Hosea 14

The Voice

14 Return, Israel, to the Eternal, your True God.
    You’ve stumbled because of your wickedness.
²Think about what to say, and come back to the Eternal One.
    Say to Him, “Forgive all our sins, and take us back again.
Bring us into Your good grace so we can offer You praise and sacrifice,
    the fruit of our lips.
³We admit that Assyria can’t save us, nor can riding horses and chariots into battle.
    We’ll never again say to idols made with our own hands, ‘You’re our gods!’
We know You’re merciful because You take care of orphans.”

⁴Eternal One: I’ll heal their apostate hearts so they won’t turn away from Me again;
        I’ll love them freely because I won’t be angry with them anymore.
⁵    I’ll be like dew that waters Israel. She’ll blossom like the lily.
        She’ll put down roots like the stable cedars of Lebanon;
⁶    She’ll send out shoots until her beauty is like the olive tree
        and her fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
⁷    The people will return from exile and sit in My shade once again;
        they’ll flourish like grain; they’ll send out shoots like the vine.
    And their fame will be like the wine of Lebanon.

⁸    Ephraim, what do I have in common with deaf and blind idols?
        I’m the One who responds to your pleas and cares for you.
    I’m like a flourishing juniper tree; I provide life year-round.

⁹The wise will understand these things;
the perceptive will know them.
For everything the Eternal One does is right,
and the righteous follow His ways.
But those who turn against Him will stumble along His path.