The hire of a harlot: this refers to money earned by a female temple prostitute.

The wages of a dog: money earned by a male temple prostitute. Revised Standard Version footnote provides “sodomite” as an alternative rendering of dog. The context is that of temple prostitution. If a language does not have a term for a male prostitute, we may say, for example, “male who sells his body for money” (see verse 17).

Into the house of the LORD your God in payment for any vow: the money could not be given to the Temple as an offering that the man or woman had promised to make to Yahweh (see verse 21).

Both of them: that is, female and male prostitutes.

An abomination: see 7.25.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• The LORD your God is disgusted with [or, hates] men or women who sell their bodies for money. No money earned in this way may be brought into the house of the LORD, even if it was promised to him.

(The following for languages that do not use the passive)

• The LORD your God…. You may not bring money into the house of the LORD that you earned in this way, even if you have promised to give it to the LORD.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .