Hebrew word · H6252

עַשְׁתָּרוֹת

ashtarot

Ashtaroth

Plural of ʿaštōret, the Hebrew form of the goddess known in Ugaritic as ʿṯtrt and in Greek as Astartē. She was a major goddess of the Levant, linked with war, fertility and sexuality, and called “the goddess of the Sidonians” in 1 Kgs 11:5.

Appears 12 times in 12 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

§ Ashtaroth or Astaroth = "star"

false goddesses in the Canaanite religion, usually related to fertility cult

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 1 Samuel 7:3

Range of meaning

Plural of ʿaštōret, the Hebrew form of the goddess known in Ugaritic as ʿṯtrt and in Greek as Astartē. She was a major goddess of the Levant, linked with war, fertility and sexuality, and called “the goddess of the Sidonians” in 1 Kgs 11:5. The plural can mean her many local forms, her images, or goddesses in general.

Against the English

KJV and WEB say “Ashtaroth” and BSB “Ashtoreths”: transliterations that do not explain who she is. A reader may not know this is a goddess and not an object.

Used elsewhere in the period

Astarte appears in Ugaritic texts, in Egyptian texts of the New Kingdom, and in Phoenician inscriptions (e.g. the Tabnit and Eshmunazar inscriptions of Sidon). Many scholars think the Hebrew vowels of ʿaštōret were borrowed from bōšet (“shame”) as a deliberate insult, though this is debated. In 1 Sam 31:10 the Philistines hang Saul’s armour in “the house of the Ashtaroth,” which shows she was honoured by Israel’s enemies too.

From the study of Joshua 9:10

Range of meaning

The place name is a plural form of the name of the goddess ʿAshtart (Astarte). Elsewhere the plural ʿashtarot is used for goddess images or cults in general (Judg 2:13; 1 Sam 7:3–4). As a town it was Og's capital, usually paired with Edrei (Deut 1:4; Josh 12:4; 13:12, 31), and later a Levitical city (1 Chr 6:71; called Be-eshterah in Josh 21:27).

Against the English

BSB says 'who reigned in Ashtaroth' and ESV 'who lived in', while KJV and WEB say 'which/who was at'. The Hebrew has no verb. Joshua 12:4 uses 'dwelt' and 13:12 'reigned', so both choices have support in the book itself.

Used elsewhere in the period

Ashtaroth appears as ʿAštartu in the Amarna letters (14th century BC) and in Egyptian topographical lists, and as a captured town on an Assyrian relief of Tiglath-pileser III. It is usually identified with Tell ʿAshtarah in the Hauran, southern Syria. The Ugaritic text KTU 1.108 (see the Og entry) links it with the Rephaim.

From the study of Joshua 13:31

Range of meaning

A place name. In form it is the plural of 'Ashtoret/Ashtart, the Canaanite goddess Astarte. Elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible the plural 'Ashtarot also refers to the goddesses or their images (Judg 2:13; 1 Sam 7:4).

Against the English

English versions transliterate it as a place name, which is correct. What English hides is that a Hebrew hearer would recognise the goddess's name inside the town's name.

Used elsewhere in the period

Probably the same as 'Aštartu' in the Amarna letters (14th century BC) and in Egyptian topographical lists. Ugaritic texts (KTU 1.108) speak of the deified Rapiu ruling at 'ttrt and hdr'y, generally read as Ashtaroth and Edrei. This connects the two towns with the Rephaim traditions that the Bible also attaches to Og (Deut 3:11; Josh 12:4). Gen 14:5 mentions 'Ashteroth-karnaim' and the Rephaim.

Where it appears

Deuteronomy · 1

  1. Deuteronomy 1:4 בְּעַשְׁתָּרֹ֖ת in Ashtaroth

    This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and then at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth.

Joshua · 4

  1. Joshua 9:10 בְּעַשְׁתָּרֽוֹת׃ [was] in Ashtaroth

    and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.

    Here: 'In Ashtaroth'. This was Og's royal city in Bashan (usually identified with Tell ʿAshtarah in southern Syria). The name echoes the goddess Astarte (ʿAshtart), a reminder that it was a cult centre as well as a capital.

  2. Joshua 12:4 בְּעַשְׁתָּר֖וֹת in Ashtaroth

    And Og king of Bashan, one of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei.

  3. Joshua 13:12 בְּעַשְׁתָּר֖וֹת in Ashtaroth

    the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei and had remained as a remnant of the Rephaim. Moses had struck them down and dispossessed them,

    Here: A royal city of Bashan (modern Tell ʿAshtarah in southern Syria), named after the goddess Astarte; it appears as 'Ashtartu' in the Amarna letters.

  4. Joshua 13:31 וְעַשְׁתָּר֣וֹת and Ashtaroth

    half of Gilead; and Ashtaroth and Edrei, the royal cities of Og in Bashan. All this was for the clans of the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh, that is, half of the descendants of Machir.

    Here: One of Og's two royal centres, probably Tell Ashtara in southern Syria. The name is the plural of the goddess name Ashtart (Astarte), which suggests an old cult site.

Judges · 2

  1. Judges 2:13 וְלָעַשְׁתָּרֽוֹת׃ and <to> the Ashtaroth

    for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.

    Here: 'And to the Ashtaroth.' This is the plural of Ashtoreth, the goddess Astarte. The plural refers either to her many local forms and images or, more loosely, to 'the goddesses'. Put next to 'the Baal', the pair covers the whole male and female world of Canaanite gods.

  2. Judges 10:6 הָעַשְׁתָּר֡וֹת the Ashtaroth

    And again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals, the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. Thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him.

    Here: Plural of the goddess Ashtart (Greek Astarte), Baal's female counterpart in the Canaanite and Phoenician world, linked to fertility, sexuality and war. The plural again means her local forms and images.

1 Samuel · 4

  1. 1 Samuel 7:3 וְהָעַשְׁתָּר֑וֹת and the Ashtaroth

    Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and Ashtoreths among you, prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only. And He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

    Here: Plural of Ashtoreth (Astarte), the major Canaanite and Phoenician goddess. The plural probably means her many local forms and images. It singles out the goddess worship most tempting to Israel at the time.

  2. 1 Samuel 7:4 הָעַשְׁתָּרֹ֑ת the Ashtaroth

    So the Israelites put away the Baals and Ashtoreths and served only the LORD.

  3. 1 Samuel 12:10 הָעַשְׁתָּר֑וֹת the Ashtaroth

    Then they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve You.’

  4. 1 Samuel 31:10 עַשְׁתָּר֑וֹת Ashtaroth

    They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and hung his body on the wall of Beth-shan.

1 Chronicles · 1

  1. 1 Chronicles 6:71 עַשְׁתָּר֖וֹת Ashtaroth

    The Gershomites received the following: From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.