Hosea 14

Israel Restored at Last

1 O Israel, return to the Lord your God, O Israel, return 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; Receive us graciously, For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.3 Assyria shall not save us, We will not ride on horses, Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, You are our gods. For in You the fatherless finds mercy.4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him.5 I will be like the dew to Israel; He shall grow like the lily, And lengthen his roots like Lebanon.6 His branches shall spread; His beauty shall be like an olive tree, And his fragrance like Lebanon.7 Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like grain, And grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.8 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do anymore with idols? I have heard and observed him. I am like a green cypress tree; Your fruit is found in Me.9 Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors 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.