NON-WHORES OF THE BIBLE
THE FOLLOWING WOMEN IN THE BIBLE WERE NOT HARLOTS
Misinformation about biblical women persists unchecked. It’s essential to distinguish between scripture and misconceptions perpetuated by tradition. Many women have been unfairly misrepresented, reducing their complex roles to simplistic stereotypes.
Delilah: Not a Harlot
Delilah is introduced in Judges 16 as a woman Samson loved:
“And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. ”
Nowhere is she called a harlot. The Bible has no issue labeling women as such when appropriate, as seen just a few verses earlier:
“Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.”
The assumption that Delilah was a prostitute likely stems from the proximity of these verses. However, she was a woman who betrayed Samson for money, not a harlot. Misreading her story distorts the text.
Bathsheba: Not a Seductress
Bathsheba is often wrongly portrayed as a temptress. In reality, she was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, seen by King David while bathing, likely for ritual purification. The scripture states:
“And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him; and he lay with her...”
The key phrase is "David sent messengers and took her." As king, he had power over her, leaving little room for consent. Nathan the prophet later rebuked David, not Bathsheba, for the wrongdoing (2 Samuel 12:1-12). Yet history has unfairly shifted blame onto her, ignoring the abuse of power at play.
Jezebel: A Wicked Queen
Jezebel, a Phoenician princess and wife of King Ahab, led Israel into Baal worship (1 Kings 16:31). While she was ruthless, the Bible never calls her a harlot. Her story is about political ambition and religious conflict, not sexual immorality.
Her infamous moment before death—painting her eyes and adorning her head (2 Kings 9:30)—has been misinterpreted as seduction, when it was more likely a show of royal defiance. Her name has since been unfairly used as a symbol of promiscuity, despite scripture never making such claims.
Even the New Testament reference to spiritual Jezebel in Revelation does not refer to the historical Jezebel as a harlot.
The Sex-Obsessed Perspective
These misconceptions stem from a male-dominated view of scripture that sexualizes and vilifies women while excusing men’s faults. The tendency to label powerful or defiant women as sexually immoral reveals a long-standing cultural bias rather than biblical truth.
By reevaluating these distortions, we can embrace a more faithful interpretation of scripture—one that sees these women as they truly were, not as they have been misrepresented.
Conclusion: Reading Scripture with Care
Delilah, Bathsheba, and Jezebel are just a few examples of women whose stories have been twisted by tradition. The Bible does not hesitate to call a woman a harlot when it applies, so when it doesn’t, we must not impose that label. Understanding these women’s true narratives offers a more just reading of scripture.