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14 I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves
    nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery,
for the men themselves go aside with prostitutes
    and sacrifice with female attendants;
thus a people without understanding comes to ruin.(A)

15 Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel,
    do not let Judah become guilty.
Do not enter into Gilgal
    or go up to Beth-aven,
    and do not swear, “As the Lord lives.”(B)
16 Like a stubborn heifer,
    Israel is stubborn;
can the Lord now feed them
    like a lamb in a broad pasture?(C)

17 Ephraim is joined to idols—
    let him alone.
18 When their drinking is ended, they indulge in sexual orgies;
    they love lewdness more than their glory.[a](D)
19 A wind has wrapped them[b] in its wings,
    and they shall be ashamed because of their altars.[c](E)

Impending Judgment on Israel and Judah

Hear this, O priests!
    Give heed, O house of Israel!
Listen, O house of the king!
    For the judgment pertains to you,
for you have been a snare at Mizpah
    and a net spread upon Tabor(F)
and a pit dug deep in Shittim,[d]
    but I will punish all of them.

I know Ephraim,
    and Israel is not hidden from me,
for now, O Ephraim, you have prostituted yourself;
    Israel is defiled.(G)
Their deeds do not permit them
    to return to their God.
For the spirit of prostitution is within them,
    and they do not know the Lord.(H)

Footnotes

  1. 4.18 Cn Compare Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 4.19 Heb her
  3. 4.19 Gk Syr: Heb sacrifices
  4. 5.2 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain