Hosea 14
The LORD calls Israel to return and bring words of repentance: "Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously." Assyria will not save them, and they will no longer call their idols their gods. The LORD will heal their backsliding and love them freely — Israel will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. | Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall! |
| 2 | Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. | Take words with You and return to the LORD. Say to Him: "Forgive all our iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. |
| 3 | Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. | Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount warhorses. We will never again say 'Our gods' to what our own hands have made, for in You the fatherless find mercy." |
| 4 | I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. | "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from Him. |
| 5 | I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. | I will be like the dew to Israel; He will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon He will send down His roots; |
| 6 | His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. | his young shoots will grow. His splendor will be like an olive tree, His fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon. |
| 7 | They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. | People will again live in His shade. They will flourish like the grain; they will blossom like the vine, and His fame will be like the wine from Lebanon. |
| 8 | Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. | Ephraim will say, 'What more have I to do with idols?' I will answer Him and care for Him. I am like a green pine tree; Your fruitfulness comes from Me." |
| 9 | Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein. | Who is wise? Let Him understand these things. Who is discerning? Let Him know them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. |