Hosea 4

10–13 Hosea continues his charge against both priests and people. They have given themselves to prostitution; they are “drunk” with it (verse 11). They even ask a stick of wood for guidance! (verse 12). A spirit of prostitution leads them; this “prostitution” is both physical and spiritual. To desert God—one’s true Husband—and follow after false gods is to engage in spiritual prostitution (see Exodus 34:10–16 and comment).

14 God will not punish the daughters and daughters-in-law who are engaged in this immorality; He will not single out the women for punishment, because the men are engaged in it too. The men, if anything, are more guilty: they should have been setting an example for their daughters, but they themselves have led the way in immorality.

15 Here Hosea gives a word of warning to Judah, the southern kingdom. He tells the people of Judah not to go to Gilgal or to Beth Aven,¹⁵both of which had been turned into centers of false worship by the Israelites. Hosea also tells the people of Judah not to make careless oaths in God’s name, as the Israelites were accustomed to do. To swear in God’s name without true faith was, in effect, to misuse God’s name (Exodus 20:7).

16–19 Hosea concludes with a further charge against Ephraim¹⁶ (Israel). Because Ephraim is joined to idols, he should be left alone (verse 17); nothing can be done to help him. The Israelites will be