Hosea 4:15

¹³ They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.

¹⁴ I 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.

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!’

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

¹⁷ Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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!’
KJV: 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.
WEB: “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.’
ASV: 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.
DARBY: 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!
BLB: Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, do not let Judah become guilty; and do not come to Gilgal, and do not go up [to] Beth-Aven, and do not swear an oath, ‘As YHWH lives.’

ÅB: Om enn du, Israel, driver hor, så må ikke Juda gjøre seg skyldig i slikt! Gå ikke til Gilgal og dra ikke opp til Bet-Aven[^2] og sverg ikke[^3]: Så sant Herren lever!
OTB: Selv om du, Israel, begår ekteskapsbrudd, la ikke Juda bli skyldig. Gå ikke til Gilgal, gå heller ikke opp til Bet Aven, og sverg ikke: 'Så sant Herren lever!'
B1930: Om enn du, Israel, driver hor, så må ikke Juda gjøre sig skyldig i sådant! Gå ikke til Gilgal og dra ikke op til Bet-Aven og sverg ikke: Så sant Herren lever!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Hosea 9:15
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.
Read in context
Hosea 12:11
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.
Read in context
Amos 4:4
“Go to Bethel and transgress; rebel even more at Gilgal! Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days.
Read in context
Amos 5:5
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.
Read in context
Ephesians 5:11
Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
Read in context
Hosea 10:8
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!”
Read in context
Hosea 10:5
The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn with its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced in its glory— for it has been taken from them into exile.
Read in context
Jeremiah 5:2
Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ they are swearing falsely.”
Read in context