Hosea 14
1 O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
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.
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.
4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is 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.
6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as 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.
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.
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.
Common Questions About Hosea 14
How does the book of Hosea conclude in chapter 14?
The book closes with a direct, tender call to return to the LORD, providing the people with actual words of confession to pray, asking God to take away iniquity and receive them graciously, offering the fruit of their lips instead of empty ritual.
What promise of restoration does God give in this final chapter?
God promises to heal their apostasy, love them freely since His anger has turned away, and describes flourishing imagery, Israel blossoming like a lily and taking root like a cedar of Lebanon, a full reversal of the devastation described throughout the book.
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Questions to Think About
- God provided the very words of confession the people needed to pray. How does having a starting point for honest confession help you approach God after failure?
- The book that began with painful broken names ends with promises of free love and flourishing restoration. How does this overall arc of Hosea encourage you regarding your own capacity for restoration after failure?
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