Kejadian 38:21-22

38:21 He asked the men who were there, ¹  “Where is the cult prostitute ²  who was at Enaim by the road?” But they replied, “There has been no cult prostitute here.” 38:22 So he returned to Judah and said, “I couldn’t find her. Moreover, the men of the place said, ‘There has been no cult prostitute here.’”

Kejadian 48:9

48:9 Joseph said to his father, “They are the ³  sons God has given me in this place.” His father ⁴  said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.” ⁵ 

[38:21]  ¹ tn Heb “the men of her place,” that is, who lived at the place where she had been.

[38:21]  ² sn The Hebrew noun translated “cult prostitute” is derived from a verb meaning “to be set apart; to be distinct.” Thus the term refers to a woman who did not marry, but was dedicated to temple service as a cult prostitute. The masculine form of this noun is used for male cult prostitutes. Judah thought he had gone to an ordinary prostitute (v. 15); but Hirah went looking for a cult prostitute, perhaps because it had been a sheep-shearing festival. For further discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, “Cultic Prostitution,” Orient and Occident (AOAT), 213-23.

[48:9]  ³ tn Heb “my.”

[48:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Joseph’s father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[48:9]  ⁵ tn The cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose after the imperative.