Hosea 14 - Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

Return to the Lord

14 Israel, you fell and sinned against God. So come back to the Lord your God. 2 Think about what you will say, and come back to the Lord. Say to him,

“Take away our sin,
and accept these words as our sacrifice.
We offer you the praise from our lips.[a]
3 Assyria will not save us.
We will not ride on war horses.
We will never again say, ‘Our God’
to something we made with our hands.
This is because you are the one who
shows mercy to orphans.”

The Lord Will Forgive Israel

4 The Lord says,
“I will forgive them for leaving me.
I will show them my love without limits,
because I have stopped being angry.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel.
Israel will blossom like the lily.
He will grow like the cedar trees of Lebanon.
6 His branches will grow,
and he will be like a beautiful olive tree.
He will be like the sweet smell
from the cedar trees of Lebanon.
7 The people of Israel will again live under my protection.
They will grow like grain.
They will bloom like a vine.
They will be like the wine of Lebanon.

The Lord Warns Israel About Idols

8 “Ephraim, I will have nothing more to do with idols.
I am the one who answers your prayers and watches over you.[b]
I am like a fir tree that is always green.
Your fruit comes from me.”

Final Advice

9 A wise person understands these things,
and a smart person should learn them.
The Lord’s ways are right.
Good people will live by them.
Sinners will die by them.[c]

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:2 praise from our lips Literally, “the fruit of our lips.”
  2. Hosea 14:8 and watches over you This is a wordplay. The Hebrew word is like the name “Assyria.” God is saying that he, not some foreign country, protects Israel.
  3. Hosea 14:9 Good … die by them Literally, “Good people will walk on them. Sinners will stumble on them.”

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14 Turn back, O Israel, unto Jehovah thy God, For thou hast stumbled by thine iniquity. 2 Take with you words, and turn to Jehovah, Say ye unto Him: `Take away all iniquity, and give good, And we do render the fruit of our lips. 3 Asshur doth not save us, on a horse we ride not, Nor do we say any mo...
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Hosea 14 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

14 Israel, be thou turned again to thy Lord God, for thou falledest down in thy wickedness. (Israel, return thou to the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen down in thy wickedness.) 2 Take ye words with you, and be ye turned again to the Lord; and say ye to him, Do thou away all wickedness, and take t...
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Hosea 14 - World English Bible (WEB)

14 Israel, return to Yahweh your God; for you have fallen because of your sin.2 Take words with you, and return to Yahweh. Tell him, “Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good: so we offer our lips like bulls.3 Assyria can’t save us. We won’t ride on horses; neither will we say any more to...
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Hosea 14 - The Voice (VOICE)

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Hosea 14 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

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Hosea 14 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

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Hosea 14 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

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Hosea 14 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

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Hosea 14 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

A Plea for Repentance14 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.2 Take words with you and return to the Lord;say to him, ‘Take away all guilt;accept that which is good, and we will offer the fruit[a] of our lips.3 Assyria shall not save us; we will not ...
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Hosea 14 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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Hosea 14 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Healing for the Repentant14 [a]Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down.2 Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord. Say to him,“Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises.[b]3 Assyria cannot save us, nor can our warho...
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Hosea 14 - New Life Version (NLV)

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Hosea 14 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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Repentance to bring blessing14 [a]Return, Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall!2 Take words with you and return to the Lord.Say to him: ‘Forgive all our sinsand receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.[b]3 Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount wa...
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Hosea 14 - New International Version (NIV)

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Hosea 14 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

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Hosea 14 - New English Translation (NET)

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