Israel, if you act promiscuously, don’t let Judah become guilty! Do not go to Gilgal or make a pilgrimage to Beth-aven, , and do not swear an oath: As the Lord lives!
Since Gilead is full of evil, they will certainly come to nothing. They sacrifice bulls in Gilgal; even their altars will be like piles of rocks on the furrows of a field.
All their evil appears at Gilgal, for there I began to hate them. I will drive them from my house because of their evil, wicked actions. I will no longer love them; all their leaders are rebellious.
Those who swear by the guilt of Samaria and say, ‘As your god lives, Dan,’ or, ‘As the way , of Beer-sheba lives’ – they will fall, never to rise again.
The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed; thorns and thistles will grow over their altars. They will say to the mountains, ‘Cover us! ’ and to the hills, ‘Fall on us! ’
The residents of Samaria will have anxiety over the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its idolatrous priests rejoiced over it; the people will mourn over it, over its glory. It will certainly go into exile.
A close relative and burner , will remove his corpse from the house. He will call to someone in the inner recesses of the house, ‘Any more with you? ’ That person will reply, ‘None.’ Then he will say, ‘Silence, because the Lord’s name must not be invoked.’
My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of promiscuity leads them astray; they act promiscuously in disobedience to their God.
‘ “As for you, house of Israel, this is what the Lord God says: Go and serve your idols, each of you. But afterwards you will surely listen to me, and you will no longer defile my holy name with your gifts and idols.
‘Listen to this, house of Jacob – those who are called by the name Israel and have descended from Judah, who swear by the name of the Lord and declare the God of Israel, but not in truth or righteousness.
‘Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you Judeans who live in the land of Egypt: “I have sworn by my great name, says the Lord, that my name will never again be invoked by anyone of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, ‘As the Lord God lives.’
Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and told them, ‘Go up and scout the land.’ So the men went up and scouted Ai.
Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind. He continually multiplies lies and violence. He makes a covenant with Assyria, and olive oil is carried to Egypt.