Hosea 14

You people of Israel, return to God our God. You are being punished because of the sins which you have committed.

So now return to God and say [MTY] this to him: “Forgive us for all the sins that we have committed, and kindly accept ◄us/our sacrifices► in order that we may thank/praise you [IDM].

We admit that Assyria will not save us, and our war horses will not save us, either. We will never again say, ‘You are our gods’ to the idols that we [SYN] have made. You are the one who acts mercifully to orphans.”

God says, “If they say that to me, I will forgive them for having ◄turned away from/abandoned► me, and I will love them with all my inner being, because I [PRS] will have stopped being angry with them.

I will be to the people of Israel like dew that refreshes the soil. When I do that, they will become as delightful as [MET] lilies are when they are blooming. No one will be able to conquer them; they will be as unmovable as [SIM] the roots of cedar trees.

Their good influence will spread like [MET] the branches of a tree. They will be like [SIM] beautiful olive trees, and they will be as delightful as [SIM] the aroma of the cedar trees in Lebanon.

People will come to them to be protected like people are protected from the hot sun by being [MET] in the shade of a tree. They will ◄flourish/be strong► like [SIM] grain that grows well. They will be successful like a vineyard in which grapes grow abundantly. They will become as famous/well-known as [SIM] the wines from Lebanon.

You people of Israel, do not [RHQ] have anything more to do with idols; if you get rid of your idols, I will answer your prayers and take care of you. I am like [MET] a strong/green pine tree, and your blessings come from me.”

Those who are wise will understand the things about which I have written. Those who think well will pay careful attention to them. The things that God wants us to do [MET] are right; righteous people will conduct their lives adhering to them. But those who rebel against God will be ruined.