Hosea 14:4-7

4 (And the Lord saith,) I shall make whole the sorrows of them; I shall love them willfully (I shall love them willingly), for my strong vengeance is turned away from them. [I shall heal the contrition of them; I shall love them of my free will, for my strong vengeance is turned away from them.]

5 I shall be as dew, and Israel shall burgeon as a lily. And the root thereof shall break out as of the Lebanon; (I shall be like the dew, and Israel shall flower like a lily. And it shall be rooted like the mighty trees of Lebanon;)

6 the branches thereof shall go (forth). And the glory thereof shall be as an olive tree, and the odour thereof shall be as of the Lebanon. (and its branches shall go forth. And its glory shall be like an olive tree, and its aroma shall be like the trees of Lebanon.)

7 They shall be turned again, and sit in the shadow of him; they shall live by wheat, and shall burgeon as a vine. The memorial thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. (The people shall return, and shall sit under my shadow; they shall grow an abundance of corn, and shall flower like a vine. They shall be as famous as the wine of Lebanon.)

Hosea 14:4-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 14

This chapter concludes the book, with gracious promises to repenting sinners, to returning backsliders. It begins with an exhortation to Israel to return to the Lord, seeing he was their God, and they had fallen by sin from prosperity into adversity, temporal and spiritual, Ho 14:1; and they are directed what to say to the Lord, upon their return to him, both by way of petition, and of promise and of resolution how to behave for the future, encouraged by his grace and mercy, Ho 14:2,3; and they are told what the Lord, by way of answer, would say to them, Ho 14:4; and what he would be to them; and what blessings of grace he would bestow on them; and in what flourishing and fruitful circumstances they should be, Ho 14:5-8; and the chapter ends with a character of such that attend to and understand those things; and with a recommendation of the ways of the Lord, which are differently regarded by men, Ho 14:9.