< Hosea 14 >
1 Return, O Israel, to Jehovah thy God; For thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
O israel, return unto the LORD your God; for you have fallen by your iniquity.
2 Take with you words, And return to Jehovah, saying, “Forgive all our iniquity, and receive us graciously, And we will render to thee the sacrifices of our lips!
Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
3 Assyria shall not help us; We will not ride on horses; And no more will we say to the work of our hands, Ye are our Gods! For from thee the fatherless obtaineth mercy.”
Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, All of you are our gods: for in you the fatherless finds mercy.
4 “I will heal their rebellion; I will love them freely; For my anger is turned away from them.
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 to Israel; He shall blossom as the lily, And strike his roots like Lebanon.
I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
6 His sprouts shall spread forth, And his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, And his fragrance as Lebanon.
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 revive as the corn; They shall shoot forth as the vine; Their name shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim shall say, What have I more to do with idols? I will hear him; I will care for him; I will be like a green cypress-tree; From me shall thy fruit be found.”
Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is your 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 righteous walk in them; But in them transgressors stumble.
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.