In Hebrew, called Asherah (of which the plural is Asherim or Asheroth), either a living tree or a tree-like pole, set up as an object of worship, being symbolical of the female or productive principle in nature. Every Phoenician had an asherah near it. The word is often translated "green trees" or "grove." This "nature worship" became associated with gross immorality, and so the practice of setting up such "groves" or idols was forbidden by Hebrew prophets (Deut. 16: 21; cf. Num. 25: 3; Judg. 2: 11-13; 1 Sam. 7: 3-4; 1 Kgs. 11: 5; Isa. 17: 8; Micah 5: 12 ff.).