Hosea 4:15 kjv
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.
Hosea 4:15 nkjv
"Though you, Israel, play the harlot, Let not Judah offend. Do not come up to Gilgal, Nor go up to Beth Aven, Nor swear an oath, saying, 'As the LORD lives'?
Hosea 4:15 niv
"Though you, Israel, commit adultery, do not let Judah become guilty. "Do not go to Gilgal; do not go up to Beth Aven. And do not swear, 'As surely as the LORD lives!'
Hosea 4:15 esv
Though you play the whore, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty. Enter not into Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-aven, and swear not, "As the LORD lives."
Hosea 4:15 nlt
"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,
and do not take oaths there in the LORD's name.
Hosea 4 15 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Hos 4:15 | Though you go to Gilgal, visit Beth-aven, and do not swear, "As the LORD lives," | Hos 4:15 (Cross-reference) |
Hos 9:15 | their land of promise now becomes a place of reproach. | Gen 12:6, Gen 28:22, Jos 15:44 |
1 Sam 10:8 | Samuel appointed Gilgal as a place of worship and judgment. | 1 Sam 10:8, 1 Sam 11:14-15 |
1 Kgs 12:29 | Jeroboam set up golden calves at Bethel and Dan. | 1 Kgs 12:28-33 |
Amos 5:5 | Seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, nor pass to Beersheba; | Amos 5:5 |
Amos 7:13 | Amos prophesied judgment against Bethel. | Amos 7:13 |
Isa 2:8 | their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, | Isa 2:8 |
Jer 44:17 | Israelites continued idolatry even in exile. | Jer 44:17-19 |
Matt 6:24 | "No one can serve two masters." | Matt 6:24 |
Rom 6:16 | "You are slaves of the one whom you obey..." | Rom 6:16 |
Gal 5:17 | the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit. | Gal 5:17 |
Rev 3:15-16 | Christ rejects the lukewarm Laodiceans. | Rev 3:15-16 |
Jer 17:5 | Cursed is the man who trusts in man. | Jer 17:5-6 |
Psa 118:8 | It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. | Psa 118:8 |
Prov 3:5-6 | Trust in the LORD with all your heart. | Prov 3:5-6 |
Isa 55:6-7 | Seek the LORD while he may be found. | Isa 55:6-7 |
Micah 6:8 | What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? | Micah 6:8 |
Zeph 1:5 | those who worship the host of the heavens from the housetops. | Zeph 1:4-6 |
Zech 7:10 | not to oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, nor any orphan. | Zech 7:10 |
Heb 12:1-2 | run with endurance the race that is set before us. | Heb 12:1-2 |
Deut 18:21-22 | signs of a false prophet. | Deut 18:21-22 |
Ps 139:7-10 | there is no escape from God's presence. | Ps 139:7-10 |
Acts 17:24 | God made the world and everything in it. | Acts 17:24 |
Eph 5:11 | Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but expose them. | Eph 5:11 |
Hosea 4 verses
Hosea 4 15 Meaning
Israel, despite its covenantal relationship with God, is commanded not to go to Gilgal or Beth-aven. To do so would be to continue in their sin and spiritual rebellion, seeking out places associated with idolatry and false worship. These locations are places of judgment, not blessing, for the people who have forsaken the Lord.
Hosea 4 15 Context
Hosea's prophecy is directed at the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of severe spiritual apostasy. The nation has turned away from Yahweh, the covenant God, and embraced idolatry, particularly Baal worship. This chapter highlights their unfaithfulness, characterized by promiscuity, false religion, and reliance on political alliances rather than divine protection. The people are portrayed as stubborn and self-deceived, unaware of the impending judgment. Hosea uses vivid imagery and personal experiences to illustrate God's heartbreak over Israel's adultery and His resolve to discipline them for their sin. The specific reference to Gilgal and Beth-aven points to places where Israel had previously experienced divine favor but had later corrupted themselves with false worship. Gilgal was an important site for the early Israelites, a place of circumcision and covenant renewal. However, it also became a center of idolatry later on, as seen in other prophetic warnings. Beth-aven, literally meaning "house of wickedness" or "house of naught," is a pejorative term for Bethel, where Jeroboam had established a golden calf cult. Therefore, going to these places signifies a return to their corrupt practices and a rejection of genuine worship.
Hosea 4 15 Word Analysis
- אַךְ (ak): "Surely," "but," "yet." This conjunction introduces a concessive clause, emphasizing a conditional prohibition despite potential outward piety.
- גִּלְגָּל (gilgal): "Circle of stones," "heap of stones." Historically significant site (Jos 4:20; 5:9), but later associated with idolatry and calf worship (Amos 4:4, 5:5). Going here implies a return to these corrupt religious practices.
- בֵּית־אָבֶן (beyth-'aven): "House of wickedness" or "house of nothing." A sarcastic name for Bethel ("house of God"), which had become a center for the golden calf idolatry initiated by Jeroboam (1 Kgs 12:28-33). It signifies the utter futility and corruption of their worship there.
- וּפָקֹד (u·fqqd): "And I will punish," "and I will visit," "and I will reckon with." This verb often carries the sense of divine visitation for judgment, as seen in many prophetic contexts.
- וּבְבֵית־אָבֶן (u·ve·beyth-'aven): "And at Beth-aven." Repetition emphasizes this corrupted site as a focal point of divine reckoning.
- לֹא־יָקּוּמוּ (lo-yaqumu): "They shall not stand," "they shall not rise," "they shall not be established." This signifies their inability to maintain their standing before God or to achieve lasting security due to their sin.
- הִשְׁקַרְתֶּם (hishqartem): "You have sworn falsely," "you have deceived," "you have made untrue." This directly addresses their false oaths and their ultimate unfaithfulness to the covenant with God.
- בַּכֹּל (bakkol): "In all," "completely," "altogether." Emphasizes the pervasiveness of their deception and sin.
Group Analysis:
- "go to Gilgal, visit Beth-aven": This phrase encapsulates the chosen destination for worship by the apostate Israelites. It signifies a preference for established, yet corrupted, religious centers rather than true communion with God. These were places of broken promises and renewed sin.
- "do not swear, 'As the LORD lives,'": This instruction reveals a chilling hypocrisy. They might outwardly utter phrases of devotion, like "As the LORD lives," but their hearts and actions are far from Him. This outward ritual without inner sincerity is what God condemns.
- "you have sworn falsely": This is the core accusation. Their oaths, including invoking the Lord's name, are hollow because their commitment is false. Their covenant loyalty has been replaced by infidelity to God, and they attempt to mask this with empty religious expressions.
- "though they swear falsely, he will visit them for their iniquity": This powerfully connects their false oaths to divine accountability. Despite their attempts to appear pious or to invoke God's name, God sees the underlying falsehood and will inevitably bring them to account for their pervasive sinfulness. Their chosen places of worship are the very places of their appointed judgment.
Hosea 4 15 Bonus Section
The concept of "visiting" (פקד - paqad) by God carries a dual meaning: it can signify gracious visitation or a stern visitation for judgment. In Hosea 4:15, the context strongly favors the latter. The choice of Gilgal and Beth-aven, places deeply embedded in Israel's religious and historical memory but later defiled by sin, serves as a stark reminder that geographical location does not sanctify an unfaithful heart. This verse echoes the warning against seeking religious solace or legitimacy in compromised systems, emphasizing that genuine relationship with God is paramount, transcending any particular site or ritual. The entire nation, in their spiritual whoredom, collectively "swore falsely" because their ultimate loyalty lay elsewhere, demonstrating that even a common phrase like "As the LORD lives" can become a curse when uttered by faithless lips.
Hosea 4 15 Commentary
Hosea's warning to Israel is a profound indictment of outward religiosity devoid of inner truth. They are not forbidden from worshipping the LORD, but they are explicitly forbidden from seeking Him in places that have become synonymous with idolatry and covenant betrayal – Gilgal and Beth-aven. This highlights that the method and place of worship can be as corrupt as the intention if they are not aligned with God's commands. Their perfunctory "As the LORD lives" oath, made in the context of such apostasy, is seen as false swearing because it does not reflect their heart's allegiance. God's response is inevitable: He will "visit" (punish) them. The people cannot escape God's justice by masking their sin with ritual or invoking His name in corrupted settings. True worship must flow from a pure heart and be directed toward God alone, in accordance with His will, not as a means to legitimize false gods or practices. The ultimate futility of their "worship" at these sites is exposed as they will ultimately stand condemned, not accepted, by God.