Hosea 4:15 “Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt!…”

Hosea 4:15

Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

World English Bible

“Though you, Israel, play the prostitute, yet don’t let Judah offend; and don’t come to Gilgal, neither go up to Beth Aven, nor swear, ‘As the LORD lives.’

American Standard Version

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, As Jehovah liveth.

Geneva Bible 1599

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Iudah sinne: come not ye vnto Gilgal, neither goe ye vp to Beth-auen, nor sweare, The Lord liueth.

Darby Translation

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, let not Judah trespass; and come ye not unto Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven, nor swear [As] Jehovah liveth!

Young's Literal Translation

Though a harlot thou [art], O Israel, Let not Judah become guilty, And come not ye in to Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-Aven, Nor swear ye, Jehovah liveth.

Bible in Basic English

Do not you, O Israel, come into error; do not you, O Judah, come to Gilgal, or go up to Beth-aven, or take an oath, By the living Lord.

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Cross references

“play”

Hosea 4:12 Ezekiel 23:4–8 Jeremiah 3:6–10

Hosea 4:12 · BSB

My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.

Ezekiel 23:4–8 · BSB

The older was named Oholah, and her sister was named Oholibah. They became Mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. As for their identities, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 3:6–10 · BSB

Now in the days of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every green tree to prostitute herself there.

“yet”

Ephesians 5:11 Hosea 11:12 2 Kings 17:18 2 Kings 17:19 Jeremiah 3:10 Jeremiah 3:11

Ephesians 5:11 · BSB

Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

Hosea 11:12 · BSB

Ephraim surrounds Me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.

2 Kings 17:18 · BSB

So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained,

2 Kings 17:19 · BSB

and even Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but lived according to the customs Israel had introduced.

Jeremiah 3:10 · BSB

Yet in spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but only in pretense,” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 3:11 · BSB

And the LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than unfaithful Judah.

“Gilgal”

Hosea 9:15 Hosea 12:11 Amos 4:4 Amos 5:5

Hosea 9:15 · BSB

All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them from My house for the wickedness of their deeds. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.

Hosea 12:11 · BSB

Is there iniquity in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field.

Amos 4:4 · BSB

“Go to Bethel and transgress; rebel even more at Gilgal! Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days.

Amos 5:5 · BSB

Do not seek Bethel or go to Gilgal; do not journey to Beersheba, for Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will come to nothing.

“Beth-aven”

Hosea 5:8 Hosea 10:5 Hosea 10:8 1 Kings 12:28 1 Kings 12:29

Hosea 5:8 · BSB

Blow the ram’s horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; raise the battle cry in Beth-aven: Lead on, O Benjamin!

Hosea 10:5 · BSB

The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn over it with its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced in its glory— for it has been taken from them into exile.

Hosea 10:8 · BSB

The high places of Aven will be destroyed— it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

1 Kings 12:28 · BSB

After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”

1 Kings 12:29 · BSB

One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan.

“nor”

Jeremiah 5:2 Amos 8:14 Isaiah 48:1 Ezekiel 20:39 Amos 6:10 Zephaniah 1:5

Jeremiah 5:2 · BSB

Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ they are swearing falsely.”

Amos 8:14 · BSB

Those who swear by the guilt of Samaria and say, ‘As surely as your god lives, O Dan,’ or, ‘As surely as the way of Beersheba lives’— they will fall, never to rise again.”

Isaiah 48:1 · BSB

“Listen to this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel, who have descended from the line of Judah, who swear by the name of the LORD, who invoke the God of Israel— but not in truth or righteousness—

Ezekiel 20:39 · BSB

And as for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you. But afterward, you will surely listen to Me, and you will no longer defile My holy name with your gifts and id…

Amos 6:10 · BSB

And when the relative who is to burn the bodies picks them up to remove them from the house, he will call to one inside, “Is anyone else with you?” “None,” that person will answer. “Silence,” the relative will retort, “f…

Zephaniah 1:5 · BSB

those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom,

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

14I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin.

16For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?

Read Hosea 4