The Meaning of Hosea 14:2 Explained

Hosea 14:2

KJV: 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.

YLT: Take with you words, and turn to Jehovah, Say ye unto Him: 'Take away all iniquity, and give good, And we do render the fruit of our lips.

Darby: Take with you words, and turn to Jehovah; say unto him, Forgive all iniquity, and receive us graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips.

ASV: Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render as bullocks the offering of our lips.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Hosea 14:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The prophet counseled the people to return to the Lord with words (not animal sacrifices) that expressed their repentance. They should acknowledge their sins and ask Him to remove their iniquity (cf. 1 John 1:9). They should also ask Him to receive them graciously with a view to their praising Him with their lips (not offerings).

Context Summary

Hosea 14:1-9 - "i Will Heal Their Backsliding"
The prophet here ransacks the world of nature for phrases sufficiently expressive of his transports of joy. The whole world seems laid under contribution to set forth the love of God. The gentle dew, the rich raiment of the lily, the far-reaching spurs and roots of the Lebanon range, the spreading branches of the olive, the fragrant breath of the wind which is laden with the perfume of the land, the golden corn ripe for the sickle, the scent of the vines-these are the images with which the inspired imagination of the prophet teems.
But how deeply the chapter appeals to us! The very words that returning prodigals would adopt are set down. As we return, we hear the divine voice assuring us that our backslidings shall be healed, that there is no anger and only love, and that God Himself shall be the sap of our fruit-bearing life. Our Father wants it to be clearly understood that these promises do not belong to Israel only but to all who will accept them. [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 14

1  An exhortation to repentance
4  A promise of God's blessing

What do the individual words in Hosea 14:2 mean?

Take with you words and return to Yahweh Say to Him all take away iniquity and Receive [us] graciously for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips
קְח֤וּ עִמָּכֶם֙ דְּבָרִ֔ים וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־ יְהוָ֑ה אִמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כָּל־ תִּשָּׂ֤א עָוֺן֙ וְקַח־ ט֔וֹב וּֽנְשַׁלְּמָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ

קְח֤וּ  Take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
עִמָּכֶם֙  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
דְּבָרִ֔ים  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
וְשׁ֖וּבוּ  and  return 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אִמְר֣וּ  Say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָ֗יו  to  Him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
תִּשָּׂ֤א  take  away 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
עָוֺן֙  iniquity 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
וְקַח־  and  Receive  [us] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
ט֔וֹב  graciously 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
וּֽנְשַׁלְּמָ֥ה  for  we  will  offer 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: שָׁלֵם  
Sense: .
פָרִ֖ים  the  sacrifices 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: פַּר  
Sense: .
שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ  of  our  lips 
Parse: Noun, fdc, first person common plural
Root: שָׂפָה  
Sense: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.