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14 “But I will not punish your daughters
    when they become prostitutes.
I will not punish your daughters-in-law
    for their sins of adultery.
I will not punish them
    because you yourselves have sinned sexually with prostitutes.
You offer sacrifices with the temple prostitutes.
    You foolish people are destroying yourselves.

15 “Israel, you act like a prostitute.
    But don’t let Judah be guilty.
Don’t go to sacrifice at Gilgal.
    Don’t go up to give offerings at Beth Aven.[a]
Don’t use the Lord’s name to make promises.
    Don’t say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives . . .’
16 The people of Israel are stubborn
    like a stubborn young cow.
How then can the Lord feed them
    like lambs in a meadow?

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Footnotes

  1. 4:15 Gilgal . . . Beth Aven Cities in Israel where people worshiped false gods.

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).