Hosea 14

Return with words

1Return, Israel, to the LORD your God,
for you have stumbled in your guilt. 2Take words with you and return to the LORD.
Say to him, ‘Take away all guilt and accept what is good.
We will offer the bulls of our lips. 3Assyria will not save us;
we will not ride warhorses.
We will no longer call the work of our hands “Our God,”
for with you the fatherless finds compassion.’

Healing and growth

4“I will heal their turning away;
I will love them freely,
for my anger has turned away from him. 5I will be like dew to Israel.
He will blossom like a lily
and send down roots like Lebanon. 6His shoots will spread;
his splendor will be like an olive tree,
his fragrance like Lebanon. 7Those who live in his shade will return.
They will bring grain to life and blossom like a vine.
His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon. 8Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?
I am the one who answers and watches over him.
I am like a flourishing cypress;
your fruit comes from me.”

The ways of the LORD

9Who is wise enough to understand these things,
discerning enough to know them?
The LORD’s ways are straight:
the righteous walk in them,
but rebels stumble in them.