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A Call to Repentance

14 [a]“Return, Israel, to the Lord your God,
    for you have fallen due to your own iniquity.
Bring a prepared speech with you
    as you return to the Lord. Say to him:

‘Take away all our[b] iniquity,
    and accept what is good.
Then we will present the fruit[c] of our lips.
Assyria won’t save us;
    we won’t be riding on horses,
Nor will we be saying anymore to the work of our hands,
    “You are[d] our God.”
        Indeed, in you the orphan finds mercy.’

“I will correct their apostasy,
    loving them freely,
        since my anger will have turned away from them.[e]
I will be like the dew to Israel;
    Israel[f] will blossom like a lily,
        growing roots like the cedars of[g] Lebanon.
Israel’s[h] branches will spread out,
    and its beauty will be like an olive tree,
        with its scent like that of Lebanon.
Those who live under its protection[i] will surely return.
    Their grain will flourish;
they will blossom like a vine,
    and Israel’s[j] scent will be like wine from Lebanon.

“Ephraim, what have I in common with idols?
    I have listened and will pay attention to him.
I am like a flourishing cypress;
    in me will your fruit be found.”

Concluding Counsel

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things.
    Whoever is discerning, let him know them.
For the ways of the Lord are right:
    the righteous follow his example,
        but the rebellious stumble in them.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:1 This v. is 14:2 in MT, and so throughout the chapter.
  2. Hosea 14:2 The Heb. lacks our
  3. Hosea 14:2 So LXX and DSS. MT reads bulls
  4. Hosea 14:3 The Heb. lacks You are
  5. Hosea 14:4 Lit. him
  6. Hosea 14:5 Lit. he
  7. Hosea 14:5 The Heb. lacks the cedars of
  8. Hosea 14:6 Lit. His
  9. Hosea 14:7 Lit. shadow
  10. Hosea 14:7 Lit. His

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