Hosea 14
The Lord Offers to Forgive Israel
1 Israel, return to the Lord your God.You have stumbled because of your sins.2 Return to the Lord, and say these things to him:“Forgive all our sins, and kindly receive us.Then we’ll praise you with our lips.3 Assyria cannot save us.We won’t ride on horses anymore.We will never again saythat the things our hands have made are our gods.You love orphans.”4 The Lord says, “I will cure them of their unfaithfulness.I will love them freely.I will no longer be angry with them.5 I will be like dew to the people of Israel.They will blossom like flowers.They will be firmly rooted like cedars from Lebanon.6 They will be like growing branches.They will be beautiful like olive trees.They will be fragrant like cedars from Lebanon.7 They will live again in God’s shadow.They will grow like grain.They will blossom like grapevines.They will be as famous as the wines from Lebanon.8 “The people of Ephraim will have nothing more to do with idols.I will answer them and take care of them.I am like a growing pine tree.Their fruit comes from me.”9 Wise people will understand these things.A person with insight will recognize them.The Lord’s ways are right.Righteous people live by them.Rebellious people stumble over them.
Hosea 14
1 O Israel, return unto Jehovah thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.2 Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips.3 Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods; for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him.5 I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the grain, and blossom as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.8 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have answered, and will regard him: I am like a green fir-tree; from me is thy fruit found.9 Who is wise, that he may understand these things? prudent, that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but transgressors shall fall therein.