HOSEA
1
1 The word of יהוה that came unto N55Hoshea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziyahu, Yotam, Achaz, and Hezekiah (Chizqiyahu), kings of Judah (Yehudah), and in the days of Jeroboam (Yarovam) the son of Yoash, king of Yisrael.
2 The beginning of the word of יהוה by Hoshea. And יהוה said to Hoshea: “Go, take unto you a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from יהוה.
3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; who conceived, and bare him a son.
4 And יהוה said unto him, “Call his name Yizreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Yizreel upon the house of Yehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Yisrael.
5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Yisrael in the valley of Yizreel.
6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God (Elohim) said unto him, “Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Yisrael, but I will utterly take them away.
7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah (Yehudah), and will save them by יהוה their God (Elohim), and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.”
8 Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.
9 Then said God (Elohim): “Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not My people, and I will not become your God (Elohim).
10 Yet the number of the children of Yisrael shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ‘You are not My people,’ there it shall be said unto them, ‘You are the sons of the living God (El chai).’
11 Then shall the children of Judah (Yehudah) and the children of Yisrael be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land; for great shall be the day of Yizreel!
2
1 Say you unto your brethren, ‘My people (Ammi)’; and to your sisters, ‘Mercy is shown (Ruhamah)’.
2 Contend with your mother, contend; for she is not my wife, neither am I her husband; let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts;
3 Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst.
4 And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the children of whoredoms.
5 For their mother hath played the harlot; she that conceived them hath done shamefully; for she said, ‘I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.
6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.
7 And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them. Then shall she say, ‘I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.’
8 For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for the Baal.
9 Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool and my flax given to cover her nakedness.
10 And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers, and none shall deliver her out of Mine hand.
11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her New Moons, and her Shabbats, and all her solemn feasts.
12 And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, ‘These are my rewards that my lovers have given me.’ And I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.
13 And I will visit upon her the days of the 33cBaals (Baalim), wherein she burned incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me,” saith יהוה.
14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.
15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope; and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim).
16 “And it shall be at that day,” saith יהוה, “that you shalt call Me ‘My Husband (Ishi)’; and shalt call Me no more ‘33dMy Lord (Baali)’,
17 For I will take away the names of the Baals (Baalim) out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.
18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of sky, and with the creeping things of the ground; and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.
19 And I will betroth you unto Me forever; yea, I will betroth you unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
20 I will even betroth you unto Me in faithfulness; and you shalt know יהוה.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear,” saith יהוה, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth;
22 And the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Yizreel.
23 And I will sow her unto Me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ And they shall say, ‘You are my God (Elohim)!’”
3
1 Then said יהוה unto me, “Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of יהוה toward the children of Yisrael, who look to other gods (elohim), and love flagons of wine.”
2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a homer of barley, and a half homer of barley.
3 And I said unto her, “You shalt abide for me many days; you shalt not play the harlot, and you shalt not be for another man; so will I also be for you.”
4 For the children of Yisrael shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim.
5 Afterward shall the children of Yisrael return, and seek יהוה their God (Elohim), and Dawid their king; and shall fear יהוה and His goodness in the latter days.
4
1 Hear the word of יהוה, you children of Yisrael, for יהוה hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God (Elohim) in the land.
2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of sky; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another, for your people are as they that strive with the kohen.
5 Therefore shalt you fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with you in the night, and I will destroy your mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shalt be no priest (kohen) to Me; seeing you have forgotten the Torah of your God (Elohim), I will also forget your children.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against Me; therefore will I change their glory into shame.
8 They eat up the sin of My people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest (kohen); and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
10 For they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase; because they have left off to take heed to יהוה.
11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God (Elohim).
13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good; therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery; for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots; therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.
15 Though you, Yisrael, play the harlot, yet let not Judah (Yehudah) offend; and come not you unto Gilgal, neither go you up to House of Vanity (Beit Awen), nor swear, ‘יהוה liveth’.
16 For Yisrael slideth back as a backsliding heifer; now יהוה will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17 Efrayim is joined to idols; let him alone.
18 Their drink is sour; they have committed whoredom continually; her rulers dearly love shame.
19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
5
1 “Hear you this, O priests (kohanim); and hearken, you house of Yisrael; and give you ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because you have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.
2 And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.
3 I know Efrayim, and Yisrael is not hid from Me; for now, O Efrayim, you committest whoredom, and Yisrael is defiled.
4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God (Elohim); for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known יהוה.
5 And the pride of Yisrael doth testify to his face; therefore shall Yisrael and Efrayim fall in their iniquity; Judah (Yehudah) also shall fall with them.
6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek יהוה; but they shall not find Him; He hath withdrawn Himself from them.
7 They have dealt treacherously against יהוה, for they have begotten strange children. Now shall New Moon devour them with their portions.
8 Blow you the shofar in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah; cry aloud at Beit Awen, ‘Behind you, O Benjamin (Binyamin)!’
9 Efrayim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; among the tribes of Yisrael have I made known that which shall surely be.
10 The princes of Judah (Yehudah) were like them that remove the bound; therefore I will pour out My wrath upon them like water.
11 Efrayim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.
12 Therefore will I be unto Efrayim as a moth, and to the house of Judah (Yehudah) as rottenness.
13 When Efrayim saw his sickness, and Judah (Yehudah) saw his wound, then went Efrayim to the Assyrian (Ashshur), and sent to King Yarev; yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.
14 For I will be unto Efrayim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah (Yehudah). I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.
15 I will go and return to My place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek My face; in their affliction they will seek Me early.”
6
1 ‘Come, and let us return unto יהוה; for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.
2 After two days will He revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know יהוה. His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.’
4 “O Efrayim, what shall I do unto you? O Judah (Yehudah), what shall I do unto you? For your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.
5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; and your judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God (Elohim) more than burnt offerings.
7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant; there have they dealt treacherously against Me.
8 Gilad is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.
9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests (kohanim) murder in the way by consent; for they commit lewdness.
10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Yisrael; there is the whoredom of Efrayim, Yisrael is defiled.
11 Also, O Judah (Yehudah), he hath set a harvest for you, when I returned the captivity of My people.”
7
1 “When I would have healed Yisrael, then the iniquity of Efrayim was uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria (Shomeron); for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth outside.
2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness; now their own doings have beset them about; they are before My face.
3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait; their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen; there is none among them that calleth unto Me.
8 Efrayim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Efrayim is a cake not turned.
9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
10 And the pride of Yisrael testifieth to his face; and they do not return to יהוה their God (Elohim), nor seek him for all this.
11 Efrayim also is like a silly dove without heart; they call to Egypt (Mitsrayim), they go to Assyria (Ashshur).
12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the sky; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
13 Woe unto them! For they have fled from Me; destruction unto them! Because they have transgressed against Me; though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me.
14 And they have not cried unto Me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds; they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against Me.
15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against Me.
16 They return, but not upward; they are like a deceitful bow; their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue; this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim).”
8
1 “Set the shofar to your mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of יהוה, because they have transgressed My covenant, and trespassed against My Torah.
2 Yisrael shall cry unto Me, ‘My God (Elohim), we know You!’
3 Yisrael hath cast off the thing that is good; the enemy shall pursue him.
4 They have set up kings, but not by Me; they have made princes, and I knew it not; of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
5 Your calf, O Samaria (Shomeron), hath cast you off; Mine anger is kindled against them; how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?
6 For from Yisrael was it also; the workman made it; therefore it is not God (Elohim); but the calf of Samaria (Shomeron) shall be broken in pieces.
7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind; it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
8 Yisrael is swallowed up; now shall they be among the nations as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
9 For they are gone up to Assyria (Ashshur), a wild ass alone by himself; Efrayim hath hired lovers.
10 Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
11 Because Efrayim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
12 I have written to him the great things of My Torah, but they were counted as a strange thing.
13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of Mine offerings, and eat it; but יהוה accepteth them not; now will He remember their iniquity, and visit their sins; they shall return to Egypt (Mitsrayim).
14 For Yisrael hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and Judah (Yehudah) hath multiplied fenced cities; but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.”
9
1 Rejoice not, O Yisrael, for joy, as other people, for you have gone a whoring from your God (Elohim). You have loved a reward upon every cornfloor.
2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.
3 They shall not dwell in יהוה’s land; but Efrayim shall return to Egypt (Mitsrayim), and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria (Ashshur).
4 They shall not offer wine offerings to יהוה, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted. For their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of יהוה.
5 What will you do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of יהוה?
6 For, behold, they are gone because of destruction. Egypt (Mitsrayim) shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them; the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Yisrael shall know it; the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of your iniquity, and the great hatred.
8 The watchman of Efrayim was with my God (Elohim); but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God (Elohim).
9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah; therefore He will remember their iniquity, He will visit their sins.
10 “I found Yisrael like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time; but they went to Baal-Peor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
11 As for Efrayim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.
12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left; yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!
13 Efrayim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place; but Efrayim shall bring forth his children to the murderer.”
14 Give them, O יהוה; what wilt You give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15 “All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them; for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of Mine house, I will love them no more. All their princes are revolters.
16 Efrayim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit; yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb.”
17 My God (Elohim) will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.
10
1 Yisrael is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself; according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.
2 Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty. He shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.
3 For now they shall say, “We have no king, because we feared not יהוה; what then should a king do to us?”
4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant; thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria (Shomeron) shall fear because of the calves of Beit Aven; for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests (kohanim) thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is departed from it.
6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria (Ashshur) for a present to king Yarev; Efrayim shall receive shame, and Yisrael shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
7 As for Samaria (Shomeron), her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.
8 The high places also of Aven, the sin of Yisrael, shall be destroyed; the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, “Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!”
9 “O Yisrael, you have sinned from the days of Gibeah. There they stood; the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.
10 It is in My desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.
11 And Efrayim is as a heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Efrayim to ride; Judah (Yehudah) shall plow, and Jacob (Yaaqov) shall break his clods.”
12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek יהוה, till He come and rain righteousness upon you.
13 You have plowed wickedness, you have reaped iniquity; you have eaten the fruit of lies; because you didst trust in your way, in the multitude of your mighty men.
14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among your people, and all your fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beit-Arvel in the day of battle; the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.
15 So shall Bethel (Beit-El) do unto you because of your great wickedness. In a morning shall the king of Yisrael utterly be cut off!
11
1 “When Yisrael was a child (young nation), I loved him, and called My son out of Egypt (Mitsrayim).
2 As they called them, so they went from them; they sacrificed unto Baals (Baalim), and burned incense to graven images.
3 I taught Efrayim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.
4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim), but the Assyrian (Ashshur) shall be his king, because they refused to return.
6 And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.
7 And My people are bent to backsliding from Me; though they called them to the Most High, none at all would exalt Him.
8 How shall I give you up, Efrayim? How shall I deliver you, Yisrael? How shall I make you as Admah? How shall I set you as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within Me, My compassions are kindled together.
9 I will not execute the fierceness of Mine anger, I will not return to destroy Efrayim; for I am God (Elohim), and not man; the Holy One in the midst of you; and I will not enter into the city.
10 They shall walk after יהוה; he shall roar like a lion; when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.
11 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt (Mitsrayim), and as a dove out of the land of Assyria (Ashshur). And I will place them in their houses,” saith יהוה.
12 Efrayim compasseth Me about with lies, and the house of Yisrael with deceit; but Judah (Yehudah) yet ruleth with God (Elohim), and is faithful with the holy ones.
12
Efrayim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind; he daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt (Mitsrayim).
2 יהוה hath also a controversy with Judah (Yehudah), and will punish Jacob (Yaaqov) according to his ways; according to his doings will He recompense him.
3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God (Elohim).
4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him; he found him in Bethel (Beit-El), and there he spake with us;
5 Even יהוה God of hosts (YHWH Elohei Tsevaot); יהוה is His memorial.
6 Therefore turn you to your God (Elohim); keep mercy and judgment, and wait on your God (Elohim) continually.
7 He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand; he loveth to oppress.
8 And Efrayim said, “Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labors they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.”
9 “And I that am יהוה your God (Elohim) from the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim) will yet make you to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.
10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.”
11 Is there iniquity in Gilad? Surely they are vanity; they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.
12 And Jacob (Yaaqov) fled into the country of Syria (Aram), and Yisrael served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
13 And by a prophet יהוה brought Yisrael out of Egypt (Mitsrayim), and by a prophet was he preserved.
14 Efrayim provoked Him to anger most bitterly; therefore shall He leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord (Adonai) return unto him.
13
1 When Efrayim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Yisrael; but when he offended in the Baal, he died.
2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen; they say of them, “Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.”
3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.
4 “Yet I am יהוה your God (Elohim) from the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim), and you shalt know no God (Elohim) but Me; for there is no Savior (Moshia) besides Me.
5 I did know you in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.
6 According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten Me.
7 Therefore I will be unto them as a lion; as a leopard by the way will I observe them;
8 I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion; the wild beast shall tear them.
9 O Yisrael, you have destroyed yourself; but in Me is your help.
10 I will be your king; where is any other that may save you in all your cities? And your judges of whom you saidst, ‘Give me a king and princes?’
11 I gave you a king in Mine anger, and took him away in My wrath.
12 The iniquity of Efrayim is bound up; his sin is stored up.
13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him; he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.
14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave (sheol); I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave (sheol), I will be your destruction! Compassion shall be hidden from Mine eyes.
15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of יהוה shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up; he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.
16 Samaria (Shomeron) shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God (Elohim); they shall fall by the sword; their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.
14
1 O Yisrael, return unto יהוה your God (Elohim); for you have fallen by
your iniquity.
2 Take with you words, and turn to יהוה; say unto Him, “Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips.
3 Asshur (Assyria) shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘Our gods (elohim)’; for in You 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 Yisrael; 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.
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 Efrayim 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 your fruit found.”
9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? Prudent, and he shall know them? For the ways of יהוה are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall therein.