Hosea 14

Contemporary English Version

Turn Back to the Lord

14 Israel, return! Come back
to the Lord, your God.
    Sin has made you fall.
²Return to the Lord and say,
    “Please forgive our sins.
Accept our good sacrifices
    of praise instead of bulls.^[a]
³Assyria can't save us,
    and chariots can't help.
So we will no longer worship
    the idols we have made.
Our Lord, you show mercy
    to orphans.”

The Lord Promises To Forgive

⁴Israel, you have rejected me,
    but my anger is gone;
I will heal you and love you
    without limit.
⁵I will be like the dew—
then you will blossom like lilies
    and have roots like a tree.^[b]
⁶Your branches will spread
with the beauty
    of an olive tree
and with the aroma
    of Lebanon Forest.
⁷You will rest in my shade,
    and your grain will grow.
You will blossom
    like a vineyard
and be famous as the wine
    from Lebanon.

⁸Israel, give up your idols!
I will answer your prayers
and take care of you.^[c]
I am that glorious tree,
the source of your fruit.^[d]

⁹If you are wise, you will know
    and understand what I mean.
I am the Lord, and I lead you
    along the right path.
If you obey me,
    we will walk together,
but if you are wicked,
    you will stumble.

Footnotes

14.2 Accept … bulls: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
14.5 like a tree: The Hebrew text has “like Lebanon,” probably referring to the famous cedar trees on Mount Lebanon.
14.8 Israel … you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
14.8 I am … fruit: This is the only place in the Old Testament where the Lord is compared to a tree. Hosea reminds the people that it is the Lord who is the source of life, rather than the Canaanite gods and goddesses that are worshiped under trees at the local shrines.