Hosea 14
1 Israel, return to the LORD your God; for you have fallen because of your sin.
Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God; for the people have fallen through your iniquities.
2 Take words with you, and return to the LORD. Tell him, “Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good; so we offer bulls as we vowed of our lips.
Take with you words, and turn to the Lord your God: speak to him, that you may not receive [the reward of] unrighteousness, but that you may receive good things: and we will render in return the fruit of our lips.
3 Assyria can’t save us. We won’t ride on horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ‘Our gods!’ for in you the fatherless finds mercy.”
Assur shall never save us; we will not mount on horseback; we will no longer say to the works of our hands, Our gods. He who is in you shall pity the orphan.
4 “I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from them.
I will restore their dwellings, I will love them truly: for he has turned away my wrath from him.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily, and send down his roots like Lebanon.
I will be as dew to Israel: he shall bloom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Libanus.
6 His branches will spread, and his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.
His branches shall spread, and he shall be as a fruitful olive, and his smell shall be as [the smell] of Libanus.
7 Men will dwell in his shade. They will revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine. Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.
They shall return, and dwell under his shadow: they shall live and be satisfied with corn, and he shall flower as a vine: his memorial shall be to Ephraim as the wine of Libanus.
8 Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? I answer, and will take care of him. I am like a green cypress tree; from me your fruit is found.”
What [has] he to do any more with idols? I have afflicted him, and I will strengthen him: I am as a leafy juniper tree. From me is your fruit found.
9 Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
Who is wise, and will understand these things? or prudent, and will know them? for the ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them: but the ungodly shall fall therein.
