14 I will not punish your daughters
when they act promiscuously
or your daughters-in-law
when they commit adultery,
for the men themselves go off with prostitutes(A)
and make sacrifices with cult prostitutes.(B)
People without discernment are doomed.(C)

Warnings for Israel and Judah

15 Israel, if you act promiscuously,
don’t let Judah become guilty!
Do not go to Gilgal(D)
or make a pilgrimage to Beth-aven,[a](E)
and do not swear an oath: As the Lord lives!(F)
16 For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn cow.(G)
Can the Lord now shepherd them
like a lamb in an open meadow?(H)

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 4:15 = House of Wickedness

14 “I will not punish your daughters
    when they turn to prostitution,
nor your daughters-in-law
    when they commit adultery,
because the men themselves consort with harlots(A)
    and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes(B)
    a people without understanding(C) will come to ruin!(D)

15 “Though you, Israel, commit adultery,
    do not let Judah become guilty.

“Do not go to Gilgal;(E)
    do not go up to Beth Aven.[a](F)
    And do not swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’(G)
16 The Israelites are stubborn,(H)
    like a stubborn heifer.(I)
How then can the Lord pasture them
    like lambs(J) in a meadow?

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 4:15 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).