Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Hosea 14:1-9
Repent and Return Hosea 14:1 Hosea's closing appeal is full of tenderness, gracious; authoritativeness, and hopefulness. I. God's Call to Israel. It was a call to repentance. They had gone far and for a long time from Him. It is not yet too late nor too far to return; but they must return, and not stop short of Him. The simple word 'return' speaks of hope, and may inspire confidence. They are encouraged also by the reminder that they are 'Israel,' the name so significant as their covenant... read more
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Hosea 14:5-6
(5, 6) As the Dew.—For this imagery see Psalms 130:3. Properly it is “a copious mist, shedding small invisible rain, that comes in rich abundance every night in the hot weather, when west or north-west winds blow, and which brings intense refreshment to all organised life” (Neil’s Palestine Explored, p. 136). The lily, which carpets the fields of Palestine (Matthew 6:29), has slender roots, which might easily be uptorn, but under God’s protection, even these are to strike downward like the... read more