Hosea 14

A Plea to Repent

1 Israel, return to the Lord your God, 14:1 Hs 6:1; 10:12; 12:6

for you have stumbled in your iniquity. 14:1 Hs 4:8; 5:5; 9:7

2 Take words of repentance with you 14:2 Mc 7:18–19

and return to the Lord.

Say to him, "Forgive all our iniquity

and accept what is good,

so that we may repay you

with praise 14:2 LXX reads with the fruit from our 14:2 Lit repay the bulls of our lips. 14:2 Heb 13:15

3 Assyria will not save us, 14:3 Hs 5:13

we will not ride on horses, 14:3 Is 31:1

and we will no longer proclaim, ‘Our gods! ’ 14:3 Hs 4:12

to the work of our hands. 14:3 Hs 8:6; 13:2

For the fatherless receives compassion in you." 14:3 Ps 68:5

4 I will heal their apostasy; 14:4 Is 57:18; Hs 6:1

I will freely love them, 14:4 Zph 3:17

for my anger will have turned from him. 14:4 Is 12:1

5 I will be like the dew to Israel; 14:5 Is 26:19

he will blossom like the lily 14:5 Sg 2:1; Mt 6:28

and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. 14:5 Is 35:2

6 His new branches will spread,

and his splendor will be like the olive tree, 14:6 Jr 11:16

his fragrance, like the forest of Lebanon. 14:6 Sg 4:11

7 The people will return and live beneath his shade. 14:7 Ezk 17:23

They will grow grain 14:7 Hs 2:21–22

and blossom like the vine.

His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

8 Ephraim, why should I 14:8 LXX reads he have anything more

to do with idols? 14:8 Jb 34:32

It is I who answer and watch over him.

I am like a flourishing pine tree; 14:8 Is 41:19

your fruit comes from me. 14:8 Ezk 17:13

9 Let whoever is wise 14:9 Ps 107:43; Jr 9:12 understand these things,

and whoever is insightful recognize them.

For the ways of the Lord are right, 14:9 Ps 111:7–8; Zph 3:5

and the righteous walk in them, 14:9 Is 26:7

but the rebellious stumble in them. 14:9 Is 1:28