Hos. 14:1–9 Hosea finishes his book with a series of moving appeals to the wayward northern kingdom to return to the Lord and find healing and covenant renewal.
Hos. 14:2–3 Take with you words means to know ahead of time what you will say. Hosea then gives the words of confession the people should use before the Lord (vv. 2b–3). These verses include covenant terms that express God’s grace and the people’s gratitude. Take away all iniquity recalls Ex. 34:7 (“forgiving”; compare Ps. 32:5). Pay with bulls the vows of our lips probably describes peace offerings (see Ex. 24:5; Num. 7:88), in which the grateful worshiper enjoys a meal in God’s presence. This is what Israel can expect if they return to the Lord.
Hos. 14:4 Astounding promises follow the calls to repentance to encourage Israel to return. The Lord will heal their apostasy. As noted in 5:13–14, the prophets often depict sin as a sickness and renewal as healing.
Hos. 14:5 Dew was an important source of water for Israel.
Hos. 14:6 his shoots shall spread out. An expanding kingdom is like the growth of a great tree: Israel’s original calling was to spread its influence through the whole world.
Hos. 14:7 they shall flourish like the grain . . . like the vine . . . like the wine. Israel again becomes a choice vine, which was her purpose from the beginning (compare 10:1). The landscape described here is an Eden-like paradise, illustrating covenant renewal (compare 2:14–23).
Hos. 14:9 The Lord is justified in punishing Israel for ingratitude and covenant breaking. Yet there is a final appeal for the wise, who understand (compare 4:14). Most of the book has addressed Ephraim as a corporate body, but these terms focus on the response of individual Israelites. There are some in Israel who really understand the grace that God offers in his covenant.
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