Hosea 4:15

Let not Judah offend. Hosea, as if despairing of any change in Israel’s ungodly attitude, appeals warningly to the southern kingdom of Judah (vs. 15—17). Israel was so close to Judah geographically, and some of Judah’s later kings were so influenced by idolatry, that there was grave danger that the south would follow the north in apostasy. See p. 31; see on chs. 11:12; 12:1, 2.

Come not ye. Here we have a specific charge forbidding pilgrimages to idol-worship centers, such as Gilgal and Beth-aven.

Gilgal. There was more than one town in the territory of the northern kingdom that bore this name (see on 1 Sam. 11:15; 2 Kings 2:1). The name Gilgal appears prominently in the history of Israel (see Joshua 4:19, 20; 5:9, 10; 9:6; 10:6-9, 43; 14:6; 1 Sam. 10:8; 11:14, 15; 13:4-8; 15:21, 33; 2 Kings 4:38). It is uncertain which Gilgal the prophet refers to here.

Beth-aven. Literally, “the house of evil power,” or “the house of wickedness.” This is probably an ironic epithet for Bethel, which means literally, “the house of God” (see Gen. 28:19-22). However, when Jeroboam I set up calf worship at Bethel (see 1 Kings 12:25 — 33) and made of the city a house of false gods, the name Bethel became singularly inappropriate. Bethel was a prominent place in the religious history of God’s people (see Gen. 28:19; 35:15).

Nor swear. The hypocritical profession of the worship of the Lord must not be made by those in idolatry (see 1 Kings 12:28).