Hosea Chapter 14 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
1 O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
2 Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.
4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
Hosea Chapter 14 (Old Testament, King James Bible)
7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.
9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| שׁוּבָה — shuvah | Verse 1 — “O Israel, return unto the LORD…” | “Return,” repent | Shuvah (“return”) signifies full restoration (“turn back/repent”). Hosea ends with a call to repentance. The term embodies covenant renewal. — C. F. Keil, Commentary on the OT (1885) |
| לָקַח — lāqach | Verse 2 — “…take with you words…” | “Take,” receive | Lāqach (“to take”) implies intentional offering (“take/receive”). Israel must approach God with sincere confession. The term highlights deliberate repentance. — Gesenius, Hebrew Lexicon (1857) |
| חָנַן — ḥānan | Verse 2 — “…receive us graciously…” | “Be gracious,” show favor | Ḥānan (“to show grace”) conveys divine favor (“be gracious”). Hosea underscores God’s compassionate readiness to forgive. The term centers mercy. — Franz Delitzsch, Prophets Commentary (1890) |
| מָחוֹל — māḥol | Verse 2 — “…so will we render the calves of our lips…” | “Confession,” sacrifice (figurative) | Māḥol (“offering”) symbolically refers to verbal sacrifice (“calves/lips offering”). Worship shifts from ritual to heartfelt praise. The term shows spiritualized sacrifice. — A. B. Davidson, OT Theology (1904) |
| רָפָא — rāpā’ | Verse 4 — “I will heal their backsliding.” | “Heal,” restore | Rāpā’ (“to heal”) reflects full spiritual restoration (“heal”). God promises to cure covenant infidelity. The term stresses transformative mercy. — Driver, OT Literature (1891) |
| נְדָבָה — n’davah | Verse 4 — “…I will love them freely…” | “Freely,” voluntarily | N’davah (“freely”) indicates uncoerced generosity (“freely/willingly”). God seeks no payment for restoring His people. The term magnifies unmerited love. — Gesenius, Lexicon (1857) |
| פֹּרַח — poraḥ | Verse 5 — “…he shall grow as the lily…” | “Blossom,” flourish | Poraḥ (“to blossom”) signals renewed vitality (“blossom/flourish”). Restoration leads to visible beauty. The term symbolizes revival. — Delitzsch, Prophets Commentary (1890) |
| שָׁרַשׁ — shārash | Verse 5 — “…cast forth his roots…” | “Root,” take root | Shārash (“to root”) denotes stability (“take root”). Israel regains firmness through return. The term conveys longevity. — Keil, OT Commentary (1885) |
| יָנַה — yānāh | Verse 9 — “…the ways of the LORD are right…” | “Be right,” be straight | Yānāh (“to be right”) expresses moral correctness (“right/straight”). God’s paths stand in perfect contrast to human crookedness. The term calls for alignment with divine order. — Davidson, OT Theology (1904) |
| כָּשַׁל — kāshal | Verse 9 — “…transgressors shall fall therein.” | “Stumble,” fall | Kāshal (“to stumble”) depicts moral collapse (“stumble”). The unrighteous fall even on the straight paths of God. The term warns against hard-heartedness. — James Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible (1898) |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar | Work | View on Chapter 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Franz Delitzsch (University of Leipzig, 1813–1890) | Biblischer Commentar über das Buch Hosea | The chapter closes with a message of hope, showing God’s willingness to forgive and restore Israel. |
| Charles Foster Kent (Yale University, 1867–1925) | The Book of Hosea: Introduction and Commentary | Kent emphasizes the literary and theological resolution, highlighting renewal and divine mercy. |
| Hermann Schultz (University of Göttingen, 1841–1903) | Die Bücher Hosea, Amos und Micha | Schultz interprets the restoration as a culmination of God’s enduring covenantal love. |
| Johann Peter Lange (University of Bonn, 1802–1884) | Commentarius in Sacram Scripturam | The chapter stresses Israel’s moral revival and the blessings of returning to God. |
| Samuel Cox (University of London, 1826–1893) | The Book of Hosea | Hosea’s final message combines prophetic warning with encouragement for reconciliation and loyalty. |
Hosea 14: God receives a willing and contrite soul.
Memory verse: Hosea 14:1-2 O Israel, return to the Lord your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity; Take words with you, And return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity; Receive us graciously, For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.
When we stray from God, for us to have a good and intimate relationship with Him it is expected of us to have a contrite and willing heart – that's the kind of heart God accepts. It's only a person with a contrite heart that has the license to return to God when they stray away from Him. A contrite heart is one that is receptive, humble, repentant, and broken before God.
What's Next? Read Our Bible Verses About Life With Purpose and Encouragement
God is not moved by our outward rituals or sacrifices, He is keenly interested in a person who comes to Him with a repentant heart and also willing to follow His ordinances [Psalms 51:17]. When we are willing to follow God, God too is also ready to direct us, He will never despise such an individual because that is the kind of people He cherishes.
God wants those that tremble at His word, not those that take His word as trivial and never regard it [ Isaiah 66:2]. For God to receive us as His own, we also must do away with everything that could hinder us from being received by God. God is ever ready to receive you, are you ready to comply with Him?
Hope you enjoyed the 14th Chapter of Hosea from the King James Bible. What's Next? Get A Piano Lesson in Houston or Online from The Alive Christians' School of Music
