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15 “Though you, Israel, are a prostitute,
    may Judah not be guilty of such things.
Do not join the false worship at Gilgal or Beth-aven,[a]
    and do not take oaths there in the Lord’s name.
16 Israel is stubborn,
    like a stubborn heifer.
So should the Lord feed her
    like a lamb in a lush pasture?
17 Leave Israel[b] alone,
    because she is married to idolatry.

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Footnotes

  1. 4:15 Beth-aven means “house of wickedness”; it is being used as another name for Bethel, which means “house of God.”
  2. 4:17 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel.

15 Though you, Israel, play the harlot,
Do not let Judah become guilty;
Also do not go to (A)Gilgal
Nor go up to Beth-aven
(B)And swear the oath:
“As Yahweh lives!”
16 Since Israel is (C)stubborn
Like a stubborn heifer,
[a]Can Yahweh now (D)feed them
Like a lamb in a large field?
17 Ephraim is joined to (E)idols;
(F)Let him alone.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 4:16 Or Now Yahweh will pasture...field