Hosea 14 brings the book to a close with hope and a strong call to repentance. “Return O Israel to God!…. say to him ‘forgive all our sins… we will never again refer to our gods’… I will heal their waywardness and love them freely… and he will blossom like a lily… his splendour will be like an olive tree… men will dwell again in his shade… all your fruitfulness comes from me… the ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them”.
