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Salvation Like Dew for Israel

14 Samaria will bear her guilt,[a]
for she has rebelled against her God.
They will fall by the sword,
    their infants dashed to pieces,
    their pregnant women ripped open.
Return O Israel, to Adonai your God,
for you have stumbled in your iniquity.
Take words with you and return to Adonai.
Say to Him: “Take away all iniquity,
    and accept what is good,
so we may repay with offerings[b] of our lips:
‘Assyria will not save us.
We will not ride on horses,
and we will never again say, “Our god,”
    to the work of our hands,
    for with You, orphans find mercy.’”

“I will heal their backsliding,
I will love them freely,
for My anger will turn away from him.
I will be like dew for Israel.
He will blossom like a lily,
and thrust out his roots like Lebanon.
His tender shoots will spread out.
His beauty will be like an olive tree
and his fragrance will be like Lebanon.
Those dwelling in his shadow will return.
They will grow grain and bud like a vine.
His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

Ephraim: “What more are idols to me?
I have responded and observed Him.
I will be like a luxuriant cypress tree.
From me will be found Your fruit.”

10 Who is wise? Let him discern these things.
Who is intelligent? Let him know them.[c]
For the ways of Adonai are straight,
    and the just walk in them,
    but the wicked stumble in them.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:1 Traditional Christian text numbers as 12:16 to 14:9.
  2. Hosea 14:3 Lit. bulls, or perhaps fruit.
  3. Hosea 14:10 cf. Jacob 3:13.

Repentance to Bring Blessing

14 [a]Return,(A) Israel, to the Lord your God.
    Your sins(B) have been your downfall!(C)
Take words with you
    and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
    “Forgive(D) all our sins
and receive us graciously,(E)
    that we may offer the fruit of our lips.[b](F)
Assyria cannot save us;(G)
    we will not mount warhorses.(H)
We will never again say ‘Our gods’(I)
    to what our own hands have made,(J)
    for in you the fatherless(K) find compassion.”

“I will heal(L) their waywardness(M)
    and love them freely,(N)
    for my anger has turned away(O) from them.
I will be like the dew(P) to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.(Q)
Like a cedar of Lebanon(R)
    he will send down his roots;(S)
    his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,(T)
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.(U)
People will dwell again in his shade;(V)
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom(W) like the vine—
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine(X) of Lebanon.(Y)
Ephraim, what more have I[c] to do with idols?(Z)
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;(AA)
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”

Who is wise?(AB) Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.(AC)
The ways of the Lord are right;(AD)
    the righteous walk(AE) in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:1 In Hebrew texts 14:1-9 is numbered 14:2-10.
  2. Hosea 14:2 Or offer our lips as sacrifices of bulls
  3. Hosea 14:8 Or Hebrew; Septuagint What more has Ephraim