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Hosea 14
International Children’s Bible
Hosea 14
International Children’s Bible
Israel Returns to God
14 Israel, return to the Lord your God.
Your sins have caused your ruin.
2 Come back to the Lord
and say these words to him:
“Take away all our sin
and kindly receive us.
Then we will give you the praise we promised you.
3 Assyria cannot save us.
We will not trust in our horses.
We will not say again, ‘Our gods,’
to the things our hands have made.
You show mercy to us, who are like orphans.”
4 The Lord says,
“I will forgive them for leaving me.
I will love them freely.
I am not angry with them anymore.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel.
It will blossom like a lily.
Like the cedar trees in Lebanon,
its roots will be firm.
6 The people will be like spreading branches.
They will be like the beautiful olive trees.
They will be like the sweet-smelling cedars in Lebanon.
7 The people of Israel will again live under my protection.
They will grow like the grain.
They will bloom like a vine.
They will be as famous as the wine of Lebanon.
8 Israel, have nothing to do with idols.
I, the Lord, am the one who answers your prayers.
I am the one who watches over you.
I am like a green pine tree.
Your blessings come from me.”
9 A wise person will know these things.
An understanding person will take them to heart.
The Lord’s ways are right.
Good people live by following them,
but those who turn against God die because of them.
Hosea 14
New International Version
Hosea 14
New International Version
Repentance to Bring Blessing
14 [a]Return,(A) Israel, to the Lord your God.
Your sins(B) have been your downfall!(C)
2 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)
3 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.”
4 “I will heal(L) their waywardness(M)
and love them freely,(N)
for my anger has turned away(O) from them.
5 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)
6 his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,(T)
his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.(U)
7 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)
8 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.”
Footnotes
- Hosea 14:1 In Hebrew texts 14:1-9 is numbered 14:2-10.
- Hosea 14:2 Or offer our lips as sacrifices of bulls
- Hosea 14:8 Or Hebrew; Septuagint What more has Ephraim
International Children’s Bible (ICB) 
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.