Section 14:4–8
The LORD promises to forgive and restore the Israelites
The LORD is the speaker in this section. In Hosea 14:4–7, the LORD gives his response to the people’s prayer of repentance in the form of a poem. In 14:8, he reminds the people that he will not tolerate idols. He also promises to care for the people and bless them. Here are other examples of section headings:
The Lord Promises to Forgive (Contemporary English Version)
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The Lord Promises New Life for Israel (New Jerusalem Bible)
Paragraph 14:4–7
This paragraph is a poem with thirteen lines. In Hebrew, verses 4–6 each have three lines. Verse 7 has four lines.
4a
I will heal their apostasy;
4b
I will freely love them,
4c for My anger has turned away from them.
5a
I will be like the dew to Israel;
5b
he will blossom like a lily
5c and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.
6a
His shoots will sprout,
6b and his splendor will be like the olive tree,
6c
his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
7a
They will return and dwell in his shade;
7b
they will grow grain
7c and blossom like the vine.
7d
His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.
The poem has two main parts. In 14:4, the LORD gives his response to Israel’s prayer in direct, nonfigurative words. He promises them healing, love and forgiveness.
In 14:5–7, the LORD describes aspects of his healing, love and forgiveness more fully. Each line in this part of the poem is a figure of speech (simile or metaphor) that compares the LORD or Israel to something from nature that was familiar to people in that part of the world.
Verses 5–7 each end with the name “Lebanon.” “Lebanon” refers to the mountainous area of northern Galilee and modern-day Lebanon. It is a fertile and fragrant region.
14:4a
I will heal their apostasy:
The Hebrew word for apostasy means “falling away” or “backsliding.”
The Hebrew word for heal is figurative here. It means to heal hurts of the nation, involving the LORD’s restored favor and forgiveness. This healing may include several aspects:
(a) The LORD will heal/correct the people’s rebellious, willful spirit.
(b) The LORD will heal/correct the problems that their waywardness has caused.
(c) The LORD will cure their spiritual blindness.
(d) The LORD will forgive them.
(e) The LORD will restore their covenant relationship.
Here are some other ways to translate this line:
I will cure them of their unfaithfulness (God’s Word)
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I will heal their disloyalty (New Revised Standard Version)
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I will forgive them for leaving me (New Century Version)
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The Lord says, “I will bring my people back to me. (Good News Translation)
14:4b
I will freely love them: Some versions supply the word “and” here. Others, like the Berean Standard Bible, do not. For example:
The phrase freely love them indicates that God’s love for the people is voluntary and not forced. It also indicates that his love is generous.
Here are some other ways to translate this line:
Generously will I take them back in love (Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures)
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I will love them with all my heart (Good News Translation)
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I will heal you and love you without limit. (Contemporary English Version)
14:4c
for My anger has turned away from them: The phrase anger has turned away means to stop being angry. This clause implies that the LORD’s judgment against Israel is now complete.
The first word in the clause introduces a reason. The reason that the LORD will heal and love them unconditionally is because he has turned his anger away from them. Some versions use a word such as for or “because” to introduce this reason. Some other versions leave the reason implied. For example:
I will no longer be angry with them. (God’s Word)
Use a natural way in your language to indicate that this clause is a reason.
Here are some other ways to translate this line:
because I am not angry with them anymore (New Century Version)
-or-
for my anger will be gone forever (New Living Translation (2004))
them: The Hebrew word here is literally “him.” The singular pronoun refers to the nation of Israel as one group. However, it may be more natural in some languages to continue to use the pronoun them to refer to the people of the nation, as in 4a–b and many versions, including the Berean Standard Bible above.
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