Original Word: μοιχαλὶς
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: moichalis
Pronunciation: moy-khal-is'
Phonetic Spelling: (moy-khal-is')
Definition: Adulteress
Meaning: (a) an adulteress (that is, a married woman who commits adultery), (b) Hebraistically: extended to those who worship any other than the true God.

Word Origin: Derived from μοιχός (moichos), meaning "adulterer."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often used in the Old Testament is נָאָף (na'aph), which also means "to commit adultery" or "adulterer/adulteress."

Usage: The term "moichalis" is used in the New Testament to describe a woman who is unfaithful to her marriage vows, engaging in sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage. It is often used metaphorically to describe spiritual unfaithfulness or idolatry, where the people of God turn away from Him to pursue other 'lovers' or false gods.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the ancient Jewish context, adultery was considered a grave sin, violating the sanctity of marriage, which was a covenantal relationship reflecting God's covenant with His people. The act of adultery was not only a personal moral failing but also a social and religious transgression that could lead to severe consequences, including the death penalty under Mosaic Law (Leviticus 20:10). The metaphorical use of "adulteress" to describe Israel's unfaithfulness to God is rooted in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament, where idolatry is often depicted as spiritual adultery.

Word Origin
from the fem. of moichos
Definition
an adulteress
NASB Translation
adulteress (2), adulteresses (1), adulterous (3), adultery (1).

STRONGS NT 3428: μοιχαλίς

μοιχαλίς, μοιχαλίδος, ἡ (μοιχός), a word unknown to the earlier writers but found in Plutarch, Heliodorus, others; see Lob. ad Phryn., p. 452; (Winers Grammar, 24); the Sept. for נֹאֶפֶת (Ezekiel 16:38; Ezekiel 23:45) and מְנָאֶפֶת (Hosea 3:1; Proverbs 24:55 ()); an adulteress;

a. properly: Romans 7:3; ὀφθαλμοί μεστοί μοιχαλίδος, eyes always on the watch for an adulteress, or from which adulterous desire beams forth, 2 Peter 2:14.

b. As the intimate alliance of God with the people of Israel was likened to a marriage, those who relapse into idolatry are said to commit adultery or play the harlot (Ezekiel 16:15ff; 23:43ff, etc.); hence, μοιχαλίς is figuratively equivalent to faithless to God, unclean, apostate: James 4:4 (where cf. Alford); as an adjective (cf. Matthiae, § 429, 4), γενεά ... μοιχαλίς: Matthew 12:39; Matthew 16:4; Mark 8:38. (Cf. Clement of Alexandria, strom. vi. c. 16 § 146, p. 292, 5 edition Sylb.)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

adulteress

A prolonged form of the feminine of moichos; an adulteress (literally or figuratively) -- adulteress(-ous, -y).

see GREEK moichos

Forms and Transliterations

μοιχαλιδα μοιχαλίδα μοιχαλιδες μοιχαλίδες μοιχαλιδι μοιχαλίδι μοιχαλιδος μοιχαλίδος μοιχαλίδων μοιχαλίν μοιχαλις μοιχαλίς μοιχαλὶς moichalida moichalída moichalides moichalídes moichalidi moichalídi moichalidos moichalídos moichalis moichalìs

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