Hosea 4:15

“Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend, etc.] That is, though the Israelites, the people of the ten tribes, committed adultery, both corporeal and spiritual, in their idolatrous worship, as before observed, to which they had been used ever since the times of Jeroboam the first, and were hardened therein, and from which there were little hopes of reforming them; yet let not the men of Judah be guilty of the same crimes, who have as yet retained the pure worship of God among them; where the house of God is, and the priests of the Lord officiate, and sacrifices are offered up to him according to his will, and all other parts of religious service are performed: or the…”

“Though Israel's ten tribes indulge in spiritual harlotry, at least thou, Judah, who hast the legal priesthood, and the temple rites, and Jerusalem, do not follow her bad example. Gilgal--situated between Jordan and Jericho on the confines of Samaria; once a holy place to Jehovah (Jos 5:10-15; Sa1 10:8; Sa1 15:21); afterwards desecrated by idol-worship (Hos 9:15; 12-11; Amo 4:4; Amo 5:5; compare Jdg 3:19, Margin). Beth-aven--that is, "house of vanity" or idols: a name substituted in contempt for Beth-el, "the house of God"; once sacred to Jehovah (Gen 28:17, Gen 28:19; Gen 35:7), but made by Jeroboam the seat of the worship of the calves (Kg1 12:28-33; Kg1 13:1; Jer 48:13; Amo 3:14; Amo…”

“Let not Judah offend - The sentence of Israel had been pronounced; she had been declared incorrigible. The prophet turns from her now to Judah. Israel had abandoned God’s worship, rejected or corrupted His priests, given herself to the worship of the calves; no marvel what further excess of riot she run into! But Judah, who had the law and the temple and the service of God, let not her, (he would say,) involve herself in Israel’s sin. If Israel, in willful blindness, had plunged herself in ruin, let not Judah involve herself in her sin and her ruin. He turns (as elsewhere) incidentally to Judah. Come ye not unto Gilgal - Gilgal lay between Jericho and the Jordan. There, ten furlongs from the…”

“Offend - Commit like sins. Gilgal - Gilgal was chosen by Jeroboam, or by succeeding idolaters for the solemn worship of their idols. Beth - aven - Beth - el, where Jacob lodged, who called it Beth - el, the house of God; but when Jeroboam made it the place for his calf - worship, it became Beth - aven, the house of vanity or iniquity. Nor swear - This is a part put for the whole worship of God, which the prophet warns them not to blend with their idolatries. Hosea 4:16”

“4:15 Beth-aven refers to the wickedness being practiced at Bethel, the most important worship center in the northern kingdom of Israel (see Amos 7:13; cp. Hos 5:8; 10:5).”

“play: Hos 4:12; Jer 3:6-10; Eze 23:4-8 yet: Hos 11:12; Kg2 17:18, Kg2 17:19; Jer 3:10, Jer 3:11; Luk 12:47, Luk 12:48; Eph 5:11 Gilgal: Hos 9:15, Hos 12:11; Amo 4:4, Amo 5:5 Bethaven: Hos 5:8, Hos 10:5, Hos 10:8; Kg1 12:28, Kg1 12:29 nor: Isa 48:1; Jer 5:2; Eze 20:39; Amo 6:10, Amo 8:14; Zep 1:5, Zep 1:6 Hosea 4:16”

“A different turn is now given to the prophecy, viz., that if Israel would not desist from idolatry, Judah ought to beware of participating in the guilt of Israel; and with this the fourth strophe ( Hos 4:15-19) is introduced, containing the announcement of the inevitable destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes. Hos 4:15. "If thou commit whoredom, O Israel, let not Judah offend! Come ye not to Gilgal, go not up to Bethaven, and swear ye not by the life of Jehovah." אשׁם, to render one's self guilty by participating in the whoredom, i.e., the idolatry, of Israel. This was done by making pilgrimages to the places of idolatrous worship in that kingdom, viz., to Gilgal, i.e., not the Gilgal…”