Hosea 14 - Healed and Blossoming Again
Hosea's book ends with a plea to return and a promise of healing love.
After the warnings of judgment and death in Hosea 13, the book closes with a direct plea: 'O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.'
Turn back, O Israel, unto Jehovah thy God, For thou hast stumbled by thine iniquity.
Take with you words, and turn to Jehovah, Say ye unto Him: `Take away all iniquity, and give good, And we do render the fruit of our lips.
Asshur doth not save us, on a horse we ride not, Nor do we say any more, Our God, to the work of our hands, For in Thee find mercy doth the fatherless.'
I heal their backsliding, I love them freely, For turned back hath Mine anger from him.
I am as dew to Israel, he flourisheth as a lily, And he striketh forth his roots as Lebanon.
Go on do his sucklings, And his beauty is as an olive, And he hath fragrance as Lebanon.
Return do the dwellers under his shadow, They revive `as' corn, and flourish as a vine, His memorial `is' as wine of Lebanon.
O Ephraim, what to Me any more with idols? I -- I afflicted, and I cause him to sing: `I `am' as a green fir-tree,' From Me is thy fruit found.
Who `is' wise, and doth understand these? Prudent, and knoweth them? For upright are the ways of Jehovah, And the righteous go on in them, And the transgressors stumble therein!