1 Kings 14:24

And there were also Sodomites [ קָדֵשׁ , a collective noun = הַקְּדֵשִׁים ( 1 Kings 15:12 ) = consecrated persons or devotees, because they were set apart to the service of Astarte, the Dea Syria . It is clear from Deuteronomy 23:18 (Heb.) that male prostitutes are here spoken of, the name of the female being קְדֵשָׁה . The former is described in Deuteronomy 23:19 50. c . as a dog , the latter as a whore ] in the land [cf. 1 Kings 15:12 . It is highly probable that these infamous persons were of Canaanite or Phoenician origin (this being a Phoenician superstition, Movers, "Phoniz." 1:671), but it is somewhat precarious to found an assertion to that effect on these last words (as Bähr)], and [Heb. omits and] they did according to all the abominations of the nations [see Le 18:20.; Deuteronomy 18:9-12 ] which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. ["Here we see a reason for God's command, requiring the extirpation of the Canaanites" (Wordsworth).]