Hosea 14

1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity.

Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God; for the people have fallen through your iniquities.

2 Bring your confessions and return to the LORD. Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.

Take with you words, and turn to the Lord your God: speak to him, that you may not receive [the reward of] unrighteousness, but that you may receive good things: and we will render in return the fruit of our lips.

3 Assyria will not save us, nor will we ride on horses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods!’ to the work of our own hands. For in You the fatherless find compassion.”

Assur shall never save us; we will not mount on horseback; we will no longer say to the works of our hands, Our gods. He who is in you shall pity the orphan.

4 I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for My anger has turned away from them.

I will restore their dwellings, I will love them truly: for he has turned away my wrath from him.

5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.

I will be as dew to Israel: he shall bloom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Libanus.

6 His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.

His branches shall spread, and he shall be as a fruitful olive, and his smell shall be as [the smell] of Libanus.

7 They will return and dwell in his shade; they will grow grain and blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

They shall return, and dwell under his shadow: they shall live and be satisfied with corn, and he shall flower as a vine: his memorial shall be to Ephraim as the wine of Libanus.

8 O Ephraim, what have I to do anymore with idols? It is I who answer and watch over him. I am like a flourishing cypress; your fruit comes from Me.

What [has] he to do any more with idols? I have afflicted him, and I will strengthen him: I am as a leafy juniper tree. From me is your fruit found.

9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in them.

Who is wise, and will understand these things? or prudent, and will know them? for the ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them: but the ungodly shall fall therein.