Hosea 4:13-15
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
13 On the mountaintops they offer sacrifice
and on the hills they burn incense,
Beneath oak and poplar and terebinth,
because of their pleasant shade.[a]
Therefore your daughters prostitute themselves,
and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters for their prostitution,
nor your daughters-in-law for their adultery,
Because the men themselves consort with prostitutes,
and with temple women[b] they offer sacrifice!
Thus a people without understanding comes to ruin.
15 Though you prostitute yourself, Israel,
do not let Judah become guilty!
Do not come to Gilgal,[c]
do not go up to Beth-aven,(A)
do not swear, “As the Lord lives!”(B)
Footnotes
- 4:13 The shrines on the “high places” typically had an altar, a grove of trees, and a stone pillar representing a god (Dt 12:2; Jer 2:20).
- 4:14 Temple women: plural of Heb. qedesha; the exact import of the term is disputed. See notes on Gn 38:21 and Dt 23:18–19.
- 4:15 Gilgal: close to Jericho (Jos 4:19–20; 5:2–9). Beth-aven: (lit., “house of iniquity”) Hosea’s derogatory term for the sanctuary of Bethel (lit., “house of God”), the major shrine of the Northern Kingdom (10:5, 8; cf. Am 5:5). As the Lord lives: a legitimate oath formula (1 Sm 26:10, 16), but unacceptable here because Israel is guilty of religious syncretism and the idolatrous worship of other gods.
Hosea 4:13-15
New International Version
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.
Footnotes
- Hosea 4:15 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).
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