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13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and they burn incense upon the hills and under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, because there the shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the harlot and your sons’ wives commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery, for [the fathers and husbands] themselves go aside in order to be alone with women who prostitute themselves for gain, and they sacrifice at the altar with dedicated harlots [who surrender their chastity in honor of the goddess]. Therefore the people without understanding shall stumble and fall and come to ruin.

15 Though you, Israel, play the harlot and worship idols, let not Judah offend and become guilty; come not to Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven [contemptuous reference to Bethel, then noted for idolatry], nor swear [in idolatrous service, saying], As the Lord lives.

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13 (A)They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains
    and burn offerings on the hills,
(B)under oak, poplar, and terebinth,
    because their shade is good.
Therefore your daughters play the whore,
    and your brides commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore,
    nor your brides when they commit adultery;
for (C)the men themselves go aside with prostitutes
    and sacrifice with (D)cult prostitutes,
and a people (E)without understanding shall come to ruin.

15 Though you play the whore, O (F)Israel,
    let not (G)Judah become guilty.
(H)Enter not into (I)Gilgal,
    nor go up to (J)Beth-aven,
    and swear not, “As the Lord lives.”

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13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops
    and burn offerings on the hills,
under oak,(A) poplar and terebinth,
    where the shade is pleasant.(B)
Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution(C)
    and your daughters-in-law to adultery.(D)

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(E)
    and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes(F)
    a people without understanding(G) will come to ruin!(H)

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

“Do not go to Gilgal;(I)
    do not go up to Beth Aven.[a](J)
    And do not swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’(K)

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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).

13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.

15 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.

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