Still in the Bosom of Thy Mother, Son of the ...
... Zipporah though daughter of a heathen priest kept sanctity: with a calf
the daughter of Abraham [470] went a whoring. Footnotes: ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn ix come rest and.htm

Thesaurus

A-whoring (35 Occurrences)
A-whoring. Awhile, A-whoring. Awl . Multi-Version Concordance
A-whoring (35 Occurrences). Exodus 34:15 Lest thou make ...
/a/a-whoring.htm - 17k

Whoring (17 Occurrences)
... Exodus 34:15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they
go awhoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call ...
/w/whoring.htm - 12k

Loathsome (20 Occurrences)
... Me have your escaped among nations, Whither they have been taken captive, Because
I have been broken with their heart that is going a-whoring, That hath turned ...
/l/loathsome.htm - 12k

Pollute (42 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 19:29 Thou dost not pollute thy daughter to cause her to go a-whoring,
that the land go not a-whoring, and the land hath been full of wickedness. ...
/p/pollute.htm - 19k

Whoredom (58 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 20:5 Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family,
and will cut him off, and all that go awhoring after him, to commit whoredom ...
/w/whoredom.htm - 24k

Whoredoms (34 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 21:13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go awhoring, like to the ...
/w/whoredoms.htm - 17k

Awl (2 Occurrences)

/a/awl.htm - 8k

Goest (79 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 16:15 And thou dost trust in thy beauty, And goest a-whoring because of
thy renown, And dost pour out thy whoredoms On every passer by -- to him it is. ...
/g/goest.htm - 32k

Caused (468 Occurrences)
... Exodus 34:16 and thou hast taken of their daughters to thy sons, and their daughters
have gone a-whoring after their gods, and have caused thy sons to go a...
/c/caused.htm - 37k

Loves (97 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 23:3 And they go a-whoring in Egypt, In their youth they have gone a-whoring,
There they have bruised their breasts, And there they have dealt with the ...
/l/loves.htm - 34k

Resources

Was Martin Luther anti-Semitic? | GotQuestions.org

What is the difference between fornication and adultery? | GotQuestions.org

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Concordance

A-whoring (35 Occurrences)

Exodus 34:15
Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitant of the land, and they have gone a-whoring after their gods, and have sacrificed to their gods, and 'one' hath called to thee, and thou hast eaten of his sacrifice,
(YLT)

Exodus 34:16
and thou hast taken of their daughters to thy sons, and their daughters have gone a-whoring after their gods, and have caused thy sons to go a-whoring after their gods;
(YLT)

Leviticus 17:7
and they sacrifice not any more their sacrifices to goats after which they are going a-whoring; a statute age-during is this to them, to their generations.
(YLT)

Leviticus 19:29
Thou dost not pollute thy daughter to cause her to go a-whoring, that the land go not a-whoring, and the land hath been full of wickedness.
(YLT)

Leviticus 20:5
then I have set My face against that man, and against his family, and have cut him off, and all who are going a-whoring after him, even going a-whoring after the Molech, from the midst of their people.
(YLT)

Leviticus 20:6
And the person who turneth unto those having familiar spirits, and unto the wizards, to go a-whoring after them, I have even set My face against that person, and cut him off from the midst of his people.
(YLT)

Leviticus 21:9
And a daughter of any priest when she polluteth herself by going a-whoring -- her father she is polluting; with fire she is burnt.
(YLT)

Numbers 15:39
and it hath been to you for a fringe, and ye have seen it, and have remembered all the commands of Jehovah, and have done them, and ye search not after your heart, and after your eyes, after which ye are going a-whoring;
(YLT)

Numbers 25:1
And Israel dwelleth in Shittim, and the people begin to go a-whoring unto daughters of Moab,
(YLT)

Deuteronomy 31:16
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Lo, thou art lying down with thy fathers, and this people hath risen, and gone a-whoring after the gods of the stranger of the land into the midst of which it hath entered, and forsaken Me, and broken My covenant which I made with it;
(YLT)

Judges 2:17
and also unto their judges they have not hearkened, but have gone a-whoring after other gods, and bow themselves to them; they have turned aside 'with' haste out of the way 'in' which their fathers walked to obey the commands of Jehovah -- they have not done so.
(YLT)

Judges 8:27
and Gideon maketh it into an ephod, and setteth it up in his city, in Ophrah, and all Israel go a-whoring after it there, and it is to Gideon and to his house for a snare.
(YLT)

Judges 8:33
And it cometh to pass, when Gideon 'is' dead, that the sons of Israel turn back and go a-whoring after the Baalim, and set over them Baal-Berith for a god;
(YLT)

1 Chronicles 5:25
And they trespass against the God of their fathers, and go a-whoring after the gods of the peoples of the land whom God destroyed from their presence;
(YLT)

Psalms 106:39
And they were defiled with their works, and went a-whoring in their doings.
(DBY)

Ezekiel 6:9
And remembered Me have your escaped among nations, Whither they have been taken captive, Because I have been broken with their heart that is going a-whoring, That hath turned aside from off Me, And with their eyes they are going a-whoring after their idols, And they have been loathsome in their own faces, For the evils that they have done -- all their abominations.
(YLT)

Ezekiel 16:15
And thou dost trust in thy beauty, And goest a-whoring because of thy renown, And dost pour out thy whoredoms On every passer by -- to him it is.
(YLT)

Ezekiel 16:16
And thou dost take of thy garments, And dost make to thee spotted high-places, And dost go a-whoring upon them, They are not coming in -- nor shall it be!
(YLT)

Ezekiel 16:17
And thou dost take thy beauteous vessels Of My gold and My silver that I gave to thee, And dost make to thee images of a male, And dost go a-whoring with them,
(YLT)

Ezekiel 16:26
And dost go a-whoring unto sons of Egypt, Thy neighbours -- great of appetite! And thou dost multiply thy whoredoms, To provoke Me to anger.
(YLT)

Ezekiel 16:28
And thou goest a-whoring unto sons of Asshur, Without thy being satisfied, And thou dost go a-whoring with them, And also -- thou hast not been satisfied.
(YLT)

Ezekiel 16:34
And the contrary is in thee from women in thy whoredoms, That after thee none doth go a-whoring; And in thy giving a gift, And a gift hath not been given to thee; And thou art become contrary.
(YLT)

Ezekiel 16:41
And burnt thy houses with fire, And done in thee judgments before the eyes of many women, And I have caused thee to cease from going a-whoring, And also a gift thou givest no more.
(YLT)

Ezekiel 20:30
Therefore, say unto the house of Israel: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: In the way of your fathers are ye defiled? And after their detestable things go a-whoring?
(YLT)

Ezekiel 23:3
And they go a-whoring in Egypt, In their youth they have gone a-whoring, There they have bruised their breasts, And there they have dealt with the loves of their virginity.
(YLT)

Ezekiel 23:5
And go a-whoring doth Aholah under Me, And she doteth on her lovers, On the neighbouring Assyrians,
(YLT)

Ezekiel 23:19
And she multiplieth her whoredoms, To remember the days of her youth, When she went a-whoring in the land of Egypt.
(YLT)

Ezekiel 23:30
To do these things to thee, In thy going a-whoring after nations, Because thou hast been defiled with their idols,
(YLT)

Hosea 1:2
The commencement of Jehovah's speaking by Hosea. And Jehovah saith unto Hosea, 'Go, take to thee a woman of whoredoms, and children of whoredoms, for utterly go a-whoring doth the land from after Jehovah.'
(YLT)

Hosea 2:5
For gone a-whoring hath their mother, Acted shamefully hath their conceiver, For she hath said, I go after my lovers, Those giving my bread and my water, My wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.
(YLT)

Hosea 3:3
and I say unto her, 'Many days thou dost remain for Me, thou dost not go a-whoring, nor become any one's; and I also 'am' for thee.'
(YLT)

Hosea 4:10
And they have eaten, and are not satisfied, They have gone a-whoring, and increase not, For they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.
(YLT)

Hosea 4:12
My people at its staff asketh and its rod declareth to it, For a spirit of whoredoms hath caused to err, And they go a-whoring from under their God.
(YLT)

Hosea 9:1
Rejoice not, O Israel, be not joyful like the peoples, For thou hast gone a-whoring from thy God, Thou hast loved a gift near all floors of corn.
(YLT)

Amos 7:17
therefore thus said Jehovah: Thy wife in the city doth go a-whoring, And thy sons and thy daughters by sword do fall, And thy land by line is apportioned, And thou on an unclean land diest, And Israel certainly removeth from off its land.'
(YLT)

Subtopics

A-whoring

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