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Hosea

Uses the prophet's marriage as a symbol for Israel's unfaithfulness and God's faithful love.

Chapter 14

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1 O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

*Israel, go back to your God; because you've stumbled due to your wrongdoing.

2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

*Carry words to the LORD, asking Him to remove wrongdoing and accept us kindly. In return, we'll offer the sacrifices from our lips.

3 Asshur 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.

*Assyria cannot save us; we won't ride on horses. We won't call anything we made "gods." Only you, God, provide mercy for those without parents.

4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

*I will fix their mistakes, I will show them unconditional love: for my anger towards them is gone.

5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

*I will give Israel the water of dew, helping it to grow like a beautiful lily and spread its roots wide like the great Lebanon tree.

6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

*His branches will grow wide, and his beauty will be like an olive tree, and his scent will be like Lebanon.

7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

*Those who live under his protection will come back; they will thrive like grass and grow like a vine. The fragrance from it will be like the wine from Lebanon's mountains.

8 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.

*Ephraim will ask, "Why should I keep worshiping idols? I've listened to God and followed his ways; I'm like a strong, green tree that provides his fruit."

9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

*Who is smart? They will get it. Who thinks carefully? They will too. Because God's paths are good, and fair people will follow them. But those who break the rules will fail.

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* work in progress, there will be mistakes

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