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Hosea 14

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A Final Call to Repentance 1–3

1
O Israel, return unto Jehovah thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. ​
2
Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips. ​
3
Assyria 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. ​

God Promises Healing and Restoration 4–7

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 blossom 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 grain, and blossom as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. ​

Ephraim Renounces Idols and the Right Ways of the LORD 8–9

8
Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have answered, and will regard him: I am like a green fir-tree; from me is thy fruit found. ​
9
Who is wise, that he may understand these things? prudent, that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but transgressors shall fall therein. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Hosea 14

Verse 1

return unto the LORD — Shub, to turn back, runs through the chapter: 'turn' in v.2, 'turned away' in v.4, 'return' in v.7. It is also the 'recompense' of 12:2. 'Fallen' is kashal, to stumble, the verb that v.9 uses of those who 'fall' in the ways of the LORD.

Verse 2

the calves of our lips — The Hebrew par is a bullock, a different word from the egel calves of 13:2, and here the offering is 'words'. Praise is the sacrifice: 'the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name' (Heb 13:15). 'Take away' is nasa, to lift off, so the prayer asks that all iniquity be carried away.

Verse 3

Asshur shall not save us — Three trusts are given up: Assyria, whose help was sought in 5:13; horses, the trust of those who 'stay on horses' (Isa 31:1); and 'the work of our hands', the idol of 13:2. 'Findeth mercy' is racham, the verb of 'I will no more have mercy' (1:6) and of 'I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy' (2:23).

Verse 4

I will heal their backsliding — 'Backsliding' is meshuvah, from shub, as in 'Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings' (Jer 3:22). 'Heal' answers 'he hath torn, and he will heal us' (6:1). 'Freely' is nedavah, the word for the freewill offering (Lev 22:18): love given of his own accord.

Verse 5

as the dew — In 6:4 Israel's goodness 'as the early dew it goeth away', and 13:3 says the same of the nation. Here the LORD himself is the dew, and Israel blooms like the lily (shoshan) and 'cast forth his roots as Lebanon'. 'Grow' is parach, to bloom, the verb of the vine in v.7. Lebanon returns in vv.6–7.

Verse 6

his branches shall spread — 'Branches' is yoneqet, young shoots, and 'beauty' is hod, majesty. The olive recalls 'a green olive tree in the house of God' (Ps 52:8), and 'his smell as Lebanon' matches 'the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon' (Song 4:11).

Verse 7

the scent thereof — 'Scent' is zeker, the 'memorial' of 12:5, so what is remembered of Israel is 'as the wine of Lebanon'. 'Under his shadow' (tsel) recalls 'abide under the shadow of the Almighty' (Ps 91:1). 'Revive' is chayah, to live, and 'grow' (parach) is the verb of the lily in v.5.

Verse 8

I am like a green fir tree — 'Idols' is atsab, as in 'Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone' (4:17), and now Ephraim asks what he has to do with them. 'Observed' is shur, the verb of 13:7, where the LORD watched as a leopard. 'From me is thy fruit found' (matsa) answers Ephraim's 'I have found me out substance' (12:8).

Verse 9

Who is wise — 'Wise' is chakam and 'prudent' is bin, the one who discerns. 'Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD' (Ps 107:43). 'The way of the LORD is strength to the upright' (Prov 10:29). 'Fall' is kashal, the verb of 'fallen' in v.1.