Hosea 14

Repentance to Brin

Blessing

Return, Israel, to the Lord your God.
    Your sins have been your downfall!Take words with you
    and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
    “Forgive all our sins
and receive us graciously,
    that we may offer the fruit of our lips.Assyria cannot save us;
    we will not mount warhorses.
We will never again say ‘Our gods’
    to what our own hands have made,
    for in you the fatherless find compassion.”

4 “I will heal their waywardness
    and love them freely,
    for my anger has turned awayI will be like the dew to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.
Like a cedar of Lebanon
    he will send down his roots;    his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.People will dwell again in his shade;
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom like the vine—
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine of Lebanon.Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”

9 Who is wise? Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.
The ways of the Lord are right;
    the righteous walk in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.

(1)(14:1) In Hebrew texts 14:1-9 is numbered 14:2-10.
(2)(14:2) Or offer our lips as sacrifices of bulls
(3)(14:8) Or Hebrew; Septuagint What more has Ephraim

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