Hosea 14

Israel's Future Blessing

1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,
For you have stumbled because of your iniquity.

2 Take words with you and return to the LORD.
Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity
And receive us graciously,
That we may present the fruit of our lips.

3 "Assyria will not save us,
We will not ride on horses;
Nor will we say again, 'Our god,'
To the work of our hands;
For in You the orphan finds mercy."

4 I will heal their apostasy,
I will love them freely,
For My anger has turned away from them.

5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
He will blossom like the lily,
And he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon.

6 His shoots will sprout,
And his beauty will be like the olive tree
And his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.

7 Those who live in his shadow
Will again raise grain,
And they will blossom like the vine.
His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

8 O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?
It is I who answer and look after you.
I am like a luxuriant 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 righteous will walk in them,
But transgressors will stumble in them.

Hosea 14

Prophetic Call to Genuine Repentance

1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
for your sin has been your downfall!t

2 Return to the Lord and repent!t
Say to him: “Completelyt forgive our iniquity;
accepts our penitential prayer,t
that we may offer the praise of our lips as sacrificial bulls.s

3 Assyria cannot save us;
we will not ride warhorses.
We will never again say, ‘Our gods’
to what our own hands have made.
For only you will show compassion to Orphan Israel!”t

Divine Promise to Relent from Judgment and to Restore Blessings

4 “I will heal their waywardnesss
and love them freely,t
for my anger will turns away from them.

5 I will be like the dew to Israel;
he will blossom like a lily,
he will send down his roots like a cedar oft Lebanon.

6 His young shoots will grow;
his splendor will be like an olive tree,
his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.

7 People will reside againt in his shade;
they will plant and harvest grain in abundance.t
They will blossom like a vine,
and his fame will be like the wine from Lebanon.

8 O Ephraim, I do not want to have anything to dot with idols anymore!
I will answer him and care for him.
I am liket a luxuriant cypress tree;t
your fruitfulness comes from me!t

Concluding Exhortation

9 Who is wise?
Let him discernt these things!
Who is discerning?
Let him understand them!
For the ways of the Lord are right;
the godly walk in them,
but in them the rebellious stumble.