עַשְׁתָּרוֹת (ash.ta.rot)
ash.ta.rot
Ashtaroth
N:N-F-T / N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 11 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-F-T / N:N--L
Word Overview
The noun Ashtaroth refers to the Canaanite goddesses worshipped by Israel’s neighbors, identified in the Hebrew Bible as false deities associated with fertility and celestial bodies. The term appears eleven times in the Old Testament, primarily within the historical narratives of Joshua, Judges, and First Samuel, where it marks a recurring spiritual failure.
These references highlight a specific pattern of idolatry during the period of the Judges. When Israel abandoned the worship of Yahweh, they frequently turned to Ashtaroth alongside other local gods like Baal. This shift is described not merely as religious curiosity but as a breach of covenant loyalty, illustrating how easily the people adopted the surrounding cultures’ practices despite repeated calls to remain distinct.
The word itself points to a tangible object of worship rather than an abstract concept. In passages such as Judges 2:13 and 1 Samuel 7:4, the presence of Ashtaroth signifies a concrete turning away from God. The text uses this name to summarize the broader influence of Canaanite religion, serving as a shorthand for the spiritual compromise that plagued the nation before the establishment of the monarchy.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Ashtaroth appears in the Old Testament as a reminder of how easily people can trade their trust in God for things that look good but cannot save them. In the days of the Judges, Israel often turned to these foreign gods alongside Baal, seeking help from sources that offered no real protection or peace. This was not just a simple mistake; it was a breaking of the covenant relationship with Yahweh, showing how quickly spiritual loyalty can fade when we look to the world for security.
Yet the story does not end with failure. In 1 Samuel 7, the prophet Samuel calls the people back to a sincere heart, asking them to put away these false gods and serve only the Lord. When they did, God delivered them from their enemies. This pattern shows that while idolatry leads to brokenness, returning to God brings restoration. It is an invitation to examine what holds our hearts today, knowing that true safety is found only in faithful devotion to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 11 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Ashtaroth3×
- in/ Ashtaroth3×
- and/ the/ Ashtaroth1×
- and/ Ashtaroth1×
- and/ <to> the/ Ashtaroth1×
- [was] in/ Ashtaroth1×
- Ashtaroth1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בְּ/עַשְׁתָּר֖וֹת2×
- עַשְׁתָּר֑וֹת1×
- וְ/עַשְׁתָּר֣וֹת1×
- וְ/לָ/עַשְׁתָּרֽוֹת\׃1×
- וְ/הָ/עַשְׁתָּר֑וֹת1×
- הָ/עַשְׁתָּרֹ֑ת1×
- הָ/עַשְׁתָּר֡וֹת1×
- הָ/עַשְׁתָּר֑וֹת1×
- בְּ/עַשְׁתָּרֽוֹת\׃1×
- בְּ/עַשְׁתָּרֹ֖ת1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 2:13
They abandoned Yahweh, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.
This verse marks the beginning of Israel's cycle of apostasy by explicitly linking the abandonment of Yahweh with service to Ashtaroth.
-
I Samuel 7:4
Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served Yahweh only.
Here the word signifies a concrete act of repentance as the people physically remove these idols to serve Yahweh alone.
-
I Samuel 12:10
They cried to Yahweh, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’
Samuel uses this term in his review of history to remind the nation that their past distress came from forsaking God for these false deities.