Hosea 14

A Plea to Return to the Lord

1  Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
2  Take with you words
and return to the Lord;
say to him,
"Take away all iniquity;
accept what is good,
and we will pay with bulls
the vowst of our lips.
3  Assyria shall not save us;
we will not ride on horses;
and we will say no more, 'Our God,'
to the work of our hands.
In you the orphan finds mercy."

4  I will heal their apostasy;
I will love them freely,
for my anger has turned from them.
5  I will be like the dew to Israel;
he shall blossom like the lily;
he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon;
6  his shoots shall spread out;
his beauty shall be like the olive,
and his fragrance like Lebanon.
7  They shall return and dwell beneath myt shadow;
they shall flourish like the grain;
they shall blossom like the vine;
their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

8  O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?
It is I who answer and look after you.t
I am like an evergreen cypress;
from me comes your fruit.

9  Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
whoever is discerning, let him know them;
for the ways of the Lord are right,
and the upright walk in them,
but transgressors stumble in 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.