The Meaning of Hosea 14:6 Explained

Hosea 14:6

KJV: His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

YLT: Go on do his sucklings, And his beauty is as an olive, And he hath fragrance as Lebanon.

Darby: His shoots shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

ASV: His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

His branches  shall spread,  and his beauty  shall be as the olive tree,  and his smell  as Lebanon. 

What does Hosea 14:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Israel would become productive and attractive to the eye and nose, namely, totally appealing. Shoots imply stability, beauty suggests visibility, and fragrance connotes desirability.

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 14:6 mean?

Shall spread His branches shall be like an olive tree His beauty and fragrance his like Lebanon
יֵֽלְכוּ֙ יֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יו וִיהִ֥י כַזַּ֖יִת הוֹד֑וֹ וְרֵ֥יחַֽ ל֖וֹ כַּלְּבָנֽוֹן

יֵֽלְכוּ֙  Shall  spread 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
יֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יו  His  branches 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄונֶקֶת  
Sense: young plant, twig, young shoot.
וִיהִ֥י  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כַזַּ֖יִת  like  an  olive  tree 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: זַיִת  
Sense: olive, olive tree.
הוֹד֑וֹ  His  beauty 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: הֹוד  
Sense: splendour, majesty, vigour.
וְרֵ֥יחַֽ  and  fragrance 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֵיחַ  
Sense: scent, fragrance, aroma, odour.
ל֖וֹ  his 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
כַּלְּבָנֽוֹן  like  Lebanon 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: לְבָנׄון  
Sense: a wooded mountain range on the northern border of Israel.