Brian’s comment on arsenokoites and qadesh

2 comments:

Brian said...

I'm confused by your post. You say you are asking about the Hebrew word for "rib" (which is tzeila' in Gen. 2:21-22), but then identify the word as "qadesh and arsenokoites." Words do mot have meaning in isolation - only a range of meanings; it is the context in which they are used which determines their meaning in a particular usage.
צלע(tzeila'), according to BDB* p. 854, means [1]"rib, side;" [2] the rib of a hill; [3] side-chambers or cells of the Temple; [4] ribs of cedar and fir, i.e. planks, boards; [5] leaves of a door; [6] side of the ark.
TWOT* (p. 768) says it is used once for a man's side, once for the side of a hill, and elsewhere is an architectural term for the side of an edifice. The article continues, "Conceivably [in Gen. 2:21-22] this means that God took a good portion of Adam's side, since the man considers the woman to be 'bone of his bones' and 'flesh of his flesh'. This picture describes the intimacy between man and woman as they stand equal before God."
קדש (qadesh), according to BDB p. 873, means "temple-prostitute," always used in the context of pagan worship. This word does not occur in Genesis 2, but first appears in Genesis 38 - the Judah/Tamar narrative.
TWOT p. 788 adds, "In Gen. 38:21-22 the usage may be extended to refer to prostitution in general," not limited to just "the liscentiousness of Canaanite worship."
αρσενοκοιτες (arsenokoites), according to BDAG* p. 135, appears earliest in a vice list as "one who has intercourse with a man as with a woman," "a man who has intercourse with a person of his own sex." The entry continues, "Paul's striction against same-sex activity cannot be satisfactorily explained on the basis of temple prostitution... or limited to contract with boys for homoerotic service."
*BDB (Brown-Driver-Briggs) is the standard Hebrew reference, and BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich) is the standard Greek reference. Both of these draw from contemporary sources outside the Bible as well as the Biblical record. Einspahr agrees with BDB. TWOT (Theological Wordbook of the OT) is also a scholarly standard.
I don't know how this plays into what you were looking for, but those are the usages contemporary to Biblical record.

August 27, 2010 8:11 AM

Brian said...

The Hebrew word for "rib" in Gen 2:21-22 is צלע (tzela), which literally means "side." Other uses include the side of a hill or building (BDB, TWOT).
The Hebrew word qadesh (קדש) means temple prostitute, always in the context of pagan worship, but may be extended to prostitution in general in Gen 38 (BDB, TWOT).
The Greek word arsenokoites (αρσενοκοιτης) means homosexuality not limited to temple prostitution or contract with boys for homoerotic service (BDAG).

August 27, 2010 8:20 AM