Prostitution in the Old Testament

God is the Holy God. He regarded sex as fornication except between a married couple. However, in the Old Testament, prostitution was prevalent. For example, Gen. chapter 38, Judah slept with a daughter –in- law, because he thought her as a prostitute. Despite this, God did not comment about prostitution itself in the Old Testament. Literally, God had not given any direct warning against prostitution. For instance, There was no evidence that any people were punished because of prostitution in the Bible. Has God allowed prostitution or not especially for male?

It is written that “you shall not commit adultery” in the 7^th commandment. Adultery means sex with a person who is not your spouse. In the beginning, God gave only one spouse to Adam. However, it had changed to polygamy in Israel. Many things had been spoiled with human’s will. For example, the meaning of adultery also had been spoiled through time. Actually, it is clear that prostitution belongs to adultery. However, In the Old Testament, it seemed that people regarded prostitution for male was not so sinful even though it was not good. Jesus defined adultery that “whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Mat 5:28). In this standard, it is very hard not to commit adultery.

In Joshua chapter 2, prostitute Rahab was saved by her faith in God. Although adultery was a serious sin which was punishable by death, Rahab became an ancestor of Jesus by God’s grace. The story of Rahab showed that in God’s viewpoint, faith had moved God even through her past adultery. God did not judge what Rahab had done before, even though she was a Gentile and a wretched prostitute. It shows one of God’s viewpoints in that God’s purpose of law is his love for his people rather than punishment for sin. In the New Testament, we can see another example through the story when Jesus forgave an adulterous woman.

In summary, God did not allow prostitution; it was also the sin which was punished by the death penalty. However, God had delayed until Jesus was sent because he loves his people. Finally, God gave the way we are able to be free from the Law which judges all kinds of sin including adultery by the grace of God. This is God’s concern. So, modern people also have the same desire as ancestors. However, God has given a new ability to overcome adultery since the Holy Spirit came.