King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, [yet] let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
Complete Jewish Bible:
If you, Isra'el, prostitute yourself, still Y'hudah has no need to incur such guilt. Don't go to Gilgal or up to Beit-Aven, and don't swear, "As ADONAI lives."
Berean Standard Bible:
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!’
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.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Though thou, Israel{H3478}, play the harlot{H2181}, yet let not Judah{H3063} offend{H816}; and come{H935} not ye unto Gilgal{H1537}, neither go ye up{H5927} to Bethaven{H1007}, nor swear{H7650}, The LORD{H3068} liveth{H2416}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Hosea 9:15
- All their wickedness [is] in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes [are] revolters.
Hosea 12:11
- [Is there] iniquity [in] Gilead? surely they are vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars [are] as heaps in the furrows of the fields.
Amos 4:4
- Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, [and] your tithes after three years:
Jeremiah 5:2
- And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
Hosea 10:5
- The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests thereof [that] rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.
Amos 8:14
- They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again.
Amos 5:5
- But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.
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Commentary for Hosea 4:15
Hosea 4:15 is part of the prophetic book of Hosea, which is set in the turbulent period of the Northern Kingdom of Israel's history, just before its fall to the Assyrians in 722 BCE. The verse reflects the themes of apostasy and unfaithfulness that are central to the book. Hosea, a prophet called by God, uses his own tumultuous marriage as a living metaphor for the relationship between God and His people, Israel.
In this verse, God, speaking through Hosea, addresses the nation of Israel, which has been unfaithful to Him by engaging in idolatry and immoral practices, likened to playing the harlot. Despite Israel's spiritual adultery, God warns the Southern Kingdom of Judah not to follow in Israel's footsteps and commit the same sins. The mention of specific places, Gilgal and Bethaven (literally "House of Wickedness," a derogatory name for Bethel, meaning "House of God"), highlights locations associated with idolatrous worship and the people's turning away from the true God. The verse also admonishes against swearing oaths by the phrase "The LORD liveth," which was likely a common practice that had become meaningless due to the people's disregard for the sanctity of God's name.
The historical context of Hosea's message is one of political intrigue, social decay, and religious syncretism, where the people of Israel were influenced by the surrounding cultures and their pagan rituals. Hosea's call is for repentance and a return to a genuine relationship with God, emphasizing that external religious practices without heartfelt devotion are unacceptable. Hosea 4:15, therefore, encapsulates the prophet's broader message of God's love and faithfulness in the face of human unfaithfulness, and it serves as a warning to Judah to avoid the same destruction that was imminent for Israel due to their persistent disobedience.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel. - Strong's Number: H2181
There are 82 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: זָנָה
Transliteration: zânâh
Pronunciation: zaw-naw'
Description: a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah); (cause to) commit fornication, [idiom] continually, [idiom] great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) whore, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish. - Strong's Number: H3063
There are 754 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהוּדָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhûwdâh
Pronunciation: yeh-hoo-daw'
Description: from יָדָה; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory; Judah. - Strong's Number: H816
There are 145 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָשַׁם
Transliteration: ʼâsham
Pronunciation: aw-sham'
Description: or אָשֵׁם; a primitive root; to be guilty; by implication to be punished or perish; [idiom] certainly, be(-come, made) desolate, destroy, [idiom] greatly, be(-come, found, hold) guilty, offend (acknowledge offence), trespass. - Strong's Number: H935
There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בּוֹא
Transliteration: bôwʼ
Pronunciation: bo
Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way. - Strong's Number: H1537
There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גִּלְגָּל
Transliteration: Gilgâl
Pronunciation: ghil-gawl'
Description: the same as גִּלְגָּל (with the article as a properly, noun); Gilgal, the name of three places in Palestine; Gilgal. See also בֵּית הַגִּלְגָּל. - Strong's Number: H5927
There are 817 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָלָה
Transliteration: ʻâlâh
Pronunciation: aw-law'
Description: a primitive root; to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative; arise (up), (cause to) ascend up, at once, break (the day) (up), bring (up), (cause to) burn, carry up, cast up, [phrase] shew, climb (up), (cause to, make to) come (up), cut off, dawn, depart, exalt, excel, fall, fetch up, get up, (make to) go (away, up); grow (over) increase, lay, leap, levy, lift (self) up, light, (make) up, [idiom] mention, mount up, offer, make to pay, [phrase] perfect, prefer, put (on), raise, recover, restore, (make to) rise (up), scale, set (up), shoot forth (up), (begin to) spring (up), stir up, take away (up), work. - Strong's Number: H1007
There are 7 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּית אָוֶן
Transliteration: Bêyth ʼÂven
Pronunciation: bayth aw'-ven
Description: from בַּיִת and אָוֶן; house of vanity; Beth-Aven, a place in Palestine; Beth-aven. - Strong's Number: H7650
There are 175 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁבַע
Transliteration: shâbaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-bah'
Description: a primitive root; properly to be complete, but used only as a denominative from שֶׁבַע; to seven oneself, i.e. swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times); adjure, charge (by an oath, with an oath), feed to the full (by mistake for שָׂבַע), take an oath, [idiom] straitly, (cause to, make to) swear. - Strong's Number: H3068
There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יְהֹוָה
Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה. - Strong's Number: H2416
There are 452 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חַי
Transliteration: chay
Pronunciation: khah'-ee
Description: from חָיָה; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively; [phrase] age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, [phrase] merry, multitude, [phrase] (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.