EFFEMINATI. There is mention of them in several places of Scripture, and in a sense very different from that, wherein this term is understood in our language. Effeminate in the style of the Sacred Writings, signifies corrupt persons; consecrated to some profane God, and prostituting themselves in honour of him. The word Kadesh translated effeminatus, signifies properly one consecrated, but by a קדשKadesch. Effeminatus.mistaken use of it, it has been attributed to those of either sex, who publickly prostituted themselves, particularly in honour of Baal and Astarte. These ignominious victims of immodesty had cells in forests of tall trees, where they exercised their infamous imployment, Ædiculas effeminatorum. Deut. xxiii. 18. 2 Kings xxiii. 7. Job xxxvi. 14. 1 Kings xiv. 24. xv. 12. xxii. 47. Hos. iv. 14. Isai. iii. 4. עלוליםMoses expressly forbad these irregularities among the Israelities, but the history of the Jews shews, that they were frequently practised by them.
We find likewise the word Effeminati in Isaiah iii. 4. but the Hebrew reads parvuli in this place, people without understanding and experience. We read also in the Proverbs xviii. 8. Pigrum dejicit timor, animæ autem effœminatorum esurient. But this verse is not in the Hebrew; and the Greek word Androgynos signifies a person, who partakes of both sexes, both of the man and woman.