Hosea 14
14
Return to Yahweh
1Israel, return to Yahweh!
Come back to your true God,
for your sins have become your downfall.
2Repent! Choose the words of your confession
and come back to Yahweh.
Say to him, “Take all my guilt away;
be gracious to us and receive us. # 14:2 Or “accept us, O Good One.”
Instead of animal sacrifices,
we offer to you the praises of our lips. # 14:2 Or literally “we will offer bulls, our lips.”
3Assyria will not be our savior; you will.
No longer will we trust in our military might. # 14:3 Or “war horses,” which is a synecdoche for military might. See
Ps. 20:7–8
;
Isa. 30:1–5
;
31:1–3
.
We will not call our handmade idols ‘our god.’
For in you, the orphan finds tender mercy.”
Yahweh’s Promise of Forgiveness
4“I will heal # 14:4 This entire segment (vv.
4–8
) is written in the Hebrew imperfect tense. This means that any promise discussed in this passage is something that God has initiated and was/is coming into being, incomplete, and not yet certain. It depended on whether the people of the Northern Kingdom (and we for that matter) chose to receive this free-gift promise and take part in making this potentiality a reality. These are not “predictions” of a certain future, but they are available to Israel and to us should we receive them and live into them. Classical Hebrew has no future tense in the sense that we have a future perfect in English. These promises are incomplete possibilities that can be made finished and perfect should we receive them. They are ours for the taking. They also can be ignored and discarded. The Northern Kingdom chose the latter and, after 722 BC, was heard from no more. you of your unfaithfulness. # 14:4 Hosea used wordplay throughout his book. Here, the word for “unfaithfulness” comes from the same root word as the word translated “return” and “come back” in vv.
1–2
.
I will love you with all my heart, # 14:4 Or “I will love you freely [without restraint].” The Hebrew word for “freely” also means “freewill offering.” God’s love for you is extravagant, generous, and without limit.
for my anger has turned away from you.
5My presence will fall like refreshing dew # 14:5 The dew is a metaphor for God’s anointing, favor, and presence that causes all things to be fresh and new. on Israel.
My people will blossom as the fair lily
and become firmly rooted as the cedars of Lebanon.
6My people will spread out
like the beautiful branches of olive trees # 14:6 Or “have splendor [majesty] like the olive tree.” The olive tree is where the oil of anointing originated. See
Ps. 52:8
;
Jer. 11:16
.
and carry the desirable scent of Lebanon’s cedars.
7They will come back to live beneath the shadow of my blessing. # 14:7 Or “Those who live in my shade will come back.” Shadow or shade is a common Hebrew metaphor to indicate God’s favor, blessings, comfort, presence, and protection.
They will flourish like a sunlit field of wheat
and thrive as a blossoming vine.
Their wine will be as famous as the wine of Lebanon.
8Ephraim will say,
‘Why would I ever want to worship idols anymore?’
I, Yahweh , am the one who hears, responds, and watches over him.
For I will shelter him under my branches like an evergreen cypress.
Ephraim, you owe your fruitfulness to me.” # 14:8 This is another play on words with the name Ephraim ( Ephraim means “doubly fruitful”) and God as Israel’s source of “fruitfulness.” The Hebrew is “from me your fruit is found.”
An Epilogue
9Do you consider yourself wise? # 14:9 A reallocation of the verse sequence is evident here: the Hebrew text of
Hos. 14
ends with v.
10
. However, the English translation of the prophecy concludes with v.
9
. No content has been excluded in this translation; this simply reflects a difference in verse numbering. Verse and chapter numbers were not original parts of the inspired texts but instead were later additions.
Then you will understand these words.
Are you discerning?
Then you will discover their meaning.
For Yahweh’s paths are smooth for walking,
and the righteous will walk in them,
but the rebellious sinners will stumble in them.
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Hosea 14: TPT
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Learn More About The Passion TranslationHosea 14
14
Return to Yahweh
1Israel, return to Yahweh!
Come back to your true God,
for your sins have become your downfall.
2Repent! Choose the words of your confession
and come back to Yahweh.
Say to him, “Take all my guilt away;
be gracious to us and receive us. # 14:2 Or “accept us, O Good One.”
Instead of animal sacrifices,
we offer to you the praises of our lips. # 14:2 Or literally “we will offer bulls, our lips.”
3Assyria will not be our savior; you will.
No longer will we trust in our military might. # 14:3 Or “war horses,” which is a synecdoche for military might. See
Ps. 20:7–8
;
Isa. 30:1–5
;
31:1–3
.
We will not call our handmade idols ‘our god.’
For in you, the orphan finds tender mercy.”
Yahweh’s Promise of Forgiveness
4“I will heal # 14:4 This entire segment (vv.
4–8
) is written in the Hebrew imperfect tense. This means that any promise discussed in this passage is something that God has initiated and was/is coming into being, incomplete, and not yet certain. It depended on whether the people of the Northern Kingdom (and we for that matter) chose to receive this free-gift promise and take part in making this potentiality a reality. These are not “predictions” of a certain future, but they are available to Israel and to us should we receive them and live into them. Classical Hebrew has no future tense in the sense that we have a future perfect in English. These promises are incomplete possibilities that can be made finished and perfect should we receive them. They are ours for the taking. They also can be ignored and discarded. The Northern Kingdom chose the latter and, after 722 BC, was heard from no more. you of your unfaithfulness. # 14:4 Hosea used wordplay throughout his book. Here, the word for “unfaithfulness” comes from the same root word as the word translated “return” and “come back” in vv.
1–2
.
I will love you with all my heart, # 14:4 Or “I will love you freely [without restraint].” The Hebrew word for “freely” also means “freewill offering.” God’s love for you is extravagant, generous, and without limit.
for my anger has turned away from you.
5My presence will fall like refreshing dew # 14:5 The dew is a metaphor for God’s anointing, favor, and presence that causes all things to be fresh and new. on Israel.
My people will blossom as the fair lily
and become firmly rooted as the cedars of Lebanon.
6My people will spread out
like the beautiful branches of olive trees # 14:6 Or “have splendor [majesty] like the olive tree.” The olive tree is where the oil of anointing originated. See
Ps. 52:8
;
Jer. 11:16
.
and carry the desirable scent of Lebanon’s cedars.
7They will come back to live beneath the shadow of my blessing. # 14:7 Or “Those who live in my shade will come back.” Shadow or shade is a common Hebrew metaphor to indicate God’s favor, blessings, comfort, presence, and protection.
They will flourish like a sunlit field of wheat
and thrive as a blossoming vine.
Their wine will be as famous as the wine of Lebanon.
8Ephraim will say,
‘Why would I ever want to worship idols anymore?’
I, Yahweh , am the one who hears, responds, and watches over him.
For I will shelter him under my branches like an evergreen cypress.
Ephraim, you owe your fruitfulness to me.” # 14:8 This is another play on words with the name Ephraim ( Ephraim means “doubly fruitful”) and God as Israel’s source of “fruitfulness.” The Hebrew is “from me your fruit is found.”
An Epilogue
9Do you consider yourself wise? # 14:9 A reallocation of the verse sequence is evident here: the Hebrew text of
Hos. 14
ends with v.
10
. However, the English translation of the prophecy concludes with v.
9
. No content has been excluded in this translation; this simply reflects a difference in verse numbering. Verse and chapter numbers were not original parts of the inspired texts but instead were later additions.
Then you will understand these words.
Are you discerning?
Then you will discover their meaning.
For Yahweh’s paths are smooth for walking,
and the righteous will walk in them,
but the rebellious sinners will stumble in them.
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:
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The Passion Translation® is a registered trademark of Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Learn More About The Passion Translation