Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Stoney Breyer" <stoneyb AT touchwood.net>]

*my* point is that the use of a kadeshah in Genesis 38 does seems (I am
not saying this is proven) to have some more honor, or was at least less
embrassing, than using a zonah.  That would seem to explain why the
Adullamite was out looking for a kadeshah to redeem Judah signet,
braclet, and staff, rather than a zonah.  

Oh, I quite agree. But we still don't know whether "qedeshah" is a
euphemism for "zonah", a professional girl of higher class than a
"zonah" ("hetaira" vs "porne"), or somebody entirely different who could
be comically confused with a "zonah". I think this is the question this
whole thread derived from: is a qedeshah a ritual copulatrix, a
prostitute whose earnings went to a religious corporation, or a sacred
servant whose service was nonsexual?.