The harlot

(Gen. 38:15) — this word, generally applied to an unchaste woman, is used in Holy Scripture broadly to denote the wicked and depraved manner of life of the Israelites, whenever they broke the covenant with God and gave themselves over to idolatry and other vices (Isa. 1:21). That a class of harlots, or unchaste women, existed among the Canaanites, the original inhabitants of Palestine, is evident from the story of Tamar (Gen. 38:15). In the days of the patriarchs and of Moses there were strict laws concerning fornication.

The story of the harlot Rahab (Josh. 2:1; 6:17) proves that the Israelites, upon entering the Promised Land, found this class of women already there. In the days of Solomon two harlot women are mentioned who lived in one house (1 Kings 3:16). In the reign of Hezekiah mention is already made of houses of harlotry (2 Kings 23:7). Distinguished from honest women by a peculiarity of dress, by their dwelling at the gates, by the road (Gen. 38:14), in the streets, in the squares, harlots in early times were content with only a kid for their disgraceful services (Gen. 38:17); but in later times they often acquired great riches (Ezek. 16:33–39).

By their cunning, noisiness, and shamelessness they lured the foolish into their snares (Prov. 7:7–22; 1 Kings 14:22–24). Before the coming of Christ upon earth, depravity had increased to the utmost degree among the Greeks and the Romans, not excluding the Jews as well; for this reason the apostles found it especially necessary to warn believers against fornication and other similar vices.