Where is Astaroth mentioned in the Bible?

Answer 1

Depending in part on the translator, Astaroth, Ashtoreth and Asherah are variants of the name of the Semitic goddess of the planet Venus and of fertility. Because the books that reference her were written or edited after the adoption of monotheism, those references that exist are usually derogatory and it is usually implied that worship of the goddess was only of short duration by those of a rebellious nature, yet in one form or other we find frequent references to her right up until the time of the Deuteronomistic reforms of the seventh century BCE. Most biblical references link her with the god Baal, rather than with Yahweh, but archaeological finds show her linked with the God Yahweh.

The King James Bible does not use the style, Ashtareth , only one reference to Astaroth, which is interpreted as a place named after the goddess, and several references to Ashtaroth.

Deuteronomy 1:4 "After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei"

The variant Ashtaroth is used for the goddess, including the following examples:

Judges 2:13 "And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth"

Judges 10:6 "And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth..."

1 Samuel 7:3 "And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you..."

The KJV and someother English translations have often translated Asherah as 'groves', simply because the translators of the time did not understand what an asherah was.